Usage Note
Nilà (also known as indigo plant) is a shrub whose leaves were traditionally used to produce blue dye in the Philippines. The indigo dye extracted from its leaves was used for weaving and dyeing cloth. The plant has historical significance in Philippine textile traditions and pre-colonial trade.
Examples
" May nila sa aming bukid. "
Natural Translation
There is a nila shrub in our field.
Literal Translation
Has nila in our field.
" Gumamit sila ng nilà upang kulayan ang mga damit. "
Natural Translation
They used indigo shrubs to dye the clothes.
Literal Translation
Used they of indigo-shrub to dye the clothes.
" Noong unang panahon, ang mga manghahabi ay nag-aani ng nila upang makagawa ng asul na tina para sa kanilang mga hinabing tela. "
Natural Translation
In the old days, weavers harvested the nila plant to make blue dye for their woven cloth.
Literal Translation
During first time, the PL weavers TOPIC harvest NG nila in-order to-make NG blue LINK dye for their PL woven-LINK cloth.
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