This is a Swadesh list of words in Manchu, compared with definitions in English.
American linguist Morris Swadesh believed that languages changed at measurable rates and that these could be determined even for languages without written precursors. Using vocabulary lists, he sought to understand not only change over time but also the relationships of extant languages. To be able to compare languages from different cultures, he based his lists on meanings he presumed would be available in as many cultures as possible. He then used the fraction of agreeing cognates between any two related languages to compute their divergence time by some (still debated) algorithms. Starting in 1950 with 165 meanings, his list grew to 215 in 1952, which was so expansive that many languages lacked native vocabulary for some terms. Subsequently, it was reduced to 207, and reduced much further to 100 meanings in 1955. A reformulated list was published posthumously in 1971.
| № | English | Manchu ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ ᡤᡳᠰᡠᠨ (manju gisun) edit (168) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | I (1sg) | ᠪᡳ (bi) |
| 2 | you (2sg) | ᠰᡳ (si) |
| 3 | he, she, it (3sg) | ᡳ (i), ᡨᡝᡵᡝ (tere) |
| 4 | we (1pl) | ᠪᡝ (be) (exclusive), ᠮᡠᠰᡝ (muse) (inclusive) |
| 5 | you (2pl) | ᠰᡠᠸᡝ (suwe) |
| 6 | they (3pl) | ᠴᡝ (ce), ᡨᡝᠰᡝ (tese) |
| 7 | this | ᡝᡵᡝ (ere) |
| 8 | that | ᡨᡝᡵᡝ (tere) |
| 9 | here | ᡠᠪᠠ (uba) |
| 10 | there | ᡨᡠᠪᠠ (tuba) |
| 11 | who | ᠸᡝ (we) |
| 12 | what | ᠠᡳ (ai) |
| 13 | where | ᠶᠠᠪᠠ (yaba), ᠠᡳᠪᡳᡩᡝ (aibide), ᠠᠪᠠ (aba) |
| 14 | when | ᠠᡨᠠᠩᡤᡳ (atanggi) |
| 15 | how | ᠠᠪᠰᡳ (absi), ᠠᡩᠠᡵᠠᠮᡝ (adarame) |
| 16 | not | ᠸᠠᡴᠠ (waka), ᠠᡴᡡ (akū) |
| 17 | all | ᡝᡳᡨᡝᠨ (eiten), ᡤᡝᠮᡠ (gemu), ᡤᡠᠪᠴᡳ (gubci) |
| 18 | many | ᠯᠠᠪᡩᡠ (labdu), ᡤᡝᡵᡝᠨ (geren) |
| 19 | some | ᡝᠮᡝᠮᡠ (ememu), ᡠᡩᡠᡩᡠ (ududu) |
| 20 | few | ᡴᠣᠮᠰᠣ (komso) |
| 21 | other | ᡝᠨᠴᡠ (encu), ᡤᡡᠸᠠ (gūwa) |
| 22 | one | ᡝᠮᡠ (emu) |
| 23 | two | ᠵᡠᠸᡝ (juwe) |
| 24 | three | ᡳᠯᠠᠨ (ilan) |
| 25 | four | ᡩᡠᡳᠨ (duin) |
| 26 | five | ᠰᡠᠨᠵᠠ (sunja) |
| 27 | big | ᠠᠮᠪᠠ (amba) |
| 28 | long | ᡤᠣᠯᠮᡳᠨ (golmin) |
| 29 | wide | ᠣᠨᠴᠣ (onco), ᠯᡝᡨᡝᡥᡠᠨ (letehun), ᠯᡝᠯᡳ (leli) |
| 30 | thick | ᠵᡳᡵᠠᠮᡳᠨ (jiramin) |
| 31 | heavy | ᡠᠵᡝᠨ (ujen) |
| 32 | small | ᠠᠵᡳᡤᡝ (ajige) |
| 33 | short | ᡶᠣᡥᠣᠯᠣᠨ (foholon), ᡶᠠᠩᡴᠠᠯᠠ (fangkala) |
| 34 | narrow | ᡥᠠᡶᡳᡵᠠᡥᡡᠨ (hafirahūn), ᡳᠰᡥᡝᠯᡳᠶᡝᠨ (isheliyen) |
| 35 | thin | ᠨᡝᡴᡝᠯᡳᠶᡝᠨ (nekeliyen) |
| 36 | woman | ᡥᡝᡥᡝ (hehe) |
| 37 | man (adult male) | ᡥᠠᡥᠠ (haha) |
| 38 | man (human being) | ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠯᠮᠠ (niyalma) |
| 39 | child | ᠵᡠᡳ (jui) |
| 40 | wife | ᠰᠠᡵᡤᠠᠨ (sargan) |
| 41 | husband | ᡝᡳᡤᡝᠨ (eigen) |
| 42 | mother | ᡝᠮᡝ (eme), ᡝᠨᡳᠶᡝ (eniye) |
| 43 | father | ᠠᠮᠠ (ama) |
| 44 | animal | ᡤᡠᡵᡤᡠ (gurgu) |
| 45 | fish | ᠨᡳᠮᠠᡥᠠ (nimaha) |
| 46 | bird | ᡤᠠᠰᡥᠠ (gasha), ᠴᡝᠴᡳᡴᡝ (cecike) |
| 47 | dog | ᡳᠨᡩᠠᡥᡡᠨ (indahūn) |
| 48 | louse | ᠴᡳᡥᡝ (cihe) |
| 49 | snake | ᠮᡝᡳᡥᡝ (meihe) |
| 50 | worm | ᡠᠮᡳᠶᠠᡥᠠ (umiyaha) |
| 51 | tree | ᠮᠣᠣ (moo), ᡥᠠᡳᠯᠠᠨ (hailan) |
| 52 | forest | ᠪᡠᠵᠠᠨ (bujan), ᠸᡝᠵᡳ (weji) |
| 53 | stick | ᠮᡠᡴᡧᠠᠨ (mukšan) |
| 54 | fruit | ᡨᡠᠪᡳᡥᡝ (tubihe) |
| 55 | seed | ᡠᠰᡝ (use) |
| 56 | leaf | ᠠᠪᡩᠠᡥᠠ (abdaha) |
| 57 | root | ᡶᡠᠯᡝᡥᡝ (fulehe), ᡩᠠ (da) |
| 58 | bark (of a tree) | ᠨᠣᡨᡥᠣ (notho) |
| 59 | flower | ᡳᠯᡥᠠ (ilha) |
| 60 | grass | ᠣᡵᡥᠣ (orho) |
| 61 | rope | ᡶᡠᡨᠠ (futa) |
| 62 | skin | ᠰᡠᡴᡡ (sukū) |
| 63 | meat | ᠶᠠᠯᡳ (yali) |
| 64 | blood | ᠰᡝᠩᡤᡳ (senggi) |
| 65 | bone | ᡤᡳᡵᠠᠩᡤᡳ (giranggi) |
| 66 | fat (noun) | ᡳᠮᡝᠩᡤᡳ (imenggi) |
| 67 | egg | ᡠᠮᡥᠠᠨ (umhan) |
| 68 | horn | ᡠᡳᡥᡝ (uihe) |
| 69 | tail | ᡠᠨᠴᡝᡥᡝᠨ (uncehen) |
| 70 | feather | ᡩᡝᡨᡥᡝ (dethe), ᡶᡠᠩᡤᠠᠯᠠ (funggala) |
| 71 | hair | ᡶᡠᠨᡳᠶᡝᡥᡝ (funiyehe) |
| 72 | head | ᡠᠵᡠ (uju) |
| 73 | ear | ᡧᠠᠨ (šan) |
| 74 | eye | ᠶᠠᠰᠠ (yasa) |
| 75 | nose | ᠣᡶᠣᡵᠣ (oforo) |
| 76 | mouth | ᠠᠩᡤᠠ (angga) |
| 77 | tooth | ᠸᡝᡳᡥᡝ (weihe) |
| 78 | tongue (organ) | ᡳᠯᡝᠩᡤᡠ (ilenggu) |
| 79 | fingernail | ᡥᡳᡨᠠᡥᡡᠨ (hitahūn) |
| 80 | foot | ᠪᡝᡨᡥᡝ (bethe) |
| 81 | leg | ᠪᡝᡨᡥᡝ (bethe) |
| 82 | knee | ᡨᠣᠪᡤᡳᠶᠠ (tobgiya) |
| 83 | hand | ᡤᠠᠯᠠ (gala), ᡶᠠᠯᠠᠩᡤᡡ (falanggū) (palm of the hand) |
| 84 | wing | ᠠᠰᡥᠠ (asha) |
| 85 | belly | ᡥᡝᡶᡝᠯᡳ (hefeli) |
| 86 | guts | ᡩᡠᡥᠠ (duha) |
| 87 | neck | ᠮᠣᠩᡤᠣᠨ (monggon) |
| 88 | back | ᡶᡳᠰᠠ (fisa) |
| 89 | breast | ᡥᡠᡥᡠᠨ (huhun) |
| 90 | heart | ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠮᠠᠨ (niyaman) |
| 91 | liver | ᡶᠠᡥᡡᠨ (fahūn) |
| 92 | to drink | ᠣᠮᡳᠮᠪᡳ (omimbi) |
| 93 | to eat | ᠵᡝᠮᠪᡳ (jembi) |
| 94 | to bite | ᠰᠠᡳᠮᠪᡳ (saimbi) |
| 95 | to suck | ᡤᠣᠴᡳᠮᠪᡳ (gocimbi) |
| 96 | to spit | ᠴᡳᡶᡝᠯᡝᠮᠪᡳ (cifelembi) |
| 97 | to vomit | ᡶᡠᠶᠠᡴᡳᠶᠠᠮᠪᡳ (fuyakiyambi), ᠣᡴᠰᡳᠮᠪᡳ (oksimbi), ᠵᡠᡵᡠᠮᠪᡳ (jurumbi) |
| 98 | to blow | ᡶᡠᠯᡤᡳᠶᡝᠮᠪᡳ (fulgiyembi) |
| 99 | to breathe | ᡝᡵᡤᡝᠨ ᡤᠠᡳᠮᠪᡳ (ergen gaimbi) |
| 100 | to laugh | ᡳᠨᠵᡝᠮᠪᡳ (injembi) |
| 101 | to see | ᠰᠠᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ (sabumbi) |
| 102 | to hear | ᡩᠣᠨᠵᡳᠮᠪᡳ (donjimbi) |
| 103 | to know | ᠰᠠᠮᠪᡳ (sambi) |
| 104 | to think | ᡤᡡᠨᡳᠮᠪᡳ (gūnimbi), ᠪᠣᡩᠣᠮᠪᡳ (bodombi) |
| 105 | to smell | ᠸᠠᠩᡴᡳᠶᠠᠮᠪᡳ (wangkiyambi) |
| 106 | to fear | ᡤᡝᠯᡝᠮᠪᡳ (gelembi) |
| 107 | to sleep | ᠠᠮᡤᠠᠮᠪᡳ (amgambi) |
| 108 | to live | ᠪᠠᠨᠵᡳᠮᠪᡳ (banjimbi) |
| 109 | to die | ᠪᡠᠴᡝᠮᠪᡳ (bucembi) |
| 110 | to kill | ᠸᠠᠮᠪᡳ (wambi) |
| 111 | to fight | ᠠᡶᠠᠮᠪᡳ (afambi) |
| 112 | to hunt | ᠠᠪᠠᠯᠠᠮᠪᡳ (abalambi) |
| 113 | to hit | ᡨᡡᠮᠪᡳ (tūmbi) |
| 114 | to cut | ᡶᡠᡵᡠᠮᠪᡳ (furumbi) |
| 115 | to split | ᡩᡝᠨᡩᡝᠮᠪᡳ (dendembi) |
| 116 | to stab | ᠨᡠᡴᠠᠮᠪᡳ (nukambi) |
| 117 | to scratch | ᠸᠠᡧᠠᠮᠪᡳ (wašambi) |
| 118 | to dig | ᡶᡝᡨᡝᠮᠪᡳ (fetembi) |
| 119 | to swim | ᡝᠯᠪᡳᡧᡝᠮᠪᡳ (elbišembi) |
| 120 | to fly | ᡩᡝᠶᡝᠮᠪᡳ (deyembi) |
| 121 | to walk | ᠣᡴᠰᠣᠮᠪᡳ (oksombi) |
| 122 | to come | ᠵᡳᠮᠪᡳ (jimbi) |
| 123 | to lie (as in a bed) | ᡩᡝᡩᡠᠮᠪᡳ (dedumbi) |
| 124 | to sit | ᡨᡝᠮᠪᡳ (tembi) |
| 125 | to stand | ᡳᠯᡳᠮᠪᡳ (ilimbi) |
| 126 | to turn (intransitive) | ᡶᠣᡵᡤᠣᡧᠣᠮᠪᡳ (forgošombi) |
| 127 | to fall | ᡨᡠᡥᡝᠮᠪᡳ (tuhembi) |
| 128 | to give | ᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ (bumbi) |
| 129 | to hold | ᠵᠠᡶᠠᠮᠪᡳ (jafambi) |
| 130 | to squeeze | ᠰᡳᡵᡳᠮᠪᡳ (sirimbi) |
| 131 | to rub | ᠮᠣᠨᠵᡳᠮᠪᡳ (monjimbi) |
| 132 | to wash | ᠣᠪᠣᠮᠪᡳ (obombi) |
| 133 | to wipe | ᠮᠠᠪᡠᠯᠠᠮᠪᡳ (mabulambi) |
| 134 | to pull | ᡨᠠᡨᠠᠮᠪᡳ (tatambi) |
| 135 | to push | ᠠᠨᠠᠮᠪᡳ (anambi) |
| 136 | to throw | ᡶᠠᡥᠠᠮᠪᡳ (fahambi) |
| 137 | to tie | ᡥᡡᠸᠠᡳᡨᠠᠮᠪᡳ (hūwaitambi) |
| 138 | to sew | ᡳᡶᡳᠮᠪᡳ (ifimbi) |
| 139 | to count | ᡨᠣᠯᠣᠮᠪᡳ (tolombi) |
| 140 | to say | ᡤᡳᠰᡠᡵᡝᠮᠪᡳ (gisurembi) |
| 141 | to sing | ᡠᠴᡠᠯᡝᠮᠪᡳ (uculembi) |
| 142 | to play | ᡝᡶᡳᠮᠪᡳ (efimbi) |
| 143 | to float | ᡩᡝᡴᡩᡝᠮᠪᡳ (dekdembi) |
| 144 | to flow | ᡝᠶᡝᠮᠪᡳ (eyembi) |
| 145 | to freeze | ᡤᡝᠴᡝᠮᠪᡳ (gecembi) |
| 146 | to swell | ᠮᠠᡩᠠᠮᠪᡳ (madambi) |
| 147 | sun | ᡧᡠᠨ (šun) |
| 148 | moon | ᠪᡳᠶᠠ (biya) |
| 149 | star | ᡠᠰᡳᡥᠠ (usiha) |
| 150 | water | ᠮᡠᡴᡝ (muke) |
| 151 | rain | ᠠᡤᠠ (aga) |
| 152 | river | ᠪᡳᡵᠠ (bira) |
| 153 | lake | ᠨᠣᠣᡵ (noor) |
| 154 | sea | |
| 155 | salt | ᡩᠠᠪᠰᡠᠨ (dabsun) |
| 156 | stone | ᠸᡝᡥᡝ (wehe) |
| 157 | sand | ᠶᠣᠩᡤᠠᠨ (yonggan) |
| 158 | dust | |
| 159 | earth | ᠨᠠ (na) |
| 160 | cloud | ᡨᡠᡤᡳ (tugi) |
| 161 | fog | |
| 162 | sky | ᠠᠪᡴᠠ (abka) |
| 163 | wind | ᡝᡩᡠᠨ (edun) |
| 164 | snow | ᠨᡳᠮᠠᠩᡤᡳ (nimanggi) |
| 165 | ice | |
| 166 | smoke | |
| 167 | fire | ᡨᡠᠸᠠ (tuwa) |
| 168 | ash | |
| 169 | to burn | |
| 170 | road | |
| 171 | mountain | ᠠᠯᡳᠨ (alin) |
| 172 | red | |
| 173 | green | |
| 174 | yellow | |
| 175 | white | |
| 176 | black | |
| 177 | night | ᡩᠣᠪᠣᡵᡳ (dobori) |
| 178 | day | ᡳᠨᡝᠩᡤᡳ (inenggi) |
| 179 | year | ᠠᠨᡳᠶᠠ (aniya) |
| 180 | warm | |
| 181 | cold | |
| 182 | full | |
| 183 | new | |
| 184 | old | |
| 185 | good | ᠰᠠᡳᠨ (sain) |
| 186 | bad | ᡝᡥᡝ (ehe) |
| 187 | rotten | |
| 188 | dirty | |
| 189 | straight | |
| 190 | round | |
| 191 | sharp (as a knife) | |
| 192 | dull (as a knife) | |
| 193 | smooth | |
| 194 | wet | |
| 195 | dry | |
| 196 | correct | |
| 197 | near | |
| 198 | far | |
| 199 | right | |
| 200 | left | |
| 201 | at | |
| 202 | in | |
| 203 | with | |
| 204 | and | |
| 205 | if | |
| 206 | because | |
| 207 | name |