Manchu () is the indigenous language of Manchuria. Until 1911, it was an official language of China under the Manchu-ruled Qing Dynasty (). However, the language rapidly declined after the 1911 Xinhai Revolution, in which the dynasty was overthrown. The language was in decline even during the Qing era, as many Han Chinese migrated to Manchuria. This process was accelerated by persecution against Manchus by Chinese Revolutionaries, persecution by the Japanese during the Manchukuo Era, and by the Cultural Revolution.
Consequently, even though there are about 10 million Manchus today, only about a million can speak the language due to revival campaigns by activists and only a handful, mostly elderly in isolated villages, can speak it natively. Manchus live mainly in the Chinese provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning, and parts of Inner Mongolia. The Xibe language spoken in Qapqal Xibe Autonomous Prefecture in Xinjiang is closely related to Manchu and is therefore mutually intelligible. Virtually every Manchu speaker is also able to speak Mandarin, so learning Manchu is generally not necessary to communicate, though as with almost any language, attempts by outsiders to speak it are always appreciated.
Although rarely used in day-to-day life, Manchu is often used in cultural settings, and some ethnic Manchu singers write pop music in Manchu as a homage to their cultural heritage. TOC <br style="clear:both" />
Manchu is written using the Manchu alphabet, a vertical script that was derived from the traditional Mongolian script.
| | | | | Initial | Medial | Final | | | | | | a=a | | | | | | e=e (pronounced as "uh" or "er", a schwa; "eh" after y) | | | | | | i=i | | | | | | o=o | | | | | | u=u | | | | | | v or ū=uu (pronounced "oo" as in "foot") | | | | | | ioi, pronounced as French u or German ü |
| | | | Initial | Medial | Final | | | | | n=n | | | | | k=q | | | | | g=g, sometimes pronounced as Arabic ق or Hebrew ק | | | | | h=kh | | | | | b=b | | | | | p=p | | | | | s=s | | | | | x or š=sh | | | | | t=t | | | | | d=d | | | | | l=l | | | | | m=m | | | | | c=ch | | | | | j=j | | | | | y=y | | | | | k'=k | | | | | g'=g | | | | | h'=h | | | | | r=r | | | | | f=f | | | | | w=w | | | | | ts' | | | | | ts | | | | | r' | | | | | ng=ŋ |
Common signs
; OPEN : ; CLOSED : ; ENTRANCE : ; EXIT : ; PUSH : ; PULL : ; TOILET : ; MEN : ; WOMEN : ; FORBIDDEN :
; Hello. : () (saiyvn?) ; Hello. (sain no?) ; How are you? : (si saiyvn?) ; Fine, thank you. : (sain, baniha.) ; What is your name? : ? (sini gebu ai sembi?) ; My name is ______ . : (mini gebu oci _____ .) ; Nice to meet you. : (sain ucarambi suwe) ; Please. : (᠋_bucina_) ; Thank you. : (baniha.) ; You're welcome. : . (ume antaharara.) (ume antahaxara.) ; Yes. : (bi) ; No. : (akv) ; Yes, it is. : (inu) ; No, it isn't. : (waka) ; Excuse me. (getting attention) : . () ; Excuse me. (begging pardon) : . () ; I'm sorry. : (giljaki.) ; Goodbye : . (jai acaki) ; Goodbye (informal) : . (__) ; I can't speak Manchu. : ?????? (bi ?????? bahanarakv.) ; Do you speak English? : ?????? (si ?????? bahanambiu?) ; Is there someone here who speaks English? : ? (?) ; Help! : ! (!) ; Look out! : ! (!) ; Good morning. : (erde saiyvn.) ; Good evening. : (yamji saiyvn.) ; Good night. : . (dobori elhe okini.) ; Good night (to sleep) : (sain teyeki.) ; I don't understand. : (ulhirakv.) ; Where is the toilet? : ? (bi tule geneki.)
; Leave me alone. : . (.) ; Don't touch me! : ! (!) ; I'll call the police. : . (bi sembi pocluga .) ; Police! : ! (!) ; Stop! Thief! : ()! ! (! !) ; I need your help. : . (.) ; It's an emergency. : . (.) ; I'm lost. : . (.) ; I lost my bag. : . (.) ; I lost my wallet. : . (.) ; I'm sick. : . (.) ; I've been injured. : . (.) ; I need a doctor. : . (.) ; Can I use your phone? : ? (?)
; 1 : (emu) ; 2 : (juwe) ; 3 : (ilan) ; 4 : (duin) ; 5 : (sunja) ; 6 : (ninggun) ; 7 : (nadan) ; 8 : (jakvn) ; 9 : (uyun) ; 10 : (juwan) ; 11 : (juwan emu) ; 12 : (juwan juwe) ; 13 : (juwan ilan) ; 14 : (juwan duin) ; 15 : (tofohon) ; 16 : (juwan ninggun) ; 17 : (juwan nandan) ; 18 : (juwan jakvn) ; 19 : (juwan uyun) ; 20 : (orin) ; 21 : (orin emu) ; 22 : (orin juwe) ; 23 : (orin ilan) ; 30 : (gvsin) ; 40 : (dehi) ; 50 : (susai) ; 60 : (ninju) ; 70 : (nadanju) ; 80 : (jakvnju) ; 90 : (uyunju) ; 100 : (tanggv) ; 200 : (juwe tanggv) ; 300 : (ilan tanggv) ; 1,000 : (minggan) ; 2,000 : (juwe minggan) ; 1,000,000 : (tanggv tumen) ; 1,000,000,000 : () ; 1,000,000,000,000 : () ; number _____ (train, bus, etc.) : () ; half : (hontoho) ; less : () ; more : (elei)
; now : (te) ; later : () ; before : () ; morning : () ; afternoon : () ; evening : () ; night : ()
; one o'clock AM : () ; two o'clock AM : () ; noon : () ; one o'clock PM : () ; two o'clock PM : () ; midnight : ()
; _____ minute(s) : () ; _____ hour(s) : () ; _____ day(s) : () ; _____ week(s) : () ; _____ month(s) : () ; _____ year(s) : ()
; today : (enenggi ) ; yesterday : (sikse ) ; the day before yesterday : (cananggi ) ; tomorrow : (cimari ) ; the day after tomorrow : (coro ) ; this week : () ; last week : () ; next week : (__)
; Sunday : (Nadan Inenggi) ; Monday : (Emu Inenggi) ; Tuesday : (Juwe Inenggi) ; Wednesday : (Ilan Inenggi) ; Thursday : (Duin Inenggi) ; Friday : (Sunja Inenggi) ; Saturday : (Ninggun Inenggi)
; January : () ; February : () ; March : () ; April : () ; May : () ; June : () ; July : () ; August : () ; September : () ; October : () ; November : () ; December : ()
; black : (sahaliyan) (kara) ; white : (xanggiyan) (xanyan) ; gray : (fulenggi boco) ; red : (fulgiyan) ; blue : (lamun) ; yellow : (suwayan) ; green : (niowanggiyan) ; orange : (haksan) ; purple : (xuxu boco) ; brown : (eiheri)
; How much is a ticket to ___? : () ; One ticket to _, please. : () ; Where does this train/bus go? : () ; Where is the train/bus to ___? : () ; Does this train/bus stop in _? : () ; When does the train/bus for _____ leave? : () ; When will this train/bus arrive in ___? : ()
; How do I get to _____ ? : () ; ...the train station? : () ; ...the bus station? : () ; ...the airport? : () ; ...downtown? : () ; ...the youth hostel? : () ; ...the _____ hotel? : () ; ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? : () ; Where are there a lot of... : () ; ...hotels? : () ; ...restaurants? : () ; ...bars? : () ; ...sites to see? : () ; Can you show me on the map? : () ; street : () ; Turn left. : () ; Turn right. : () ; left : (hashv ergi) ; right : () ; straight ahead : () ; towards the _____ : () ; past the _____ : () ; before the _____ : () ; Watch for the _. : () ; intersection : () ; north : (amargi) ; south : (Julergi) ; east : (dergi) ; west : (Tuhergi) ; uphill : () ; downhill : ()
; Taxi! : (Turire sejen) ; Take me to ___, please. : () ; How much does it cost to get to _? : () ; Take me there, please. : ()
; Do you have any rooms available? : () ; How much is a room for one person/two people? : () ; Does the room come with... : () ; ...bedsheets? : () ; ...a bathroom? : () ; ...a telephone? : () ; ...a TV? : () ; May I see the room first? : () ; Do you have anything quieter? : () ; ...bigger? : () ; ...cleaner? : () ; ...cheaper? : () ; OK, I'll take it. : () ; I will stay for _____ night(s). : () ; Can you suggest another hotel? : () ; Do you have a safe? : () ; ...lockers? : () ; Is breakfast/supper included? : () ; What time is breakfast/supper? : () ; Please clean my room. : () ; Can you wake me at _? : () ; I want to check out. : ()
; Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? : () ; Do you accept British pounds? : () ; Do you accept euros? : () ; Do you accept credit cards? : () ; Can you change money for me? : () ; Where can I get money changed? : () ; Can you change a traveler's check for me? : () ; Where can I get a traveler's check changed? : () ; What is the exchange rate? : () ; Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? : ()
; A table for one person/two people, please. : () ; Can I look at the menu, please? : () ; Can I look in the kitchen? : () ; Is there a house specialty? : () ; Is there a local specialty? : () ; I'm a vegetarian. : () ; I don't eat pork. : () ; I don't eat beef. : () ; I only eat kosher food. : () ; Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard) : () ; fixed-price meal : () ; a la carte : () ; breakfast : () ; lunch : () ; tea (meal) : () ; supper : () ; I want _. : () ; I want a dish containing _. : () ; chicken : () ; beef : () ; fish : () ; ham : () ; sausage : () ; cheese : () ; eggs : () ; salad : () ; (fresh) vegetables : () ; (fresh) fruit : () ; bread : () ; toast : () ; noodles : () ; rice : () ; beans : () ; May I have a glass of _? : () ; May I have a cup of _? : () ; May I have a bottle of _? : () ; coffee : () ; tea (drink) : () ; juice : () ; (bubbly) water : () ; (still) water : () ; beer : () ; red/white wine : () ; May I have some _? : () ; salt : () ; black pepper : () ; butter : () ; Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server): () ; I'm finished. : () ; It was delicious. : () ; Please clear the plates. : () ; The check, please. : ()
; Do you serve alcohol? : () ; Is there table service? : () ; A beer/two beers, please. : () ; A glass of red/white wine, please. : () ; A pint, please. : () ; A bottle, please. : () ; _____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please. : () ; whiskey : () ; vodka : () ; rum : () ; water : () ; club soda : () ; tonic water : () ; orange juice : () ; Coke (soda) : () ; Do you have any bar snacks? : () ; One more, please. : () ; Another round, please. : () ; When is closing time? : (__) ; Cheers! : (umicki)
; Do you have this in my size? : () ; How much is this? : () ; That's too expensive. : () ; Would you take _? : () ; expensive : () ; cheap : () ; I can't afford it. : () ; I don't want it. : () ; You're cheating me. : () ; I'm not interested. : (..) ; OK, I'll take it. : () ; Can I have a bag? : () ; Do you ship (overseas)? : () ; I need... : () ; ...toothpaste. : () ; ...a toothbrush. : () ; ...tampons. : . () ; ...soap. : () ; ...shampoo. : () ; ...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen) : () ; ...cold medicine. : () ; ...stomach medicine. : ... () ; ...a razor. : () ; ...an umbrella. : () ; ...sunblock lotion. : () ; ...a postcard. : () ; ...postage stamps. : () ; ...batteries. : () ; ...writing paper. : () ; ...a pen. : () ; ...English-language books. : () ; ...English-language magazines. : () ; ...an English-language newspaper. : () ; ...an English-English dictionary. : (__)
; I want to rent a car. : () ; Can I get insurance? : () ; stop (on a street sign) : () ; one way : () ; yield : () ; no parking : () ; speed limit : () ; gas (petrol) station : () ; petrol : () ; diesel : ()
; I haven't done anything wrong. : () ; It was a misunderstanding. : () ; Where are you taking me? : () ; Am I under arrest? : () ; I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. : () ; I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. : () ; I want to talk to a lawyer. : () ; Can I just pay a fine now? : ()