Pinayuanan
Paiwan
Austronesian (Paiwanic)
Paiwan is the third-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
20 core words in Paiwan
Water
zaljum
/zaɭum/
Fire
sapuy
/sapui/
Sun
qadaw
/qadaw/
Moon
qiljas
/qiɭas/
Mother
kina
/kina/
Father
kama
/kama/
Eat
keman
/kəman/
Drink
temekel
/təməkəl/
Love
nasaqaqa
/nasaqaqa/
Heart
varung
/vaɾuŋ/
Tree
kasiw
/kasiw/
House
umaq
/umaq/
Dog
vatu
/vatu/
Cat
ngiaw
/ŋiaw/
Hand
lima
/lima/
Eye
maca
/matsa/
Hello
masalu
/masalu/
Thank you
masalu
/masalu/
One
ita
/ita/
Good
nguanguaq
/ŋuaŋuaq/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian (Paiwanic) languages
| Meaning | Paiwan | Bunun | Puyuma | Thao | Kadazan-Dusun | Old Tagalog | Maranao |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | zaljum /zaɭum/ | danum /danum/ | enay /enai/ | nanum /nanum/ | waig /waiɡ/ | ᜆᜓᜊᜒᜄ᜔ /tubiɡ/ | ig /iɡ/ |
| Fire | sapuy /sapui/ | sapuz /sapuz/ | apuy /apui/ | azpu /azpu/ | tapui /tapui/ | ᜀᜉᜓᜌ᜔ /apuj/ | apoy /apoj/ |
| Sun | qadaw /qadaw/ | vali /vali/ | kadaw /kadaw/ | fitulha /fituʎa/ | todau /todau/ | ᜀᜇᜏ᜔ /araw/ | alongan /aloŋan/ |
| Moon | qiljas /qiɭas/ | buan /buan/ | kuwalan /kuwalan/ | lhmiat /ʎmiat/ | vulan /vulan/ | ᜊᜓᜏᜈ᜔ /buwan/ | bolan /bolan/ |
| Mother | kina /kina/ | tina /tina/ | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ | tina /tina/ | ᜁᜈ /ina/ | ina /ina/ |
| Father | kama /kama/ | tama /tama/ | ama /ama/ | ama /ama/ | tama /tama/ | ᜀᜋ /ama/ | ama /ama/ |
| Eat | keman /kəman/ | maun /maun/ | kuman /kuman/ | kuman /kuman/ | mangakan /maŋakan/ | ᜃᜁᜈ᜔ /kain/ | mangan /maŋan/ |
| Drink | temekel /təməkəl/ | muqun /muqun/ | enpa /enpa/ | naqayan /naqajan/ | monginum /moŋinum/ | ᜁᜈᜓᜋ᜔ /inom/ | minom /minom/ |
| Love | nasaqaqa /nasaqaqa/ | madaidaz /madaidaz/ | ulaw /ulaw/ | suka /suka/ | gimbai /ɡimbai/ | ᜁᜊᜒᜄ᜔ /ibiɡ/ | kalimo /kalimo/ |
| Heart | varung /vaɾuŋ/ | is-ang /isaŋ/ | kalumetan /kalumetan/ | putul /putul/ | pusod /pusod/ | ᜉᜓᜐᜓ /puso/ | pusoʔ /pusoʔ/ |
| Tree | kasiw /kasiw/ | kahu /kahu/ | kawi /kawi/ | lhalum /ʎalum/ | kayu /kayu/ | ᜃᜑᜓᜌ᜔ /kahoj/ | kayo /kajo/ |
| House | umaq /umaq/ | lumaq /lumaq/ | ruma /ɾuma/ | kayan /kajan/ | walai /walai/ | ᜊᜑᜌ᜔ /bahaj/ | walay /walaj/ |
| Dog | vatu /vatu/ | asu /asu/ | suwan /suwan/ | atu /atu/ | tasu /tasu/ | ᜀᜐᜓ /aso/ | aso /aso/ |
| Cat | ngiaw /ŋiaw/ | ngingiyaw /ŋiŋijaw/ | kating /katiŋ/ | posi /posi/ | tingau /tiŋau/ | ᜉᜓᜐ /pusa/ | pusa /pusa/ |
| Hand | lima /lima/ | ima /ima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | ᜃᜋᜌ᜔ /kamaj/ | lima /lima/ |
| Eye | maca /matsa/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mato /mato/ | ᜋᜆ /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hello | masalu /masalu/ | uninang /uninaŋ/ | marayas /maɾajas/ | ya /ja/ | kopivosian /kopivosian/ | ᜋᜊᜓᜑᜌ᜔ /mabuhaj/ | kapian /kapijan/ |
| Thank you | masalu /masalu/ | uninang /uninaŋ/ | kasapakan /kasapakan/ | mihu /mihu/ | pounsikou /pounsikou/ | ᜐᜎᜋᜆ᜔ /salamat/ | salamat /salamat/ |
| One | ita /ita/ | tasa /tasa/ | sa /sa/ | tata /tata/ | iso /iso/ | ᜁᜐ /isa/ | isa /isa/ |
| Good | nguanguaq /ŋuaŋuaq/ | masial /masial/ | mauruway /mauɾuwai/ | kapah /kapah/ | avasi /avasi/ | ᜋᜊᜓᜆᜒ /mabuti/ | mapia /mapija/ |
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