sifu

See also: sìfú

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Cantonese 師傅／师傅 (si1 fu6-2, “master”) and 師父／师父 (si1 fu6-2, “my master”), both also conveying the sense of teacher.

Noun

sifu (plural sifu or sifus)

  1. A master or teacher in the context of martial arts, especially kung fu and tai chi.
    • 1998, Dana Stabenow, Fire and Ice, page 134:
      Who is -- don't get cute with me, you dumb bastard, I'm your sifu.
  2. A spiritual father in esoteric contexts.

Synonyms

Translations

Anagrams

Swahili

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic [Term?].

Pronunciation
  • Audio (Kenya)(file)

Verb

-sifu (infinitive kusifu)

  1. to praise, admire

Conjugation
Conjugation of -sifu
Positive present -nasifu
Subjunctive -sifu
Negative -sifu
Imperative singular sifu
Infinitives
Positive kusifu
Negative kutosifu
Imperatives
Singular sifu
Plural sifuni
Tensed forms
Habitual husifu
Positive past positive subject concord + -lisifu
Negative past negative subject concord + -kusifu
Positive present (positive subject concord + -nasifu)
Singular Plural
1st person ninasifu/nasifu tunasifu
2nd person unasifu mnasifu
3rd person m-wa(I/II) anasifu wanasifu
other classes positive subject concord + -nasifu
Negative present (negative subject concord + -sifu)
Singular Plural
1st person sisifu hatusifu
2nd person husifu hamsifu
3rd person m-wa(I/II) hasifu hawasifu
other classes negative subject concord + -sifu
Positive future positive subject concord + -tasifu
Negative future negative subject concord + -tasifu
Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -sifu)
Singular Plural
1st person nisifu tusifu
2nd person usifu msifu
3rd person m-wa(I/II) asifu wasifu
other classes positive subject concord + -sifu
Negative subjunctive positive subject concord + -sisifu
Positive present conditional positive subject concord + -ngesifu
Negative present conditional positive subject concord + -singesifu
Positive past conditional positive subject concord + -ngalisifu
Negative past conditional positive subject concord + -singalisifu
Gnomic (positive subject concord + -asifu)
Singular Plural
1st person nasifu twasifu
2nd person wasifu mwasifu
3rd person m-wa(I/II) asifu wasifu
m-mi(III/IV) wasifu yasifu
ji-ma(V/VI) lasifu yasifu
ki-vi(VII/VIII) chasifu vyasifu
n(IX/X) yasifu zasifu
u(XI) wasifu see n(X) or ma(VI) class
ku(XV/XVII) kwasifu
pa(XVI) pasifu
mu(XVIII) mwasifu
Perfect positive subject concord + -mesifu
"Already" positive subject concord + -meshasifu
"Not yet" negative subject concord + -jasifu
"If/When" positive subject concord + -kisifu
"If not" positive subject concord + -siposifu
Consecutive kasifu / positive subject concord + -kasifu
Consecutive subjunctive positive subject concord + -kasifu
Object concord (indicative positive)
Singular Plural
1st person -nisifu -tusifu
2nd person -kusifu -wasifu/-kusifuni/-wasifuni
3rd person m-wa(I/II) -msifu -wasifu
m-mi(III/IV) -usifu -isifu
ji-ma(V/VI) -lisifu -yasifu
ki-vi(VII/VIII) -kisifu -visifu
n(IX/X) -isifu -zisifu
u(XI) -usifu see n(X) or ma(VI) class
ku(XV/XVII) -kusifu
pa(XVI) -pasifu
mu(XVIII) -musifu
Reflexive -jisifu
Relative forms
General positive (positive subject concord + (object concord) + -sifu- + relative marker)
Singular Plural
m-wa(I/II) -sifuye -sifuo
m-mi(III/IV) -sifuo -sifuyo
ji-ma(V/VI) -sifulo -sifuyo
ki-vi(VII/VIII) -sifucho -sifuvyo
n(IX/X) -sifuyo -sifuzo
u(XI) -sifuo see n(X) or ma(VI) class
ku(XV/XVII) -sifuko
pa(XVI) -sifupo
mu(XVIII) -sifumo
Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + (object concord) + -sifu)
Singular Plural
m-wa(I/II) -yesifu -osifu
m-mi(III/IV) -osifu -yosifu
ji-ma(V/VI) -losifu -yosifu
ki-vi(VII/VIII) -chosifu -vyosifu
n(IX/X) -yosifu -zosifu
u(XI) -osifu see n(X) or ma(VI) class
ku(XV/XVII) -kosifu
pa(XVI) -posifu
mu(XVIII) -mosifu
Some forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.
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