indeclinable · kira 1 · kira 2
Kira (and Kila) [Vedic kila] adverb 1. emphatic: really, truly, surely. (Greek δή) 2. presumptive (with present or future): I should think one would expect. 3. narrative (with preterit): now, then, you know (Greek δέ, Latin at, G. aber). kira in continuous story is what "iti" is in direct or indirect speech. It connects new points in a narrative with something preceding, either as expected or guessed. It is aoristic in character (cf. Sanskrit sma). In questions it is dubitative, while in ordinary statements it gives the appearance of probability, rather than certainty, to the sentence. Therefore the definitions of commentators: "people say" or "I have heard": kirasaddo anussavane: "kira refers to a report by hearsay" Pv-a 103; kira-saddo anussavatthe Ja I 158; Vv-a 322 are conventional and one-sided, and in both cases do not give the meaning required at the specified passages. The same holds good for Ja I 158 and II 430 (kirā ti anussavatthe nipāto). 1. mahantaṃ kira Bārāṇasirajjaṃ "the kingdom of B. is truly great" Ja I 126; attā hi kira duddamo "self is difficult to subdue, we know" Dhp 159; {193} amoghaṃ kira me puṭṭhaṃ Snp 356. — na kira surely not Snp 840; Ja I 158. 2. esā kira Visākhā nāma "that I présumé is the Visākhā" (of whom we have heard) Dhp-a I 399; petā hi kira jānanti "the petas, I should say, will know" Pv II 7 10 ; evaṃ kira Uttare? "I suppose this is so, Uttarā" Vv-a 69. evaṃ kira saggaṃ gamissatha "thus you will surely go to heaven" Vv 82 8 ; "I hear" Dhp-a I 392. 3. atīte kira with preterit once upon a time ... Pv-a 46, etc.; so kira pubbe ... akāsi, at one time, you know, he had made ... Ja I 125; sā kira dāsī adāsi now the maid gave her ... Pv-a 46; cf. Ja I 195, etc.
indeed, truly; really; so they say; as I have heard; so it seems, apparently (very often at the beginning of a narrative)
【無】 真的，真實地。（提及一項道聽途說）。
(ind, ind, adv) really; truly; definitely really, truly
(ind, ind, adv) it is said; allegedly; apparently; one would think; I have heard; people say refers to a report by hear-say