cúli
Macanese
Alternative forms
- cule, cúle
Etymology
Most likely from English coolie, from Hindustani क़ुली / قلی (qulī, “hired laborer”), possibly from Ottoman Turkish قول (kul, “servant”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈku.li/
Noun
cúli
- coolie, rickshaw or trishaw carrier
- Chomâ quanto cúli para cartá tudo ancuza ― Call for a few coolies to carry everything
- (derogatory) useless person, person of no worth
Derived terms
- cabéça-di-cúli (“stevedore at the docks and markets responsible for a team of coolies”, literally “head of coolies”)
References
Portuguese
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
- (Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈku.li/
- (Portugal) IPA(key): /ˈku.li/
Noun
cúli m (plural cúlis)
- coolie (unskilled Asian worker)