Ryukyu

Ryukyu

See also: Ryūkyū

English

Alternative forms

• Ryūkyū
• Loochoo, Loo Choo, Lewchew, Lew Chew, Luchu, Liqueo, Lequio, Liquea, Lieuchieu, Liukiu, Liu Kiu, Liuqiu, Lekeyo, Leoo-keoo, Leookeoo, Lūchū

Etymology

From Japanese 琉球 (Ryūkyū), from Middle Chinese 流求 (MC lɨu ɡɨu), a Chinese exonym for the island kingdom, of unclear origin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹjuːkjuː/, /ɹiˈuːkjuː/

Proper noun

Ryukyu

1. A chain of islands in Japan roughly between Kyushu and Taiwan.

   Synonym: the Ryukyus

   • 1888 April, Stainton, H. T., “Nepticula Serella, N. SP.”, in Entomologist's Monthly Magazine‎, ISSN 0013-8908, OCLC 633248149, page 261:

     White Butterflies in Japan.[...]Shortly after this I left Yokohama for the Ryukyu Islands, and next had my attention attracted by the "White" in the Bay of Kagoshima.

Synonyms

• (from Mandarin Chinese) Liuchiu

Translations

Ryūkyū, Japan

Ainu: please add this translation if you can Chinese: Mandarin: 琉球 (zh) (Liúqiú), 琉球群島 (zh), 琉球群岛 (zh) (Liúqiú qúndǎo), 琉球諸島, 琉球诸岛 (Liúqiú zhūdǎo), 琉球列島, 琉球列岛 (Liúqiú lièdǎo) Japanese: 琉球 (ja) (りゅうきゅう, Ryūkyū), 琉球諸島 (りゅうきゅうしょとう, Ryūkyū-shotō), 南西諸島 (なんせいしょとう, Nansei-shotō) Korean: 류큐 제도 (Ryukyu jedo) Manchu: ᠯᡳᠣ ᡴᡳᠣ (lio kio) Okinawan: 琉球 (るーちゅー, Rūchū, どぅーちゅー, Dūchū) Russian: Рюкю́ (ru) m (Rjukjú) (indeclinable) Vietnamese: Lưu Cầu