wan

wan
Pronunciation	/wan/
Usage	2023: Core (100% → )2022: Core (100%)
Book and era	nimi pu
Part of speech	Number, content word
Codepoint	󱥳 U+F1973

wan is a core number word for the number one, and a content word relating to that number.

Etymology

The word wan is derived from English one.

Function and semantic space

As a modifier, the number wan marks singularity, i.e. it indicates that the head it modifies is a single thing. As a head, it may be used to mean a unit, a single thing or object, or the abstract concept of the number one.

toki pona la nimi wan li jo e kon suli　

toki pona la nimi wan li jo e kon suli.

In Toki Pona, a single word has a broad meaning.

wan may be used to describe several different concepts, including unity, individuality, uniqueness, or the state of being alone, among others. Notably, if something consists of multiple smaller individual things (e.g. a clock consisting of mechanical parts), wan may be used to describe either an individual part (a single cog) or the larger whole (the entire clock), depending on context. It can refer to both physical unity and social or conceptual unity.

kon li kama wan la ona li kama kon ante　

kon li kama wan la ona li kama kon ante.

When the gas fuses (lit. becomes one) it becomes another gas.

mi tu li awen wan　

mi tu li awen wan.

The both of us will stay united/together.

mi wile ala wan taso　

mi wile ala wan taso.

I don't want to be alone (lit. only one).

As a transitive verb, wan can be used for uniting or combining multiple things into a bigger whole.

ona li ken wan e sona lili mute li ken sona e ijo suli tan sona ni　

ona li ken wan e sona lili mute li ken sona e ijo suli tan sona ni.

They can combine many small pieces of knowledge, and can understand something big from this knowledge.

pu

In the "Official Toki Pona Dictionary" section, the book Toki Pona: The Language of Good defines wan as:

ADJECTIVE  unique, united
NUMBER  one

ku

For Toki Pona Dictionary, respondents in ma pona pi toki pona translated these English words as wan:

one⁵81–100% of respondents, united⁵81–100% of respondents, unity⁵81–100% of respondents, combined⁴61–80% of respondents, unite⁴61–80% of respondents, single⁴61–80% of respondents, unit³41–60% of respondents, blend³41–60% of respondents, combine³41–60% of respondents, union³41–60% of respondents, bind²21–40% of respondents, solo²21–40% of respondents, whole²21–40% of respondents, integration²21–40% of respondents, integrate²21–40% of respondents, component²21–40% of respondents, alone²21–40% of respondents, together²21–40% of respondents, segment²21–40% of respondents, mix²21–40% of respondents, particular²21–40% of respondents, independent²21–40% of respondents, portion²21–40% of respondents, slice²21–40% of respondents, primary²21–40% of respondents, combination²21–40% of respondents, part²21–40% of respondents

sitelen pona

The sitelen pona glyph for wan (󱥳) is derived from the Western Arabic numeral "1".

sitelen sitelen

The sitelen sitelen word glyph for wan (wanwan) is composed of a three-knobbed shape with a single knob inside. Compare the word glyph for tu (tutu). The origin of the glyph is unknown, but the knob shape inside might represent a kind of tally mark.

It can be rotated to face any direction, but it is usually written with the knobs facing away from the word(s) it modifies (facing right in left to right direction, and facing down in top to bottom direction).

Like with any monosyllabic word, it may also optionally be written with a syllable glyph (WANWAN).

Further reading

• "wan" on lipu Linku
• "wan" on lipu Wikipesija
• "wan" on English Wiktionary