pali

meaning

work, activity; create, build, design; put effort toward, take action on

semantic space · lipamanka

pali is work. But what does that mean? In toki pona, pali needs at least a little bit of effort, and it needs to make a little bit of something. But if it only had a little of each, calling it "pali" might be a worse choice than using another word. Just because eating requires a little work and makes energy inside of your body doesn't mean pali will be understood. So almost always, pali will either require a lot of effort or create a significant thing. A professional potter making pottery might not require a lot of effort because they are skilled enough, but it will create a significant object. And on the reverse, learning a new language may not create a significant object (just some new knowledge in your head), but it does require a lot of effort.

pali is, at its core, a transitive verb. Therefore, as a noun, pali is something that has been made or worked on. This could be a specific project, document, device, invention, practice session, job, task, etc.

pu verbatim

VERB to do, take action on, work on; build, make, prepare

ku translations

do¹⁰⁰ work¹⁰⁰ construct⁹⁴ activity⁹³ make⁹³ produce⁹³ build⁹² job⁹² production⁹¹ labour⁹⁰ working⁹⁰ action⁸⁷ task⁸⁶ create⁸⁴ function⁸³ occupation⁸¹ operating⁶⁹ execute⁶⁷ project⁶⁷ craft⁶⁴ manufacturing⁶⁴ develop⁶⁰ generate⁶⁰ assemble⁵⁸ compose⁵⁸ act⁵⁷ profession⁵⁵ assignment⁵³ commit⁵⁰ creation⁵⁰ enact⁵⁰ operation⁵⁰ perform⁵⁰ effort⁴⁸ service⁴⁸ accomplish⁴⁷ implement⁴⁷ operate⁴⁷ implementation⁴⁵ behave⁴³ behaviour⁴³ processing⁴³ career⁴¹ actively⁴⁰ employment⁴⁰ development³⁸ practice³⁸ execution³⁶ industry³⁶ invent³⁶ functional³⁵ procedure³⁵ role³⁵ achieve³³ construction³³ prepare³³ interact³² accomplishment³¹ undergo³¹ busy²⁹ undertake²⁹ behavioural²⁸ industrial²⁷ productive²⁷ manipulate²⁵ participation²⁵ plan²⁵