mos diau-d
Khitan
Mongolic (Para-Mongolic) · historical / hidden variety
Khitan was an extinct Para-Mongolic language spoken by the Khitan people of northeastern Asia and used by the Liao dynasty (907–1125); its exact relationship to the Mongolic languages remains a subject of historical-linguistic research. It is recorded in two different writing systems, both created in the early tenth century: the Chinese-inspired Khitan Large Script in 920 and the structurally distinct Khitan Small Script around 925. The scripts continued to be used after the Liao period under the Jin and Western Liao, especially in commemorative inscriptions and epitaphs. Neither system is fully deciphered: the Small Script combines signs in blocks and preserves more recoverable phonological information, while much of the Large Script remains difficult to interpret. Surviving inscriptions nonetheless provide evidence for Khitan vocabulary, grammar, personal names, titles, and institutions.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Khitan
Water
muri
/muri/
Fire
niár
/niar/
Sun
𘲺
/nair/
Moon
𘭧
/sair/
Star
od
/od/
Mother
eme
/eme/
Father
ai
/ai/
I
bi
/bi/
You
ši
/ʃi/
Name
niru
/niru/
Eye
nït
/nit/
Hand
ɣar
/ɣar/
Heart
niyàmen
/nijamen/
Love
nasun
/nasun/
Tree
mau
/mau/
House
boo
/boː/
Dog
𘰕𘯛
/niaqan/
Cat
—
/—/
Eat
idi
/idi/
Drink
umi
/umi/
One
𘬣
/omsu/
Two
jur
/dʒuːr/
Hello
—
/—/
Thank you
—
/—/
Good
sayïn
/sajin/
Words compared
Compared with related Mongolic (Para-Mongolic) languages
| Meaning | Khitan | Jurchen | Proto-Mongolic | Middle Mongol | Classical Mongolian | Kalmyk | Eastern Yugur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | muri /muri/ | muke /muke/ | *usun /usun/ | ᠤᠰᠤᠨ /usun/ | ᠤᠰᠤᠨ /usun/ | усн /usn/ | ус /us/ |
| Fire | niár /niar/ | tuwa /tuwa/ | *gal /gal/ | ᠭᠠᠯ /ɣal/ | ᠭᠠᠯ /ɡal/ | гал /ɡal/ | гал /ɡal/ |
| Sun | 𘲺 /nair/ | šun /ʃun/ | *naran /naran/ | ᠨᠠᠷᠠᠨ /naran/ | ᠨᠠᠷᠠᠨ /naran/ | нарн /narn/ | нар /nar/ |
| Moon | 𘭧 /sair/ | biya /bija/ | *sara /sara/ | ᠰᠠᠷᠠ /sara/ | ᠰᠠᠷᠠ /sara/ | сар /sar/ | сар /sar/ |
| Star | od /od/ | usiha /usixa/ | *hodun /hodun/ | ᠬᠣᠳᠤᠨ /hodun/ | ᠣᠳᠣᠨ /odun/ | одн /odn/ | ходэн /χoden/ |
| Mother | eme /eme/ | eme /eme/ | *eke /eke/ | ᠡᠭᠡ /eke/ | ᠡᠬᠡ /eke/ | ээҗ /eːdʒ/ | ээж /eːʒ/ |
| Father | ai /ai/ | ama /ama/ | *ečige /ečige/ | ᠡᠴᠢᠭᠡ /etʃiɡe/ | ᠡᠴᠢᠭᠡ /etʃiɡe/ | аав /aːv/ | аава /ɑːva/ |
| I | bi /bi/ | bi /bi/ | *bi /bi/ | ᠪᠢ /bi/ | ᠪᠢ /bi/ | би /bi/ | би /bi/ |
| You | ši /ʃi/ | si /ʃi/ | *či /či/ | ᠴᠢ /tʃi/ | ᠴᠢ /tʃi/ | чи /tʃi/ | чи /tʃi/ |
| Name | niru /niru/ | gebu /gəbu/ | *nere /nere/ | ᠨᠡᠷᠡ /nere/ | ᠨᠡᠷᠡ /nere/ | нерн /nern/ | нэрэ /nere/ |
| Eye | nït /nit/ | yasa /jasa/ | *nidün /nidün/ | ᠨᠢᠳᠦᠨ /nidyn/ | ᠨᠢᠳᠦ /nidü/ | нүдн /nyˈdn̩/ | нүдэ /nʏde/ |
| Hand | ɣar /ɣar/ | gala /ɡala/ | *gar /gar/ | ᠭᠠᠷ /ɣar/ | ᠭᠠᠷ /ɡar/ | һар /ɣar/ | гар /ɡar/ |
| Heart | niyàmen /nijamen/ | niyaman /nijaman/ | *ǰirüken /ǰirüken/ | ᠵᠢᠷᠦᠭᠡ /dʒiryke/ | ᠵᠢᠷᠦᠬᠡ /dʒirüke/ | зүркн /zyrˈkən/ | зүрх /zʏrχ/ |
| Love | nasun /nasun/ | gosi /ɡosi/ | — /—/ | ᠳᠤᠷᠠ /dura/ | ᠬᠠᠶᠢᠷᠠ /xajira/ | дурлх /durlx/ | хайрлаха /χajrlaχa/ |
| Tree | mau /mau/ | mo /mo/ | *modun /modun/ | ᠮᠣᠳᠤᠨ /modun/ | ᠮᠣᠳᠤ /modu/ | модн /moˈdn̩/ | мод /mod/ |
| House | boo /boː/ | boo /boː/ | *ger /ger/ | ᠭᠡᠷ /ɡer/ | ᠭᠡᠷ /ɡer/ | гер /ɡer/ | гэр /ɡer/ |
| Dog | 𘰕𘯛 /niaqan/ | indahǔn /indahuːn/ | *nokai /nokai/ | ᠨᠣᠬᠠᠢ /noqai/ | ᠨᠣᠬᠠᠢ /noxai/ | ноха /noxa/ | нохай /noχaj/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | kesike /kesike/ | — /—/ | ᠮᠢᠭᠤᠢ /miɣui/ | ᠮᠢᠭᠤᠢ /miɣui/ | миис /miːs/ | мэшэ /meʃe/ |
| Eat | idi /idi/ | jefu /dʒefu/ | *ide- /ide-/ | ᠢᠳᠡ /ide/ | ᠢᠳᠡ- /ide-/ | иде /ide/ | идэхэ /ɪdeχe/ |
| Drink | umi /umi/ | omi /omi/ | *uu- /uu-/ | ᠤᠭᠤ /uɣu/ | ᠤᠭᠤ- /uɣu-/ | уу /uː/ | ухаха /uχaχa/ |
| One | 𘬣 /omsu/ | emu /emu/ | *nigen /nigen/ | ᠨᠢᠭᠡᠨ /niɡen/ | ᠨᠢᠭᠡᠨ /niɡen/ | негн /neɡn/ | нэг /neɡ/ |
| Two | jur /dʒuːr/ | juwe /dʑuwə/ | *koyar /koyar/ | ᠬᠣᠶᠠᠷ /qojar/ | ᠬᠣᠶᠠᠷ /qojar/ | хойр /xojr/ | гоор /ɣoːr/ |
| Hello | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | ᠠᠮᠤᠷ /amur/ | ᠰᠠᠶᠢᠨ ᠤᠤ /sajin uu/ | менд /mend/ | сайнар уу /sajnar uː/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | ᠪᠠᠶᠠᠷᠯᠠᠪᠠ /bajarlaba/ | ᠪᠠᠶᠠᠷᠯᠠᠯᠠ /bajarlala/ | ханҗанав /xandʒanav/ | баярлалаа /bajarlalaː/ |
| Good | sayïn /sajin/ | sain /sain/ | *sajin /sajin/ | ᠰᠠᠶᠢᠨ /sain/ | ᠰᠠᠶᠢᠨ /sajin/ | сән /sæn/ | сайн /sajn/ |
Han readings compared
Compared with related Para-Mongolic (Mongolic-Khitan branch, debated) languages
| Character | Khitan | Proto-Mongolic | Sibe | Proto-Tungusic | Manchu | Jurchen | Yuan Phags-pa Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | om /əm/ | *nigen /*niɡen/ | emu /əmu/ | *əmun /*əmun/ | emu /emu/ | emu /emu/ | ʔi /ʔi/ |
| 二 | jur /dʒur/ | *qoyar /*qojar/ | juwe /dʑuwə/ | *dʒuər /*dʒuər/ | juwe /dʒuwə/ | juwe /dʑuwe/ | ʐɨ /ʐɨ/ |
| 三 | gur /ɡur/ | *gurba(n) /*gurban/ | ilan /ilan/ | *ilan /*ilan/ | ilan /ilan/ | ilan /ilan/ | sam /sam/ |
| 四 | dur /dur/ | *dörbe(n) /*dœrben/ | duin /duin/ | *dügin /*dyɡin/ | duin /duin/ | duin /duin/ | sɿ /sɿ/ |
| 五 | tau /tau/ | *tabu(n) /*tabun/ | sunja /sundʑa/ | *tuɲga /*tuɲɡa/ | sunja /sundʒa/ | sunja /sundʑa/ | ʔu /ʔu/ |
| 六 | nil /nil/ | *jirguɣa(n) /*dʒirɣuɣan/ | ninggun /niŋɢun/ | *ɲuŋun /*ɲuŋun/ | ninggun /niŋɡun/ | ninggun /niŋɡun/ | liw /liw/ |
| 七 | dalu /dalu/ | *doluɣa(n) /*doluɣan/ | nadan /nadan/ | *nadan /*nadan/ | nadan /nadan/ | nadan /nadan/ | tshi /tsʰi/ |
| 八 | naim /naim/ | *nayima(n) /*najiman/ | jakūn /dʑakɯn/ | *dʒapkun /*dʒapkun/ | jakūn /dʒakʰuːn/ | jakūn /dʑakɯn/ | ba /pa/ |
| 九 | isen /isen/ | *yersü(n) /*jersyn/ | uyun /ujun/ | *xəgün /*xəɡyn/ | uyun /ujun/ | uyun /ujun/ | kiw /kiw/ |
| 十 | par /par/ | *harba(n) /*harban/ | juwan /dʑuwan/ | *dʒuwan /*dʒuwan/ | juwan /dʒuwan/ | juwan /dʑuwan/ | ši /ʂɨ/ |
| 日 | nair /nair/ | *naran /*naran/ | šun /ɕun/ | *siun /*siun/ | šun /ʃun/ | šun /ʃun/ | ʐɨ /ʐɨ/ |
| 月 | sair /sair/ | *sara(n) /*saran/ | biya /bija/ | *bēga /*beːɡa/ | biya /bija/ | biya /bija/ | ʔɥe /ʔɥe/ |
| 山 | ula /ʊla/ | *agula /*aɣula/ | alin /alin/ | *xada /*xada/ | alin /alin/ | alin /alin/ | šan /ʂan/ |
| 水 | us /ʊs/ | *usu(n) /*usun/ | muke /mutɕə/ | *mū /*muː/ | muke /mukə/ | muke /muke/ | šwi /ʂwi/ |
| 火 | gal /ɡal/ | *gal /*ɡal/ | tuwa /tuwa/ | *tōga /*toːɡa/ | tuwa /tuwa/ | tuwa /tuwa/ | xwo /xwɔ/ |
| 天 | teŋri /tʰeŋri/ | *teŋri /*teŋri/ | abka /apka/ | *abka /*abka/ | abka /abka/ | abka /abka/ | thẽn /tʰjɛn/ |
| 馬 | morin /morin/ | *mori(n) /*morin/ | morin /mɔrin/ | *murin /*murin/ | morin /morin/ | morin /morin/ | ma /ma/ |
| 人 | küü /kʰuː/ | *kümün /*kymyn/ | niyalma /ɲalma/ | *niama /*niama/ | niyalma /njalma/ | niyalma /njalma/ | ʐin /ʐin/ |
Part of LangMap — a linguistic visualization project. This is a static, crawlable summary; the interactive maps offer pronunciation audio, filters, and a globe view.