ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ

Manchu

Tungusic > Southern

FamilyTungusic > Southern Speakers約100人 (L1高齢者) / 数千人 (L2) RegionManchuria (Northeast China) RomanizationMöllendorff transliteration (1892) ReadingNative Manchu word

Manchu is a Tungusic language that served as the imperial language of the Qing dynasty (1644–1912). For Han characters encountered in Chinese texts, Manchu speakers used their own rich native vocabulary — emu, juwe, ilan for numbers; šun for sun; abka for heaven — alongside Sino-Manchu pronunciations derived from late-Ming northern Mandarin, documented in the bilingual 御製清文鑑 (1708). The Manchu script, derived from the Mongolian alphabet, was used in official documents alongside Chinese throughout the Qing period. By the late 19th century Manchu had become endangered, with Qingyu (Sibe) emerging as its closest living relative. Modern scholarship relies on Norman's Concise Manchu-English Lexicon and the Qing imperial dictionaries for reconstruction.

Where it is spoken

Han character readings in Manchu

Character Meaning Reading Form IPA
一 one ᡝᠮᡠemu /emu/
二 two ᠵᡠᠸᡝjuwe /dʒuwə/
三 three ᡳᠯᠠᠨilan /ilan/
四 four ᡩᡠᡳᠨduin /duin/
五 five ᠰᡠᠨᠵᠠsunja /sundʒa/
六 six ᠨᡳᠩᡤᡠᠨninggun /niŋɡun/
七 seven ᠨᠠᡩᠠᠨnadan /nadan/
八 eight ᠵᠠᡴᡡᠨjakūn /dʒakʰuːn/
九 nine ᡠᠶᡠᠨuyun /ujun/
十 ten ᠵᡠᠸᠠᠨjuwan /dʒuwan/
天 sky ᠠᠪᡴᠠabka /abka/
地 ground ᠨᠠna /na/
日 sun ᡧᡠᠨšun /ʃun/
月 moon ᠪᡳᠶᠠbiya /bija/
山 mountain ᠠᠯᡳᠨalin /alin/
海 sea ᠮᡝᡩᡝᡵᡳmederi /medəri/
水 water ᠮᡠᡴᡝmuke /mukə/
火 fire ᡨᡠᠸᠠtuwa /tuwa/
木 tree ᠮᠣᠣmoo /moː/
土 soil ᠪᠣᡳᡥᠣᠨboihon /bojxon/
石 stone ᠸᡝᡥᡝwehe /wəxə/
鐵 iron ᠰᡝᠯᡝsele /sələ/
雨 rain ᠠᡤᠠaga /aɡa/
雪 snow ᠨᡳᠮᠠᠩᡤᡳnimanggi /nimaŋɡi/
牛 ox ᡳᡥᠠᠨihan /ixan/
虎 tiger ᡨᠠᡧᠠtasha /taʃa/
龍 dragon ᠮᡠᡩᡠᡵᡳmuduri /muduri/
蛇 snake ᠮᡝᡳᡥᡝmeihe /məixə/
馬 horse ᠮᠣᡵᡳᠨmorin /morin/
羊 sheep ᡥᠣᠨᡳᠨhonin /xonin/
雞 chicken ᠴᠣᡴᠣcoko /tʃoko/
犬 dog ᡳᠨᡩᠠᡥᡡᠨindahūn /indaxuːn/
豬 pig ᡠᠯᡤᡳᠶᠠᠨulgiyan /ulɡijan/
貓 cat ᡴᡝᠰᡳᡴᡝkesike /kəsikə/
鳥 bird ᡤᠠᡧᠠgasha /ɡaʃa/
魚 fish ᠨᡳᠮᠠᡥᠠnimaha /nimaxa/
頭 head ᡠᠵᡠuju /udʒu/
目 eye ᠶᠠᠰᠠyasa /jasa/
耳 ear ᡧᠠᠨšan /ʃan/
鼻 nose ᠣᡶ᠋ᠣᡵᠣoforo /oforo/
口 mouth ᠠᠩᡤᠠangga /aŋɡa/
牙 tooth ᠸᡝᡳ᠌ᡥᡝweihe /wəixə/
心 heart ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠮᠠᠨniyaman /njaman/
手 hand ᡤᠠᠯᠠgala /ɡala/
足 foot ᠪᡝᡨᡥᡝbethe /bətxə/
血 blood ᠰᡝᠩᡤᡳsenggi /səŋɡi/
肉 meat ᠶᠠᠯᡳyali /jali/
人 person ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠniyalma /njalma/
女 woman ᡥᡝᡥᡝhehe /xəxə/
兒 child ᠵᡠᡳjui /dʒui/
家 home, family ᠪᠣᠣboo /boː/
門 door, gate ᡩᡠᡴᠠduka /duka/
飯 cooked rice, meal ᠪᡠᡩᠠbuda /buda/
茶 tea ᠴᠠᡳcai /tʃai/
錢 money ᠵᡳᡥᠠjiha /dʒixa/
年 year ᠠᠨᡳᠶᠠaniya /anja/
生 live, be born ᠪᠠᠨᠵᡳᠮᠪᡳbanjimbi /bandʒimbi/
死 die ᠪᡠᠴᡝᠮᠪᡳbucembi /butʃəmbi/
行 go ᠶᠠᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳyabumbi /jabumbi/
行 row ᡶᠠᡳᡩᠠᠨfaidan /faidan/
来 come ᠵᡳᠮᠪᡳjimbi /dʒimbi/
去 leave ᡤᡝᠨᡝᠮᠪᡳgenembi /ɡənəmbi/
走 run ᠰᡠᠵᡠᠮᠪᡳsujumbi /sudʒumbi/
飛 fly ᡩᡝᠶᡝᠮᠪᡳdeyembi /dəjəmbi/
坐 sit ᡨᡝᠮᠪᡳtembi /təmbi/
立 stand ᡳᠯᡳᠮᠪᡳilimbi /ilimbi/
見 see ᠰᠠᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳsabumbi /sabumbi/
聞 hear ᡩᠣᠨᠵᡳᠮᠪᡳdonjimbi /dondʒimbi/
知 know ᠰᠠᠮᠪᡳsambi /sambi/
食 eat ᠵᡝᠮᠪᡳjembi /dʒəmbi/
飲 drink ᠣᠮᡳᠮᠪᡳomimbi /omimbi/
白 white ᡧᠠᠩᡤᡳᠶᠠᠨšanggiyan /ʃaŋɡijan/
黑 black ᠰᠠᡥᠠᠯᡳᠶᠠᠨsahaliyan /saxalijan/
紅 red ᡶ᠋ᡠᠯᡤᡳᠶᠠᠨfulgiyan /fulɡijan/
黃 yellow ᠰᡠᠸᠠᠶᠠᠨsuwayan /suwajan/
青 blue-green ᠨᡳᠣᡥᠣᠨniohon /nioxon/
綠 green ᠨᡳᠣᠸᠠᠩᡤᡳᠶᠠᠨniowanggiyan /niowaŋɡijan/
灰 grey; ash ᡶ᠋ᡠᠯᡝᠩᡤᡳfulenggi /fuləŋɡi/
大 big ᠠᠮᠪᠠamba /amba/
小 small ᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝajige /adʒiɡə/
多 many, much ᠯᠠᠪᡩᡠlabdu /labdu/
長 long ᡤᠣᠯᠮᡳᠨgolmin /ɡolmin/
長 grow; elder ᡥᡡᠸᠠᡧᠠᠮᠪᡳhūwašambi /xuːwaʃambi/
老 old ᠰᠠᡴ᠋ᡩ᠋ᠠsakda /sakda/
遠 far ᡤᠣᡵᠣgoro /ɡoro/
熱 hot ᡥᠠᠯᡥᡡᠨhalhūn /xalxuːn/
冷 cold ᡧᠠᡥᡡᡵᡠᠨšahūrun /ʃaxuːrun/
香 fragrant ᠸᠠᠩᡤᠠwangga /waŋɡa/
上 up ᡩᡝᠯᡝdele /dələ/
下 down ᡶᡝᠵᡳᠯᡝfejile /fədʒilə/
左 left ᡥᠠᡧᡡhashū /xaʃuː/
右 right ᡳᠴᡳici /itʃi/
中 middle ᡩᡠᠯᡳᠮᠪᠠdulimba /dulimba/
中 hit ᡤᠣᡳᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳgoibumbi /ɡoibumbi/
央 center ᡩᡠᠯᡳᠮᠪᠠᡳdulimbai /dulimbai/
東 east ᡩᡝᡵᡤᡳdergi /dərɡi/
西 west ᠸᠠᡵᡤᡳwargi /warɡi/
南 south ᠵᡠᠯᡝᡵᡤᡳjulergi /dʒulərɡi/
北 north ᠠᠮᠠᡵᡤᡳamargi /amarɡi/
我 I, me ᠪᡳbi /bi/
你 you ᠰᡳsi /si/
有 have; there is ᠪᡳᠮᠪᡳbimbi /bimbi/
無 not have, without ᠠᡴᡡakū /akuː/
不 not ᠠᡴᡡakū /akuː/

Sources

Words compared

Compared with languages in the same classification: Tungusic (Manchu-Tungus, Southern)

Meaning ManchuJurchenSibeNanaiUdegeProto-TungusicEvenki
Water ᠮᡠᡴᡝ /mukə/ muke /muke/ ᠮᡠᡣᡝ /mukʰu/ муэ /mue/ ули /uli/ *mū /mū/ мӯ /muː/
Fire ᡨᡠᠸᠠ /tuwa/ to /to/ ᡨᡠᠸᠠ /tʰuɑ/ тава /tava/ то̄ /toː/ *tawa /tawa/ того /toɡo/
Sun ᡧᡠᠨ /ʃun/ še'un /ʃeun/ ᡧᡠᠨ /sun/ сиун /siun/ сӯ /suː/ *sigūn /sigūn/ дылача /dilatʃa/
Moon ᠪᡳᠶᠠ /bija/ bia /bia/ ᠪᡳᠶᠠ /biɑ/ биа /bia/ биа /bia/ *bēga /bēga/ бега /beɡa/
Star ᡠᠰᡳᡥᠠ /usiˈχa/ ušiha /uʃixa/ ᡠᠰᡳᡥᠠ /usxɑ/ хосикта /xosikta/ ваикта /ˈwaikta/ *xōsikta /xoːsikta/ осикта /oˈsikta/
Night ᡩᠣᠪᠣᡵᡳ /dobori/ dobori /dobori/ ᡩᠣᠪᠣᡵᡳ /dœviri/ долбо /dolbo/ догбо /doɡbo/ *dolbo /dolbo/ долбони /dolboni/
Rain ᠠᡤᠠ /aɡa/ agu /aɡu/ ᠠᡤᠠ /ɑɣɑ/ тугдэ /tuɡdə/ тигдэ /tiɡde/ *tigde /tiɡde/ тыгдэ /tiɡdə/
Snow ᠨᡳᠮᠠᠩᡤᡳ /nimaŋɡi/ imanggi /imaŋɡi/ ᠨᡳᠮᠠᠩᡤᡳ /nimɑŋ/ симата /simata/ има̄ /imaː/ *imana /imana/ иманна /imanˈna/
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Word order compared

Compare with major world languages

Manchu
ᠪᡳ ᠠᠨᡨᠠᡥᠠ ᡳ ᠵᡠᠯᡝᡵᡳ ᡥᡡᡩᠠ ᡩᡝ ᠰᠠᠪᡠᡥᠠᠩᡤᡝ ᡝᡨᡠᡴᡠ ᠪᡝ ᡝᡨᡠᡴᡳ ᡨᡠᠸᠠᡴᡳ ᠰᡝᠮᠪᡳ
I want to try on a suit I saw ‌in a shop across from the hotel
Ich möchte einen Anzug anprobieren den ich in einem Geschäft gegenüber vom Hotel gesehen habe
मैं होटल के सामने एक दुकान में देखा सूट को पहनकर देखना चाहता हूँ
私は ホテルの 向かいの お店 で 見た スーツを 試着 したいです
我 想 试穿 酒店 对面的 商店 里 看到的 那套西装
أنا أريد أن أجرب بدلة رأيتها في محل مقابل الفندق
Я хочу примерить костюм который я увидел в магазине напротив отеля

Han readings compared

Compared with languages in the same classification: Tungusic > Southern

Character ManchuJurchenSibeProto-TungusicKhitanProto-MongolicPhags-pa Chinese
一 emu /emu/ emu /emu/ emu /əmu/ *əmun /*əmun/ am /am/ *nigen /*niɡen/ yi /ʔi/
二 juwe /dʒuwə/ juwe /dʑuwe/ juwe /dʑuwə/ *dʒuər /*dʒuər/ jur /dʒur/ *qoyar /*qojar/ ži /ʐi/
三 ilan /ilan/ ilan /ilan/ ilan /ilan/ *ilan /*ilan/ hur /hur/ *gurba(n) /*ɡurban/ sam /sam/
四 duin /duin/ duin /duin/ duin /duin/ *dügin /*dyɡin/ dur /dur/ *dörbe(n) /*dœrben/ shi /sɨ/
五 sunja /sundʒa/ sunja /sundʑa/ sunja /sundʑa/ *tuɲga /*tuɲɡa/ tau /tʰau/ *tabu(n) /*tabun/ u /wu/
六 ninggun /niŋɡun/ ninggun /niŋɡun/ ninggun /niŋɢun/ *ɲuŋun /*ɲuŋun/ nil /nil/ *jirguɣa(n) /*dʒirɣuɣan/ lėu /lɥu/
七 nadan /nadan/ nadan /nadan/ nadan /nadan/ *nadan /*nadan/ dolo /dolo/ *doluɣa(n) /*doluɣan/ tsʻi /tsʰi/
八 jakūn /dʒakʰuːn/ jakūn /dʑakɯn/ jakūn /dʑakɯn/ *dʒapkun /*dʒapkun/ — *nayima(n) /*najiman/ ba /pa/
九 uyun /ujun/ uyun /ujun/ uyun /ujun/ *xəgün /*xəɡyn/ is /is/ *yersü(n) /*jersyn/ giw /kiw/
十 juwan /dʒuwan/ juwan /dʑuwan/ juwan /dʑuwan/ *dʒuwan /*dʒuwan/ par /par/ *harba(n) /*harban/ ši /ʐi/
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