來遮
The phrase come here in Hokkien is 來遮.
What does it mean word for word?
來遮 is composed of 來 (come) and 遮 (here).
Did you know?
- In many Hokkien-speaking communities, calling someone to 'come here' with 來遮 is often accompanied by a palm-up gesture with the fingers curling inward, rather than the palm-down motion common in some other Asian cultures.
- While 來遮 means 'come here', the word 遮 can also mean 'to cover' or 'to shield' in other contexts, showing how a single character can shift from a location to an action.
- The character 遮 (here) is actually a phonetic transcription used in some Hokkien writing systems, whereas a different character might be used to represent the same meaning in more formal literary contexts.
Examples in context
- 請大家過來這邊。Everyone, please come here.
- 你來遮。lí lâi chia.You come here.
- 細吉來遮。sè-ki lâi chia.Little child, come here.
- 請你來遮坐。tshiánn lí lâi chia tsuò.Please come here and sit.
Example conversation
Jiayi is calling her friend in a park.
- 佳怡 Chia-yi國強，來遮！Kúk-kiông, lâi chia!Guoqiang, come here!
- 國強 Kok-kiang我在這裡。Guá chāi chia-lí.I am over here.
- 佳怡 Chia-yi來遮看這個。Lâi chia khuànn che.Come here and look at this.
- 國強 Kok-kiang好，我過去了。Hó, guá khò-khì liáu.Okay, I'm coming over.
