Pinayuanan
Paiwan
Austronesian (Paiwanic)
Paiwan is the second-largest Formosan language, spoken in southern Taiwan (Pingtung, Taitung) by ~96K with ~10K daily L1 users. Distinguished by a noble/commoner vocabulary register split — chiefs and aristocrats use a separate lexical layer. The Paiwan are renowned for hundred-pace pit viper iconography in their traditions. Officially recognized as one of Taiwan's 16 indigenous Austronesian languages; taught in primary schools since 2001 with a standardized Latin orthography.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Paiwan
Water
zaljum
/zaɭum/
Fire
sapuy
/sapui/
Sun
qadaw
/qadaw/
Moon
qiljas
/qiɭas/
Star
vituqan
/vituqan/
Mother
kina
/kina/
Father
kama
/kama/
I
tiaken
/tiakən/
You
sun
/sun/
Name
ngadan
/ŋadan/
Eye
maca
/matsa/
Hand
lima
/lima/
Heart
varung
/vaɾuŋ/
Love
nasaqaqa
/nasaqaqa/
Tree
kasiw
/kasiw/
House
umaq
/umaq/
Dog
vatu
/vatu/
Cat
ngiaw
/ŋiaw/
Eat
keman
/kəman/
Drink
temekel
/təməkəl/
One
ita
/ita/
Two
drusa
/ɖusa/
Hello
masalu
/masalu/
Thank you
masalu
/masalu/
Good
nguanguaq
/ŋuaŋuaq/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian (Paiwanic) languages
| Meaning | Paiwan | Puyuma | Bunun | Proto-Austronesian | Tao/Yami | Thao | Maranao |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | zaljum /zaɭum/ | enay /enai/ | danum /danum/ | *daNum /daNum/ | ranom /ranom/ | nanum /nanum/ | ig /iɡ/ |
| Fire | sapuy /sapui/ | apuy /apui/ | sapuz /sapuz/ | *Sapuy /Sapuy/ | apuy /apuj/ | apuy /apuj/ | apoy /apoj/ |
| Sun | qadaw /qadaw/ | kadaw /kadaw/ | vali /vali/ | *waRi /waRi/ | araw /araw/ | fitulha /fituʎa/ | alongan /aloŋan/ |
| Moon | qiljas /qiɭas/ | bulan /buɭan/ | buan /buan/ | *bulaN /bulaN/ | vehan /vehan/ | furaz /fuɾað/ | bolan /bolan/ |
| Star | vituqan /vituqan/ | vituwan /vituwan/ | bintuhan /bintuhan/ | *bituqen /bituqen/ | vituen /vituən/ | fitu'ish /fituʔiʃ/ | bito-on /bitoʔon/ |
| Mother | kina /kina/ | ina /ina/ | tina /tina/ | *ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ |
| Father | kama /kama/ | ama /ama/ | tama /tama/ | *ama /ama/ | ama /ama/ | ama /ama/ | ama /ama/ |
| I | tiaken /tiakən/ | kuiku /kuiku/ | saikin /saikin/ | *aku /aku/ | yaken /jakən/ | yaku /jaku/ | ako /ako/ |
| You | sun /sun/ | yu /ju/ | suu /suʔu/ | *iSu /iSu/ | imo /ʔimo/ | ihu /ʔihu/ | seka /sɵka/ |
| Name | ngadan /ŋadan/ | ngadan /ŋadan/ | ngaan /ŋaan/ | *ŋajan /ŋajan/ | ngaran /ŋaran/ | tanan /tanan/ | ngaran /ŋaran/ |
| Eye | maca /matsa/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | *maCa /maCa/ | mata /mata/ | maca /maθa/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hand | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | ima /ima/ | *lima /lima/ | kamay /kamaj/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ |
| Heart | varung /vaɾuŋ/ | kalumetan /kalumetan/ | is-ang /isaŋ/ | *pusuq /pusuq/ | paso /paso/ | putul /putul/ | pusoʔ /pusoʔ/ |
| Love | nasaqaqa /nasaqaqa/ | ulaw /ulaw/ | madaidaz /madaidaz/ | — /—/ | makakdeng /makakdəŋ/ | suka /suka/ | kalimo /kalimo/ |
| Tree | kasiw /kasiw/ | kawi /kawi/ | kahu /kahu/ | *kaSiw /kaSiw/ | kayo /kajo/ | lhalum /ʎalum/ | kayo /kajo/ |
| House | umaq /umaq/ | ruma /ɾuma/ | lumaq /lumaq/ | *Rumaq /Rumaq/ | vahay /vahaj/ | kayan /kajan/ | walay /walaj/ |
| Dog | vatu /vatu/ | suwan /suwan/ | asu /asu/ | *asu /asu/ | ino /ino/ | atu /atu/ | aso /aso/ |
| Cat | ngiaw /ŋiaw/ | kating /katiŋ/ | ngingiyaw /ŋiŋijaw/ | — /—/ | koving /koviŋ/ | posi /posi/ | pusa /pusa/ |
| Eat | keman /kəman/ | kuman /kuman/ | maun /maun/ | *kaen /kaen/ | kuman /kuman/ | kuman /kuman/ | mangan /maŋan/ |
| Drink | temekel /təməkəl/ | enpa /enpa/ | muqun /muqun/ | *inum /inum/ | minum /minum/ | naqayan /naqajan/ | minom /minom/ |
| One | ita /ita/ | sa /sa/ | tasa /tasa/ | *isa /isa/ | asa /asa/ | tata /tata/ | isa /isa/ |
| Two | drusa /ɖusa/ | zua /ʐua/ | dusa /dusa/ | *duSa /duSa/ | doa /doa/ | tusha /tuʃa/ | dowa /dowa/ |
| Hello | masalu /masalu/ | marayas /maɾajas/ | uninang /uninaŋ/ | — /—/ | akokay /akokaj/ | ya /ja/ | kapian /kapijan/ |
| Thank you | masalu /masalu/ | kasapakan /kasapakan/ | uninang /uninaŋ/ | — /—/ | ayoy /ajoj/ | mihu /mihu/ | salamat /salamat/ |
| Good | nguanguaq /ŋuaŋuaq/ | mauruway /mauɾuwai/ | masial /masial/ | — /—/ | mapia /mapia/ | kapah /kapah/ | mapia /mapija/ |
Part of LangMap — a linguistic visualization project. This is a static, crawlable summary; the interactive maps offer pronunciation audio, filters, and a globe view.