Khitan

See also: khitan

English

Alternative forms

• Kitai, Khitai
• Kitan, K'itan

Etymology

Borrowed from Khitan 𘱿𘲫 (*qid ún) or 𘱿𘱤 (*qid i) under influence from Chinese 契丹 (Qìdān), and Mongolian Кидан (Kidan).

Doublet of Cathay. Cognate with Russian Кита́й (Kitáj, “China”) and the various forms of Cathay (“legendary northern medieval China”) in European languages.

Proper noun

Khitan (historical)

1. An extinct Mongolic language once spoken in the northern China.
2. The Khitan Empire; the state of the Khitan people.

   Synonym: Liao

Translations

language

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 契丹語／契丹语 (zh) (Qìdānyǔ)

• Japanese: 契丹語 (きったんご, Kittango)
• Khmer: ឈីតាន (chi tan)
• Russian: кида́ньский (kidánʹskij)

state

• Mongolian: Кидан (mn) (Kidan)
• Turkish: Hıtay

Noun

Khitan (plural Khitans or Khitan)

1. A member of an ancient nomadic people of northern China.

   Synonym: (plural) Liao

Related terms

• (land of the Khitans): Cathay; Catai, Kytay (obsolete)

Translations

• Note: These translations may be for the plural.

people

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 契丹 (zh) (Qìdān)

• Khmer: ឈីតាន (chi tan)
• Latin: Kitai
• Russian: кида́нь m or f (kidánʹ)

Adjective

Khitan (not comparable)

1. Of or pertaining to the Khitan people, language or scripts.

Translations

of the people, language or scripts

• Mongolian: кидан (kidan)
• Russian: кида́ньский (kidánʹskij)