🌏 Region(s): Ryukyu (Okinawa)

ちかいん【使いん】 : chikain | define meaning

chikain

Pronunciation: [t͡ɕikaiŋ̍]

Definition

Transitive Verb

(Things, time) To use; to make use (of); to employ; to operate; to manipulate
(Money) To use; to spend; to incur (an expense)
(Energy, gas, electricity, resources) To use; to use up; to consume; to eat (at)
(Language) To use; to speak; to say
1. にふぇーでーびたんでぃちちかとーんどー【御拝でーびたんでぃち使とーんどー】
  nifee deebitan dichi chikatoon doo
  "We do say 'nifee deebitan'", "We do use the form 'nifee deebitan'"
(People) To employ; to manage; to have (a butler, a servant)

Etymology

Cognate to standard Japanese つかう【使う】 tsukau "to use".

Spelling

Orthography	Form
Kanji	使いん
Kana	ちかいん
Romanization	chikain
Pronunciation (IPA)	[t͡ɕikaiŋ̍]

Verb Paradigm

Central Okinawan u-type verb: **chikayun** ~ **chikain**
		Imperfective	Perfective	Negative	Negative Perfective
Indicative	PRED	chikayun, chikain	chikatan	chikaan	chikaantan
	ATT	chikayuru, chikairu	chikataru
Progressive	PRED	chikatoon	chikatootan	chikateewuran	chikateewurantan
	ATT	chikatooru	chikatootaru
Causative	PRED	chikaasun	chikaachan	chikaasan	chikaasantan
	ATT	chikaasuru	chikaacharu
Passive and Potential	PRED	chikaariyun, chikaariin	chikaaritan, chikaattan	chikaariran, chikaaran	chikaarirantan, chikaaratan
	ATT	chikaariyuru, chikaariiru	chikaaritaru, chikaattaru
Causative-Passive	PRED	chikaasariyun, chikaasariin	chikaasaritan	chikaasariran	chikaasarirantan
	ATT	chikaasariyuru, chikaasariiru	chikaasariraru
Intransitivizing resultative (For transitive verbs only)	PRED	chikateen	chikateetan	chikateeneen	chikateeneentan
	ATT	chikateeru	chikateetaru
Preparatory	PRED	chikatoochun	chikatoochan	chikateeukan	chikateeukantan
	ATT	chikatoochuru	chikatoocharu

Base forms
Form	Construction
Root	chika-
Dictionary	chikayun, chikain
Attributive or Adnominal	chikayuru, chikairu
Apocopated (indicative imperfective)	chikayu-, chikai-
Adverbial	chikai
Volitional-Presumptive	chikara
Conjunctive	chikati
Representative	chikatai
Imperative	chikari, chikaree
Conditional	chikaree

Common attributive (adnominal) constructions
Form	Construction
Conjecture	chikayuru haji, chikairu haji
So as to...	chikayuru gutu, chikairu gutu
Before...	chikayuru mee, chikairu mee
While...	chikayuru qweeda, chikayuru-qweema, chikairu qweeda, chikairu-qweema
Purpose	chikayuru tami ni, chikairu tami ni

Common conjunctive constructions
Form	Construction
Request	chikati-kwimisooree
Benefactive	chikati-kwiin
Completive	chikati-neen
Concessive conditional	chikati-n
After...	chikati-kara
After...	chikati-atu

Common adverbial constructions (adjectival compounds)
Form		Imperfective	Perfective	Negative	Negative perfective
Desiderative	PRED	chikai-busan	chikai-busantan	chikai-bushikoo neen, chikai-bushikoo neeran	chikai-bushikoo neentan, chikai-bushikoo neerantan
Desiderative	ATT	chikai-busaru	chikai-busataru	chikai-bushikoo neen, chikai-bushikoo neeran	chikai-bushikoo neentan, chikai-bushikoo neerantan
Easy to...	PRED	chikai-yassan	chikai-yassantan	chikai-yashikoo neen, chikai-yashikoo neeran	chikai-yashikoo neentan, chikai-yashikoo neerantan
Easy to...	ATT	chikai-yassaru	chikai-yassataru	chikai-yashikoo neen, chikai-yashikoo neeran	chikai-yashikoo neentan, chikai-yashikoo neerantan
Hard to...	PRED	chikai-gurisan	chikai-gurisantan	chikai-gurikoo neen, chikai-gurikoo neeran	chikai-gurikoo neentan, chikai-gurikoo neerantan
Hard to...	ATT	chikai-gurisaru	chikai-gurisataru	chikai-gurikoo neen, chikai-gurikoo neeran	chikai-gurikoo neentan, chikai-gurikoo neerantan

Common adverbial constructions (verbal compounds)
Form		Imperfective	Perfective	Negative	Negative perfective
Exalting	PRED	chikai-misheen	chikai-misheentan	chikai-misooran	chikai-misoorantan
Exalting	ATT	chikai-misheeru	chikai-misheetaru, chikai-misoocharu	chikai-misooran	chikai-misoorantan

Common adverbial constructions (nominal compounds)
Form	Construction
While (simultaneously)...	chikai-gachii

Common apocopated constructions
Form	Construction
Reported past	chikayu-tan, chikai-tan
Nominalizing	chikayu-shi, chikai-shi
Concessive	chikayu-shiga, chikai-shiga
Cause-effect	chikayu-kutu, chikai-kutu
Prohibitive	chikayu-na, chikai-na
Provisional conditional	chikayu-raa chikai-raa
Questions	chikayu-ga, chikai-ga

Other constructions
Form		Imperfective	Perfective	Negative	Negative perfective
Polite	PRED	chikayabiyun, chikayabiin, chikaibiyun, chikaibiin	chikayabitan, chikaibitan	chikayabiran, chikaibiran	chikayabirantan, chikaibirantan
Polite	ATT	chikayabiyuru, chikayabiiru, chikaibiyuru, chikaibiiru	chikayabitaru, chikaibitaru	chikayabiran, chikaibiran	chikayabirantan, chikaibirantan
Polar questions	PRED	chikayumi, chikaimi	chikatii	chikaani	chikaantii

Verb paradigms are based off several sources including, but not limited to:

Funatsu, Yoshiaki. (1988). 美しい沖縄の方言①. [Utsukushii Okinawa no kotoba 1]. ISBN4-905784-19-0.
Sakihara, Mitsugu. (2006). Okinawan-English Wordbook. University of Hawai'i Press, Honolulu. ISBN: 0824831020.
Shizato, Rumiko and Iwasaki, Shoichi. (2024). Basic Okinawan: From Conversation to Grammar. University of Hawai'i Press, Honolulu. ISBN: 9780824893651.

意味：つかう【使う】

+ amend/report

使いん

Tags: Okinawan Language, Uchinaaguchi, Ryukyuan Languages, 沖縄方言, 沖縄語, うちなーぐち, 沖縄口, 琉球方言, 琉球語...

Cite this entry: Read, Zachary. (2023, July 30). ちかいん【使いん】 : chikain | define meaning. JLect: Japonic Languages and Dialects Database. Retrieved 2025, December 5, from https://www.jlect.com/entry/2261/chikain/.