Dictionarium Tau

A

A: Meanings; ‘Below’ or ‘Under’ in relation to status
Al: Meaning; ‘Small’
Aloh: Meaning; ‘Cold’
An: Meaning; “Location” -in relation to a specific place
Anuk: Meanings; ‘Birdlike’ or ‘flying feathered creature’
Ar: Meanings; ‘High’ in social standing or class or ‘dignified’
Au: Meanings; ‘Age’ or ‘Era’ or ‘A period of time’.
Auk: Meanings; “Impure” –in relation to the physical attributes of an object
Aun: Meanings; ‘Ethereal Caste’ in a personal tone
Aun’bork’an’retha: Composite Word; Meaning; Ethereal Bork’an University
Aun’kor’vattra:

B

B: Meanings; ‘Shepherd’ or ‘guide’ or ‘basic’.
Bap: Meaning; “lost”
Be’gel: Composite Word; Meaning; Orks or ‘Simple creatures’ Has no direct translation, or links with other Tau words. It is an anomaly in the Tau language.
Bentu: Meanings; ‘Wise’ or ‘Gifted’ or ‘Gracefully intelligent’
Bentu’sin: Composite Word; Meaning; ‘Wise-gifted ones’ this has the meaning of Demiurg in Tau phrases.
B’kak: Composite Word; Meaning; ‘Sand Herder’ or ‘Guide of the sands’.
B’nim: Composite Word; Meaning; ‘A basic foodstuff’ much like humans would consider bread or pasty food.
Bork: Meaning; “Snow” or “Ice”

C

Cal: Meaning; “Hard” or “Tough” -as in the physical properties of a material
Caor: Meanings; “Spinner” or “Creator”
Cea: Meaning; “Civilised” or “Enlightened” -in reference to those who see that the whole is greater than the one when it comes to society.
Cha: Meanings; ‘Purpose’ or ‘Action’
Co: Meanings; A Negative Prefix to a phrase, placement within word denotes what is negative. Eg Co’cha means ‘bad purpose’
Co’ge: Composite Word; Meaning; ‘Not’ or ‘or’
Co’t: Composite Word; Meaning; ‘But’ or ‘in contrast to’ or ‘not alike to’
Cova: Meanings; Break, shatter, dismantle.
Cyr: Meaning; “Time” –in reference to an arbitrary period of

D

D: Meanings; ‘Twin’ or ‘Together’
Da: Meaning; “Darkness” or “Absence (of light)”
Dal:
D’yi Composite Word; Meaning; ‘Bottomcheaks’
Dao: Meanings; ‘To accept’ or ‘To receive’ or ‘Be given’
Demlok: Meanings; ‘Canyon’ or ‘Gorge’ or ‘Cut Waterway’
Doran: Meanings; ‘Calm’ or ‘Peaceful’ or ‘At peace’
Doran’ro: Composite Word; Meaning; ‘Calm mind’ or ‘Peaceful mind’ a phrase referring to a relaxed state of being.
Dras:
Du: Meanings: ‘Position’ in relation to a physical place or object.
Du’a: Composite Word; Meaning; ‘Down’ or ‘Under’
Dua’vr: Composite Word; Meaning; ‘Beside’ or ‘Next to’
Du’oc: Composite Word; Meaning; ‘Up’ or ‘Above’
Du’Eio: Composite Word; Meaning; ‘High’ or ‘Taller’

E

Ea Meaning; ‘The’ or ‘It’ or ‘!’ putting emphasis on a phrase. Placement within phrase dictates what is having attention drawn to it.
Eio: Meanings; ‘Tall’ or ‘Large Vertically’
Eio’kio Composite Word; Meaning; ‘Tall Plant’ or ‘Tree’
El: Meanings; ‘Hero’ or ‘Commander’ or ‘Very Important’ –in reference to social standing
Elan: Meanings; ‘Strong’ or ‘Sturdy’ or ‘Support’
Elan’gu’cha: Composite Word; Meaning; ‘Sturdy Frame Action’ or ‘Skeleton’ or ‘Framework’ or ‘Scaffolding’ Its is a metaphor relating to the way a framework has a contact force action on what opposes it, or allows an action to take place because of it.
Elan’Ro: Composite Word; Meaning; ‘Support Mind’ or ‘Skull’ –submeaning ‘important’
Eldi: Meaning; ‘Wing’ in reference to a physical limb of a creature. –submeaning ‘important’
Elro: Meaning; ‘Have a Voice’ or ‘To Speak’ –submeaning ‘important’
Eoro: Meaning; ‘To Lead’ or ‘To Guide’
Era: Meaning; Plural suffix to a phrase, placement within word denotes what is plural eg Cha’era or ‘many purposes’).
Es: Meaning; “Forceful” or “Domineering” -submeaning “Full of (him/herself)”
Es’Tau:

F

Fa’ta’kn: Composite Word; Meaning; Doesn’t directly translate has ‘soul’ as part of the phrase however it is untranslatable of this current time. Reproductive organs? Process of reproduction? The act of reproduction?
Fal:
Fio: Meaning; ‘Earth’ or ‘Earth Caste’

G

Gal: Meaning; “To Explore” or “To Discover”
Gal’leath: Composite Word; Meaning; “Explorer Ship”
Ge: Meaning; ‘And’ or ‘with’
Gharial: Meaning; “Diplomatic Spaceship?”
Gue: Meaning; ‘Lowest’ In reference to social standing. –submeaning alien
Gue’la: Composite Word; Meaning; ‘Lowest Beings’ or ‘Humans’ –submeaning Imperial humans or non-pro Tau humans.
Gue’la’sia: Composite Word; Meaning; ‘Lowest Beings talk’ or ‘Gothic (speech)’
Gue’la’elro: Composite Word; Meaning; ‘Human Speaker’ or ‘Human Politician’
Gue’vesa: Composite Word; Meaning; ‘Lowest Helper’ or ‘Human Helpers’ –It refers to any human indoctrinated into Tau society or was born as a generations under Tau control.

H

H: Meaning;. ‘It’ it is an aggressive possessive prefix.
He: Meaning; “Unlimited” or “Without Number” or “Infinity”
Hesa: Meaning; numbers –in reference to Tau number symbols
He’ra: Composite Word; Meaning; “Many Wrongs” or “Misled”
H’esav’geka: Composite Word; Meaning; “We are better than you” –in very general terms. I direct translation into gothic does not currently exist.

I

Io: Meaning; “Food Plant” –in reference to where the food is coming from, rather than prepared food.
Is: Meaning; “Movement” or “(lack of) movement” –submeanings “cold” -in reference to an objects movement rather than that of a creature, which would be defined as action in Tau Xenolexicon. –in referance to the lack of movement meaning an object being ‘cold’

J

J: Meaning; ‘To Reverse’ or ‘To reflect’
Jikita Meaning; “Kroot”
J’kaara: Composite Word; Meaning; or “Reflect Image” or “Mirror”
Juntas:

K

Kaara: Meaning; ‘Image’ or ‘Picture’
Ka: Meaning; “To strike” or “To hit”
Kai: Meaning; “Big” in relation to the size of something
Kar: meaning; “Correct”
Kais: Meaning; “Skilful” or “expert” or “Competent”
Kak: Meaning; “Sand” or “Small sediment”
Ka’ra: Composite Word; Meaning; “Strike Wrong” or “Exile”
Kass: Composite Word; Meaning; “Troops?”
Kass’l: Composite Word; Meaning; “Troop Dropper?” or “Orca”
Ka’mesa: Composite Word; Meaning; “Strike Mark” or “Scar”
Kau: Meaning; “To Rest” or “To Wait” while ‘hunting’ or other activities, it can also be used to refer to eating food.
Kau’ui: Composite Word; Meaning; “Hunter Leader/Team” or “Cadre” -not a direct translation
Kauyon: Composite Word; Meaning; “Hunter that is Patient” or “Patient Hunter” –it refers to a type of Tau battleplan as well and can be used descriptively as a way of conducting plans or a project.
Kavaal: Meaning; “Strike Group” or “Attack Force” in reality this is a grouping of multiple Tau contingents to form a small army.
Klkn Meaning; negative prefix, suffix or meaning term on its own. In reference like a Human would curse.
Kles: Meaning; “Exceptionally” or “More Than Normal”
Kles’tak: Composite Word; Meaning; “Intense Explosive” –Equivalent of high explosive
Kna: Meaning; “Silly” or “Stupid”
Ko: Meaning; “To be Worthy” or “Commendable of”.
Ko’io: Composite Word; Meaning; “Grain” or “Basic Food Plants” or “Plants worthy of being eating” in a literal sense.
Ko’io’nai: Composite Word; Meaning; “Worthy Food Plants (that are) Starchy” or “Cereal”
Kor: Composite Word; Meaning; “Air Caste” or “Air”
Korar: Meaning; “Airship”
Korst’la: Composite Word; “Death being” or “Reaper”
Kor’vesa: Composite Word; Meaning; “Air Helpers” or “Tau Drones” (Note the translation “Faithful Helper” is inaccurate as it does not follow the rest of the language).
Ko’vash: Composite Word; Meaning; “Worthy Cause” something that is commendable in Tau society.
Kar’tyr: Composite Word; Meaning; “Correct Punishment?” or “Justice”
Kre: Meaning; “Traitor”
Kunas: Meaning; “Agile” or “Dexterous”
Ky: Meaning; “Me” or “I” in reference to self.
Kyse: Meaning; “Belt” in reference to asteroid belts in space.

L

L: Meaning; “To drop”
La: Meaning; “being” or “Creature”
Lar: Meaning; “Valiant” or “Courageous”
Lar’shi: Composite Word; Meaning; “Valiant Victory” or “Hero” –in reference to a one off act (it seems)
Leath: Meaning; “Deep Space Spaceship?”
Lissera: Meaning; “Group” or “Team”
Lisseri: Meaning; “To Accept”
Li: Wild / natural.
Li’Sun’yi: “Wild Flower”.
Lynu: Meaning; “Steadfast” or “Persistent”

M

M: Meaning; An “un-” prefix, not negative meanings however. Used in the same way we might use inverted commas when using a descriptive word which doesn’t quite work.
Mal: Meaning; “Insect” or “Arthropod”
Mal’caor: Composite Word; Meaning; “Web Spinner” or “Spider” in reference to insects.
Mal’kor: vespid
Mesa: Meaning; “To mark” or “To Identify”
Mesme: Meaning; “To add” or “To combine” or “To Join”
Mon: Meaning; “Black” or “Greys” –in reference to colour (it seems).
Monat: Meaning; “An Individual” or “Individual Freedom” or the name given to a single Tau acting alone.
Mont: Meaning; “War” or “Battle”
Mont’au: Meaning; “War Age” or “Age of War” –submeanings referring to the anarchy of the early Tau castes and hence cane be translated as ‘The Terror’.
Mont’au’gue’la: Composite Word; Meaning; ‘Age of War Humans’ or ‘Chaos humans/cultists’
Mont’da: Composite Word; Meaning; “War Darkness” or “Fog of War”
Mont’ka: Composite Word; Meaning; “War Strike” or “Killing Blow”
Mont’re: Composite Word; Meaning; “War Strength” or “Warlike”
Mont’yr: Composite Word; Meaning; “War Experienced” or “Veteran”
Myr: Meaning; “Knife” or “Blade”
M’yan: Meaning; “Un-happy” or “Not Happy” or “Sad”
M’yen: Composite Word; Meaning; “Un-forseen” or “Un-expected”
M’yenshi: Composite Word; Meaning; “Un-forseen victory” or “Un-expected victory”

N

N: Meaning; “Second” In reference to placement rather than time.
Nai: Meaning; “Carbohydrates” or “Starch” in reference to a foods nutritional content.
Nan: Meaning; “Sword” or “Hand Blade”
Nan’Sha’is: Composite Word; Meaning; “Sword Gas Movement” or “Sword Wind” in reference to a sudden fast change. –submeanings an attack made by Eldar forces.
Nars: Meaning; “Stone” or “Rock”
Nem: Meaning; “Piercing”
Nim: Meanings; ‘Foodstuff’ or ‘Food’ or ‘Staple meal’
Ny: Meanings; “Fur” or “Hair”
Ny’oni: Composite Word; Meaning; “Fur-covered”.

O

O: Meaning; “High Commander/Leader” or “Heroic Commander/Leader” this suffix in a Tau name denotes the highest Tau rank one can achieve.
Oi: Meaning; “Shinning” or “Reflecting”
Ol: Meaning; “Bright” in relation to light intensity
Olku: Meaning; “Decision” or “Choice”
Oni: Meaning; “Covered” or “To Cover”
Or: Meaning; “Compelling” or “Authorative”
Or’es: Composite Word; Meaning; “Forcefully Compelling” or “Powerful” or “Charismatic”
Or’mon’kor: Composite Word; Meaning; “Authorative Black Air” or “Powerful Black Air” –in reference to the ‘power’ of pinning the drones posses –submeaning ‘sniper drone’
O’ran: “Courage” –in reference to the act of.
O’res’la: Composite Word; Meaning; “Heroic Barbaric Beings” Or “Ork Raiders”

P

P: Meaning; “A place” or “There” or “In” or “At” a prefix denoting the physical placement of an object or area.
Por: Meaning; “Water Caste” or “Water/liquids”

R

R: Meaning; “Long”
R’myr: Composite Word; Meaning; “longknife”
Ra: Meaning; “Wrong”
Raik: Meaning; “Time” – in reference to the passing of and measurement of
Raik’an: Meaning; “Seconds” (time location)
Raik’ors: Meaning; “Minutes” (time authorative)
Ray: Meaning; “Walker”
Re: Meaning; “Strength”
Ret: Meaning; “To Teach” or “To Instruct” or “To Inform”
Retha: Meaning; “Temple” or “University”
Res: Meaning; “Barbaric”
Ro: Meaning; “Mind” or “Brain”
Roi: Meaning; “Smell”
Rotaa Meaning; “Day”
Ru: Composite Word; Meaning; “Built” or “Crafted”
Ru’fio: Composite Word; Meaning; “Earth Caste Built”
Run: Meaning; “Structure” or “Building” –in reference to buildings in general.
Run’al: Composite Word; Meaning; “Small Building” or “Hidden Building” or “Outpost”

S

Sa: Meaning; “Well”
Sa’cea: Composite Word; Meaning; “Well Civilised”
Saal: Meaning; “Children” or “Young Adult” or “Trainee”
Saum’ol: Meaning; “Napalm”
Sav: Meaning; future prefix
Sav’cyr: Meaning; “Time to come” or “Future”
Sav’ge: Meaning; “With” –in reference to something occurring in the future
Savon: Meaning; “Keen-eyed” or “Good Eyesight”
Sha: Meaning; “Gas”
Sha’is: Composite Word; Meaning; “Gas Movement” or “Wind”
Shan: Meaning; “Army?”
Shan’al: Composite Word; Meaning; “Army? Small”
Shas: Composite Word; Meaning; “Fire Caste” –not referring to fire as an entity
Shas’ar’tol: Composite Word; Meaning; “Fire Caste High Command”
Shas’ka: Composite Word; Meaning; “Fire Caste Strike” or “Star?”
Shas’ka’demlok: Composite Word; Meaning; “Fire Caste Strike Canyon” or “Canyon of the sun”
Shas’shi: Composite Word; Meaning; “Fire Caste Victory” or “Victorious Warriors”
Shi: Meaning; “Victory”
Shi’mont’ka: Composite Word; Meaning; “Victory War Strike”
Shi’va: Composite Word; Meaning; “Victory Cause”
Sho: Meaning; “Energy” -in reference to the creation of and transfer of
Sho’aun’or’es: Tau word for Source of power, generator, engine, drive.
Sho’ka Composite Word; Meaning; “Energy Strike” or “Energy Weapon” or “Plasma Weapons?”
Sho’kara: Composite Word; Meaning; “Energy Image” or “Gate/Portal” -submeaning lens
Shovah: Meaning; “Farsighted” or “Prophetic”
Shtlk: Composite Word; Meaning; “Defile” or “Desecrate”
Siral: Meaning; Return
Sin: Meaning; ‘Ones’ or ‘peoples’ or ‘group’
Sio’t: Composite Word; Meaning; “Premeditated Aggression”
Skether’qan non-existent word
Soo: Meaning; “Artfull”
Su: Meaning; “Grey”
Suas: Meaning; “Join in” or “Become”
Suam: Meaning; “Fire” or “Combustion (the act of)” –in direct reference to fire and flame, rather than the ‘Fire Caste’ which is different.
Sun’yi: A plant found on Tel’Oshi. It has large, beautiful petals, but only lives for a little over a Tau’cyr.

T

T: Meaning; “Of” or “To”
T’koreth: Composite Word; Meaning; “Galaxy”
T’roi: Composite Word; Meaning; “a smell type of”
Ta: Meaning; “Soul”
Taal: Meaning; “To Preserve”
Ta’lissera: Composite Word; Meaning; “Marriage” or “Covenant”
Ta’mein:
Ta’ro’cha: Composite Word; Meaning; “Soul mind purpose” –The meaning translation reads more as ‘Three minds, one purpose’ and is an anomaly
Tash: Meaning; “Endures”
T’auk’cka: Composite Word; Meaning; “Of Impure Stock?” or “Hybrid” or “ba**ard”
T’auk’cka’M'me: Composite Word; Meaning; “Bastardised” or “not of an expected breed, for its kind”
Tak: Meaning; “Explosive”
Tau’cyr: Meaning; “year”
Tau’sia: Composite Word; Meaning; “Tau Speak” or “Language of Tau”
Tau’va: Composite Word; Meaning; “Tau Greater” or “The Greater Good”
Tio’ve: Composite Word; Meaning; “Contingent” or a “Group of Cadres”
T’n’cha: Composite Word; Meaning; “Of Second Purpose” or “On the Other Hand”
To: Meaning; An exclamation of unbelief
Tol: Meaning; “Office (of)” or “Position (over)” or “Authority (of)”
Tor: Meaning; “Land” or “Distance/Area”
Tor’ils: Composite Word; Meaning; “Land Measurements” –roughly translates as centimetres
Tol’tor: Composite Word; Meaning; “Authority of the land” or “Position of Power”
Tor’kan: Composite Word; Meaning; “Land Measurements” -roughly about one kilometre
Tor’lek: Composite Word; Meaning; “Land Measurements” -roughly about one metre
To’Tau’va: Composite Word; Meaning; “Tau Greater” or “By the Path!”
T’suam: Composite Word; Meaning; “Of Fire” –translation of ‘Belt’ is incorrect
Tsua Meaning; “Extreme Values” –relating to extremes on a scale of numbers
Tsua’m: Composite Word; Meaning; “Not extreme” or “Middle” or “Normal”

U

Uash’O: Tau regional [Shas] command.
Ufa: Meaning; “Breakable” or “Fragile”
Ui: Meaning; “Team Leader” or “Expert” –in reference to the second lowest Tau rank
Ui’t: Composite Word; Meaning; “Expert of” or “Leader of”
Ukos: Meaning; “Spoon”
Upt: Meaning; “Mountains”

V

Va: Meaning; “Greater” or “Better” or “Improved Upon”
Va’yan: Meaning; “Happier”
Vah: Meaning; “Personal”
Vah’cha: Meaning; “Goal” or “Aim”
Vash: Meaning; Between
Vash’aun’an: Composite Word; Meaning; “Between Celestial Space” or “Warp Space”
Vash’ya: Composite Word; Meaning; “Between Worlds (planets)”
Vesa: Meaning; “Helper”
Vattra: Meaning; “Fleet” –in reference to spacecraft
Vior: Meaning; “Aggressive”
Vior’la: Composite Word; Meaning; “Aggressive Being”
Vr: Meanings; ‘Equal’ or ‘Next to’ in terms of social standing.
Var: Meaning; “To Raid” or “Raiding”
Vral: Composite Word; Meaning; “Undercut”
Vre: Meaning; “Veteran”

X

Xar: Meaning; “Physical”
Xar’vesa: Composite Word; Meaning; “Physical Helper Suit” or “Battlesuit”
Xauk: Meaning; “Create new life?” or “Birth”
Xesa: Meaning; past prefix

Y

Y: Meaning; “Individual(s)” or “One”
Ya: Meaning; “World” “Planet”
Yan: Happy –submeanings “Mood”
Yi: Meaning; “Cheeks”
Yanoi: Meaning; “Moon”
Y’eldi: Composite Word; Meaning; “Individual Wing” or “Winged One”
Yen: Meaning; “To Imagine” or “Forsee”
Y’he: Composite Word; Meaning; “Individuals Without Number”
Yio: Meaning; “To Hear” or “Listen”
Yr: Meaning; “Experienced”
Y’xauk: Composite Word; Meaning; “Individual Create?” or “To Breed” or “Mate”

*Sources: www.cygnusx1.info/tau/lexicon.asp; CODEX: Tau; CODEX: Tau Empire; Firewarrior (Black Libary); Kill Team (Black Libary); Battlefleet Gothic; Chapter Approved (UK GW website); Model Transfers Sheet