Standard Lemma guide

Ryukyuan

adj · name · noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈɹjuːkjuːən/

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of, relating to, or derived from Ryukyu.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

name

Meaning 2

Any of the traditional languages of Ryukyu, in modern times predominantly displaced by Japanese.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A member of the ethnic group indigenous to the Ryukyu Islands of Japan.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

the language (related to Japanese) that is spoken by the people of the Ryukyu Islands

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: Japanese

5

noun

Meaning 5

a member of the Japanese people living on the Ryukyu Islands southwest of Japan

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: Japanese, Nipponese

History

Etymology

From Ryukyu + -an.

Across languages

Translations

27 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 琉球語 /琉球语 (Liúqiúyǔ) — languages of Ryukyu
  • Finnish: riukiulainen kieli — languages of Ryukyu
  • French: ryūkyū, ryūkyūan, ryūkyūais, ryūkyūïen — languages of Ryukyu
  • Japanese: 琉球語 (Ryūkyū-go) — languages of Ryukyu
  • Korean: 류큐어 (Ryukyu-eo) — languages of Ryukyu
  • Miyako: 島口 (Sumafutsu) — languages of Ryukyu
  • Okinawan: 島言葉 (Shima-kutuba) — languages of Ryukyu
  • Okinawan: 沖縄口 (Uchinaa-guchi) — languages of Ryukyu
  • Russian: рюкю́ский (rjukjúskij) — languages of Ryukyu
  • Russian: рюкю́ (rjukjú) — languages of Ryukyu
  • Spanish: lenguas ryukyuenses — languages of Ryukyu
  • Vietnamese: tiếng Lưu Cầu — languages of Ryukyu
  • Yaeyama: 島物言 (Sïmamuni) — languages of Ryukyu
  • Chinese Cantonese: 琉球族 (lau4 kau4 zuk6) — a native of Ryukyu
  • Chinese Cantonese: 琉球人 (lau4 kau4 jan4) — a native of Ryukyu
  • Chinese Mandarin: 琉球族 (Liúqiúzú) — a native of Ryukyu
  • Chinese Mandarin: 琉球人 (Liúqiúrén) — a native of Ryukyu
  • Finnish: riukiulainen — a native of Ryukyu
  • Japanese: 琉球民族 (Ryūkyū minzoku) — a native of Ryukyu
  • Japanese: 琉球人 (Ryūkyū-jin) — a native of Ryukyu
  • Korean: 류큐 민족 (Ryukyu minjok) — a native of Ryukyu
  • Korean: 류큐인 (Ryukyu-in) — a native of Ryukyu
  • Korean: 류큐 사람 (Ryukyu saram) — a native of Ryukyu
  • Okinawan: 琉球民族 (Rūchū minzuku) — a native of Ryukyu
  • Okinawan: 琉球人 (Rūchūnchu) — a native of Ryukyu
  • Russian: рюкю́сец (rjukjúsec) — a native of Ryukyu
  • Russian: рюкю́ска (rjukjúska) — a native of Ryukyu