top of page

The phrases and words here reflect the Kayan worldview, capturing the essence of Kayan daily life. While modern terms are yet to be explored, particularly those related to modern living and technology, readers are encouraged to scroll down to the end of the page for interesting short paragraphs in Kayan-English-Kayan, including conversations about the Kayan migration to Sarawak based on Kayan oral history. 

Kayan - English phrases

Marung kanen

Te' im na kanen

Uh sak nah kanen anih

Makin kanen

Ala kanen

Tutung kanen anih

Lema lan kanen anih

Mahing lan kanen anih

Im nape' kanen anan

​

About rice

Go cook rice

The rice is cooked

Scoop the rice

Take the rice

The rice is burned

The rice is too soft

The rice is too hard

You wrap the rice

​

Marung dapi

Te' im na dapi

Uh sak nah dapi

Heling lan dapi anih

Kahum lan dapi telo

Kanya lan dapi telo

Beleh dapi anih

Mih lan dapi anih

​

About the dish

Go cook our dish

The dish is cooked

The dish is delicious

There are too many dish

There isn't enough dish

The dish is not savory

The dish is too salty

​

Marung te' kakah

Te' telo kakah jima

Hino kelo te' kakah?

Te' kakah ha luma ha Apoh

Nun hadui kelo ha luma?

Te' lemirik

Dekaya luma kelo yah?

Usi ha nuno dekaya

Geri kelo kanen

​

Going to work (on the farm)

Let's go work tomorrow

Where do you (go) work?

Do work on our farm in Apoh

What work you do in the farm?

Slashing

Do you have a big farm?

It's not very big

Bring rice (to your work)

​

Te' ngejala'

Te' ngejala dawa

Hino dawa te' ngejala?

Ha hunge' Lidem

Kuri jala dawa geri?

Ji kurik

Masik nun hagen hinan?

Masik  hitam hagen

​

Cast netting

They are going cast netting

Where do they go to cast net?

To Lidem river

How many net do they bring?

I think just one

What type of fish is there?

Mostly carps

​

Te ngasok

Dawa seng te' ngasok

Hino dawa te' ngasok?

Ha Pane'

Kahum bavui hinan

Asok hi dawa geri?

Asok Laing Balan

Lakin asok na nan

Kahum uh bavui kelan na

​

Hunting

They are going hunting

Where do they hunt?

In Pane' (river area)

There are wild boars there

Whose dogs do they bring?

Laing Balan's dogs

They (dogs) are good hunters

They caught many wild boars

​

Te' nyikep

Te' im ilo kelunan te' nyikep

Hi aleng ngenep te' nyikep?

Te' im meteng Usun Anyi

Jam ha ilo uge' sayu avan nyikep

Da'uk uge' do?

Haruk hi telo geri nyikep?

Haruk uk Manan tih deh

Kuri huang na?

Lima la'ong kurik dih

Lawa' anih anuk yah?

Maring lawa' anan

Lawa' kenak anan

​

Nyikep - catch fish

Ask who wants to go nyikep

Who wants to go nyikep?

Go ask Usun Anyi

She knows which river is good for nyikep

Is it low tide?

Whose boat do we use?

Manan's small boat

How many people fits?

I think 5 people

Do I use this lawa' ?

That lawa' is new

I made it (lawa')

​

Na inu ubut hung

​Haman lan Urei Anyi na hung

Kajo ubut hung kenan na

Kajo lan ikeng na

Hino ha belajen na nak?

Belajen dep, ineng daha

Kuri dara na ji ubut hung?

Jaki kah awi em te hadui beh

Alem ji-dua do nunan

Im na ji men akui

Ubut hung aya yah?

Na aleng da'uk tua

​

Make sun-hat ubut

Urei Anyi is good at making sun hat/hung

Her ubut hung is beautiful

The design is beautiful

Where did she learn it?

She learnt through observing others

How long does it take to make the hat?

Not long if there's no other work

Maybe in 1-2 days

Make one for me

You want the big one?

Just a small one

​

Hadui luma

Dekaya lan luma na

Da'uk kah luma anan

Su lan ha na luma

Hino ha na luma?

Ha Bah tih ha na luma

Nuno kam te' ha luma?

Pake' haruk

Uh nah ikam nyavep yah?

Usi piyan de'

Uh nah de'

Uh nah ikam nugan yah?

Usi piyan de'

Uh nah de'

Hiran kam ngeluno?

Hujung duman tih

Pelado kelo do?

ee, kalo pelado anih

Luma hi kelo te' danih?

Luma Akem Baya

Hiran kelo te' ha anum?

Jima kurik

Kahum pare' kelo duman anih

Usi nuno kahum

Usi kelo peli'yen duman anih

Sayu urip kalo duman anih

​

​Farm works

His farm is big

It's a small farm

His farm is far

Where do you farm?

He farms in Bah

How do you go to the farm?

We use boat

Have you done the burning?

Not yet

Already

Have you sow?

Not yet

Already

When do you harvest?

End of the year

Will you work together

Yes, we work together

Whose farm do you go today?

Akem Baya's farm

When will you go to your farm?

Tomorrow I think

You have good harvest this year

Not really

You won't go hungry this year

We are better this year

​

Tebara

Tangen te' sebayang

Tangen te' sekulah

Tangen belajen

Pelihe' te' hadui

Ineng sayu ano kelo

Sayu barik tek hang kelunan

Hituk kah im tek akui

Meng hado tek akui

Meng selagok

Meng kop

Meng ji'ek te kelunan

Meng peluvat kelunan

​

Advice

*Always go to church

*Always go to school

*Always study hard

Be careful at work

Be safe on your journey

Be good among people

Remember me

Don't forget me

Don't be naughty

Don't lie

Don't be bad with people

Don't *cheat on people

​

Itam alem amin

Hinei /  Mok

Amei / Mei

Sepun / Pui doh

Sepun / Pui kek

Harik doh

Harik lake'

Ba'ong

Abok

Sau / So

Doh uk

Lake' uk

​

*Family

Mother

Father

Grandmother

Grandfather

My sister

My brother

Baby girl

Baby boy

Granddaughter/son

Young girl

Young boy

​

Aran tam men daha panak

Mei Bui

Mok Et

Akem Emang

Et Urei

Oyong Wan

Oyong Puyang

Aban Ngo

Balo Paya

​​

Relationship name

Uncle Bui

Aunt Et

*Akem Emang - Akem is a term for a man that has lost his middle child. When Emang lost his child, the Akem is added to his name, thus he is now Akem Emang.

*Et Urei - Et for a woman who has lost her middle child. Urei who lost her middle child is now known as Et Urei.

*Oyong Wan - Oyong is a term for a man who lost his eldest child. When Wan lost his eldest child, Oyong is added to his name, thus he is now known as Oyong Wan.

*Oyong Puyang - same as Oyong Wan. Puyang lost her eldest child, now she is known as Oyong Puyang.

*Aban Ngo -  Aban signifies a widower, a man who lost his wife.

*Balo Paya - signifies a woman who lost her husband.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

English - Kayan words

Positive character

wise

clever

loving

helpful

welcoming

patient

kind

cooperative

​

Barik sayu

nyemugen

haman

nyalam

masi

nyamah

aru kenep

sayu kenep

nyadui peji

​

Negative character

stupid

cruel

​

Barik ji'ek

palui

kelalo ji'ek

​

'Modern' work

teacher

lawyer

police

lecturer

nurse

businessman

accountant

​

Hadui 'maring'

guru

loya

pulis

guru universiti

misi

bisnes

kira sin

​

Body descriptions

big

small

tall

short

fat

thin

pretty

beautiful

handsome

​

Marung batung

dekaya

da'uk

bo'

liva

madung

kangen

kajo

nyamdoh

nyemake'

​

Parts of the body

feet

arm

eyes

mouth

face

cheek

teeth

fingers

ears

hairs

nose

​

Marung batung

kudek

usu

matak

ba

neng

pingah

ipak

usu

iling

buk

urung

​

Clothes and accessories

pants

blouse

panty

pajamas

shoes

slippers

watch

bracelets

necklace

rings

ear rings

​

Kanan batung

selu'en

basung

selu'en alem

basung tudu

kasut

slipa

jam

galang

tep'eng

selegem

iseng

​

Praise and worship

faith

God

pray

praise

worship

angel

​

Marung sebayang

kinah

Tuhan

sebayang

meju

ngetalo

meliket

​

Nature

mountain

river

stream/creek

sky

cloud

rain

water

rapid

flood

sun

tree

log

flower

thunder

drought

windy

​

Marung usun tana

ngalang

hunge'

hunge' uk

langit

up

usan

atak

kasih

lepa'

matan do'

kayo'

batang kayo'

bunga

bekilet

tagak

bahui

​

Health

sick

headache

stomach ache

pain

pain in the eye

pain in the ear

backache

toothache

​

Marung ageh

perah

kelivak kuhung

perah butit

perah

perah mata

perah iling

perah la'ung

perah ipak

​

Life status

single

married

divorce

young

old

dead

​

Marung urip

usi piyan ngehawa

uh ngehawa

puli

nyam

muku

mate'

​

Sustenance

eat

drink

sleep

love

hungry

full/sated

​

Marung u'a urip

kuman

du'i

tudu

halem

la'o

besuh

​

Action

eat

drink

sleep

walk

run

lie down

cook

buy

throw

take

spit

kick

fall

cry

laugh

giggle

hug

hit

point

wash

wash laundry

pee

pass motion

​

Ket en tam na

kuman

du'i

tudu

pano

tempurung

miri

na kanen/na dapi

bele

so

ala

lemura

sipak

jatu

nangih

kesing

ngi'em

kelameng

mukut

nuju

mayo

mesop

nget'ian

nget'e

​

Animal

bird

pig

wild boar

dog

cat

chicken

fish

prawn

crocodile

snake

dragon

ant

*germ

​

Tulan

manuk

uting

bavui

aso

seng

nyiap

masik

urang

baya

nyipa

lejo

kepirang

ulen

​

Part of the house

house

door

bedroom

kitchen

attic

toilet

bathroom

mat

​

Uvung amin

amin

ketamen

tilung

tebeh / avok

keparung

avan sengit

uma duh

berat

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

​

​

​

​

Short sentences in Kayan-English

​

Conversation about Kayan migration as told to me by Jau Anyi (Taman Harun):

​

Asen tam Kayan nih kurin daha', men Kalimantan ha Indonesia hitih tam nih ne'. Ne' bulak kurin daha. Te' kah tavit na kurin daha bi itam ne' bulak avan tam ilo urip kah aleng lan na nih pa.

​

Accordingly, we are said to be originated from Kalimantan in Indonesia. They said we migrated. There were many reasons, but it would seemed we moved here to build new life for ourselves.

​

Usi itam bulak atih itam pasan daleh, alem daleh Borneo anih loh kah itam tek kereh. Pelitah tam aleng dap areh pa, daleh tam nih daleh Kayan.

​

It's not that we migrated (to a different country), we are still in Borneo. It's our government(s) that are different, we are in our Kayan country.

​

Aring tam ne' ha beji hinih, ha Tubo hitih tam tek. Daha sepun tam menuna hitih daha na uma. Bi ne' nah daha bulak ha beh Telangusan hinih, daha ne' ilo tana avan daha na luma.

​

At the beginning of their migration to this side (of Borneo), our ancestors settled in Tubo (an area in Belaga, Bintulu district). Later they decided to move to this part of the Telangusan (a district in the Baram) to look for fertile land to farm.

​

Tek kuri-kuri duman itam uh ne' bulak ha Sarawak nih. Tek loh kah daleh tam ha Kalimantan tih, bi usi nah tek kelunan tam tinih. Awi tam te' ilo daha ju tek kah kepa, bi usi nah itam nuno jam la'an avin itam uh dara em te' hitih.

​

We have migrated here to Sarawak since a long time ago. We still have our country there in Kalimantan, but our people are no longer there. If we did go and look for them, maybe we will find them, but we would not know who because we have not returned for such a long time since.

​

Usi kah itam nuno jam lung nuno tam ne' bulak nih avin usi tek kelunan aleng ngalung na men itam. Uh kahum lepet nah itam aleng bulak anih pa, 4-5 lepet nunan kurik. Daha aleng dekaya men itam Kayan ha Sarawak nih, usi pah daha lim nuno jam avin nganak hinih lim daha, ure' kah hinan taman, sepun daha lahuh. Te' kah uk lung-lung kitan daha bi usi nah daha nuno hituk. Aleng kurin daha men'a dih, avin itam ilo tana avan tam na luma.

​

We do not really know the history of our migration because there was no written record of our migration. There would have been many generations ago, perhaps 4-5 generations ago. Those amongst us who are old, our elders, they would not know much as well because they were born here. Their parents too, and even grandparents were born here. They may know some stories, but vaguely. But as I said just now, its was most likely due to their need for fertile land to farm.

​

​

​

​

Edit this paragraph to highlight a specific service or feature you offer. Click "Edit Text" to begin editing the content and make it your own.

My conversation with Jau Anyi (Taman Harun) about Kayan migration to Sarawak. Lung marung tam bulak ne' ha Sarawak.

 

Roselind: Ha hino ka nganak? Where were you born?

​

Taman Harun: Ha uma dipah, At uma dipah ("uma dipah" means the house on the other side of the river) this is a term for the old longhouse that was built at the opposite side of the river from where the current longhouse is situated).

​

Roselind: Duman kuri? What year?

Taman Harun: Je'eh. Duman jaka perang Jepun. Don't really know. Around the time of the Japanese occupation.

​

Roselind: Kuri nah umun ka re? How old do you think you are?

Taman Harun: Sayak pulu nunan lo. Maybe 80's

​

Roselind: Nun lung aleng kitam marung itam Kayan bulak hinih? Do you know any stories about how we migrate here?

Taman Harun: Kurin daha' tih avin kelunan lap jaka daha' pekayo. They said the people left because of the *civil unrest.

​

Roselind: Daha' hi pekayo? Who were fighting?

Taman Harun: Daha' kelunan hitih. Tek lung kurin daha' marung nuno tuk itam lap. The people there, then. They had a story about how we left.

​

Roselind: Nuno lung atih? What is the story?

Taman Harun: Marung pekayo' anan kah. Bi sala leti daho' aleng daha' kelenghi atih.About the fighting (at the time). But they misheard the word.

​

Roselind: Daho' nun? What word?

Taman Harun: payo' payo' (deer). (They were in fact saying) deer, deer. 

​

Roselind: Payo'? 

Taman Harun: Ee. Daha' uli ngaso' pah. Payo' payo' ken daha'. Daha' bara kelan dalo ngaso atih. Yes. People were coming back from hunting. They said, payo' payo'. They were telling people they caught payo' (deer).

​

Roselind: Payo' kelan daha' ngaso' nan pa. Oh I see. They caught payo' (deer) from the hunt.

Taman Harun: Avin piyah dahok atih. Daha' menuna pekayo' kurin daha. Because the sound (of the two words) are similar. In the past, they fought each (ngayo').

​

Roselind: Payo' dahin ngayo' anan pa. Payo' and ngayo' do sound the same.

Taman Harun: Ee. Jadi saru' nah daha'. Daha' kuma kelunan ne' ngayo' daha'. Yes, so they were mistaken. They thought the enemy came to hunt/ fight them.

​

Roselind: Bi daha' kuma daha' ala payo' kum. But actually they were telling people they caught deer.

Taman Harun: Iha kah. Yes, indeed.

​

Roselind: Bo nuno nah sekah? So what happened?

Taman Harun: Bei ha kah daha' tempurung tua lap. Yes, indeed. Everyone scuttered (run) away.

​

Roselind: Hino daha tempurung lap? Where did they run?

Taman Harun: Te' ji jabatan avan daha te' lawat hunge'. There was one bridge that they use to cross the river.

​

Roselind: Unge' nun? What river?

Taman Harun: Je'eh. Ji unge' titih kah atih pa. Hunge' Kayan anan kah kurik. I don't know. There was a river there. It might be the Kayan river.

​

Roselind: Ee. Hunge' Kayan kah anan kurik. Yes. It could be the Kayan river.

Taman Harun: Hunge' Batang Kayan kurin daha'. They say the Batang Kayan river.

​

Roselind: Nuno nah daha uh tempurung lawat jabatan anan? What happened when they crossed the bridge?

Taman Harun: Pehile' daha tih pa. Daha takut, avin daha' kuma kelunan ne' ngayo' daha'. They were fighting to cross the river as they thought the enemy were coming to kill them.

​

Roselind: Nun jadi tek daha'? What happened to them?

Taman Harun: Kahum daha' tih pa jadi tasa' nah jabatan anan. Legak nah bale' kelunan. Because they were many of them so the bridge couldn't hold them. Some of the people fell in the river.

​

Roselind: Pasi lan. It's so sad.

Taman Harun: Tek nah bale' aleng lebo dipah hunge' anan, daha' nah aleng ne' ha Sarawak hinih. Some of them who managed to cross to the other side of the river, they were those we came to Sarawak.

​

Roselind: Daha' anan nah aleng ha Sarawak kere' nih kum. So these are the people that now settled in Sarawak.

Taman Harun: Ee. Iha nah itam anih. Daha' sepun tam aleng lawat anan deh. Yes, they were those that came, our ancestors who crossed the river.

​

Roselind: Tek nah daha' bale' melak ha Kalimantan hitih yah? So some were left in Kalimantan?

Taman Harun: Daha' anan nah aleng Kayan ha Kalimantan. They are the Kayan of Kalimantan.

​

Roselind: Ju tek kah panak tam ha hitih yah? Do we still have relatives there?

Taman Harun: Ju tek kah pa bi itak nah em jam avin dara lan nah itam em te' hitih. There might be so, but we won't know them because that was a long time ago.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

This section provides a brief snapshot of simple everyday conversational phrases.

​​Simple Kayan phrases to English

Sayu kenep - thank you.

Bara sayu kenep lan men ika.

Thank you so much.

kuman - eat

Uh nah ika kuman yah?

Have you eaten?

du'i - drink

Du'i nah kopi ka nan.

Drink your coffee.

pano / panau - walk

Ika tei panau hino anan?

Where are you going?

bakeh - friend

Akui tei keli'ah dahin bakeh kui anih

I am going to play with my friend.

nyivan - dance

Haman lan doh anan nyivan.

The girl can really dance.

Haman lan lake' anan nyivan.

The boy can really dance.

nyadui - work

Hino ka nyadui du?

Where do you work?

Nyadui ha Miri kuri jarun anih.

I am working in Miri now.

bahat - heavy

Bahat lan kayo anih.

This log is heavy.

Bahat lan kenep kui marung anih.

My heart is heavy on this matter.

perah / ji'ek noh - sick / now well

Perah noh kui danih.

I feel sick today.

Ji'ek noh kui danih.

I do not feel well today.

meng - do not / don't

Meng tusah kenep hinei.

Do not worry mother.

kelivak kuhung - headache

Kelivak kuhung kui pelemana ika.

I have *headache thinking of you.

tudu - sleep

Uh tudu nah ba'ong yah?

Is the little girl asleep already?

Uh tudu nah abok yah?

Is the little boy asleep already?

nyelanguk - naughty

Nyelanguk lan lake' uk anan.

He is a naughty boy.

pidah - wait

Im pidah kui uli nyadui ha tu' tei panau.

We can visit/go for a walk after I finish work.

hineng - watch / look

Meng hineng TV lale' kereng.

Do not watch too much TV.

Im hineng ha nan, haman lan ha.

Look at him, he is very clever.

pasi - sad

Pasi lan kenep kui pelemana ika.

I feel sad thinking of you.

sin - money

Kahun lan sin na.

He has a lot of money.

(na - refers to either male or female. non-gender)

doh anan - the girl/woman

lake' anan - the boy/man

mavuk - drunk

Mavuk pa'en ha nan, kelalau te' dui.

He is always drunk, he drinks a lot.

tangen - diligent / hardworking

Tangen im belajen ja si deng lebau

Study hard (Be diligent) so that you pass

kenep kui - I think

Kenep kui nih ngenep ngahawa.

I think I am ready to get married.

pelemana - think

Akui nei pelemana marung ika anih.

I am thinking of you.

Simple everyday English phrases to Kayan:

​How are you?

Nun dengah?

I am fine.

Sayu kah akui.

I do not feel good.

Ji'ek noh kui.

Where are you going?

Tei hino ka du?

I am going to the market.

Akui seng tei ha pasen anih.

I am going to the farm.

Akui seng tei ha luma anih.

Akui seng tei kakah anih

*kakah - the word kakah means going out to do general works on the farm.

I am going to work (office).

Akui seng tei nyadui anih.

What do we have for lunch today?

Nun kan telo danih?

We are having fish.

Kan masik.

We are having chicken.

Kan nyap.

We are having pork.

Kan bavui.

We are having preserved pork meat.

Kan lisem bavui.

We are having preserved fish.

Kan lisem masik.

The weather today is good.

Sayu lan dau danih.

It's a bad weather today.

Ji'ek dau danih.

It's raining today.

Usan dau danih.

The weather is terribly hot today.

Hanit lan dau danih.

I am drenched because of the rain.

Basa nyot kui kenan ujan anih.

Have you taken your bath?

Uh nah ika duh du?

No, I haven't.

Usi piyan.

I have a headache.

Perah kuhung kui.

You need to take medicine.

Kani ubat k.

I don't have medicine.

Usi te' ubat.

The clinic is close today.

Usi klinik buka, or,

Tutup klinik danih, or

Pekap klinik danih.

Take care of yourself.

Pelihei kah, ineng sayu.

Life is hard.

Tusah lan urip.

Take heart.

Pelihei kah.

He is a good person.

Sayu lan lake' anan.

She is a good person.

Sayu lan doh anan.

Can you throw the rubbish, please?

Im tolong meso / mesau luhap anan.

Bring this to school.

Im geri anih sekula.

Bring this to work.

Im geri anih nyadui / kakah.

They had a good time during Christmas.

Ngelu'an lan dalo tek dau aya dih.

They are going fishing today.

Tei mesek dalo danih.

They are going hunting tonight.

Tei nimak dalo malem anih.

They are going to catch fish tomorrow.

Tei nyikep dalo jima.

*nyikep is a Kayan term for catching fish using a traditional net usually used by women.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

bottom of page