Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar fi'ili "ci" ita ce cinye ko gama duk wani abu da ake ci, yawanci abinci, ta hanyar taunawa da hadiye shi. Hakanan ana iya amfani da shi a alamance don nufin yin amfani da ko cinye albarkatu gaba ɗaya, kamar lokaci ko kuɗi. Ƙari ga haka, ana iya amfani da “ci sama” a ma’ana mai ma’ana don nufin zama cikakkiyar sha’awa ko kuma sha’awar wani abu, kamar yadda yake cikin “Tana cin littafin, ta kasa ajiye shi.”