𐰶𐰃𐱃𐰪

Old Turkic

Etymology

Borrowed from Khitan 𘱿𘲫 (*qid ún) or Khitan 𘱿𘱤 (*qid i). Cognate with Middle Chinese 契丹 (MC khejH|khj+t|khet tan, “Khitans”) and Mongolian Кидан (Kidan). More at Khitan.

Proper noun

𐰶𐰃𐱃𐰪 (Qïtań)

1. Khitan Empire
   • 8th century CE, Bilge Khagan Inscription, E5, Mongolia

     𐰆𐱃𐰔𐱃𐱃𐰺 : 𐰶𐰃𐱃𐰪 : 𐱃𐱃𐰉𐰃

     otuztatar:qïtań:tatabï

     ...Thirty Mongols, Khitan Empire, Tatabi...

2. China

Descendants

• Common Turkic:

• Oghuz:
  • → Turkish: Hitay (rare)
  • Turkmen: Hytaý
• Karluk:
  • Uyghur: خىتاي (xitay)
  • Uzbek: Xitoy
• Kipchak:
  • Northern Kipchak:
    • Kazakh: Қытай (Qytai)
  • Kyrgyz-Kipchak:
    • Kyrgyz: Кытай (Kıtay)
• Siberian:
  • North Siberian:
    • Yakut: Кытай (Kıtay)
• Slavic:
  • → Old East Slavic: Китаи (Kitai)
    • Belarusian: Кіта́й (Kitáj)
    • Russian: Кита́й (Kitáj)
      • → Adyghe: Китай (Kitaj)
      • → Livvi: Kitai
      • → Veps: Kitai
      • → Yakut: Китай (Kitay)
    • Carpathian Rusyn: Кіта́й (Kitáj)
    • Ukrainian: Кита́й (Kytáj)
• → Persian: ختای (xatây)
  • → Latin: Cataya, Cathaya
    • French: Cathay
      • → English: Cathay
    • Italian: Catai
    • Portuguese: Catai
    • Spanish: Catay

References

• Abuseitova, M. Kh, Bukhatuly, B., editors (2008), “𐰶𐰃𐱃𐰪”, in TÜRIK BITIG: Ethno Cultural Dictionary, Language Committee of Ministry of Culture and Information of Republic of Kazakhstan