Names of Ryukyu

Ryukyu is the name of a former kingdom that existed from 1429 to 1879. It is also the name of the Ryukyu Islands, an archipelago between Kyushu and Taiwan.

Various spellings of the word "Ryukyu" existed throughout history. The native Ryukyuan pronunciation of the word is Ruuchuu (琉球), although it can be romanized as Luuchuu or Duuchuu. The modern English spelling "Ryukyu" comes from its Japanese pronunciation, Ryūkyū. Historically, English speakers referred to the islands as Lewchew (US English) or Loochoo (UK English).[1] Many European explorers used other alternative spellings, such as Lequeos, which was coined by Portuguese navigator Tomé Pires.[2][3]

In 1879, Japan annexed the Ryukyu Kingdom, turning it into Okinawa Prefecture.[4] The native pronunciation of "Okinawa" is Uchinaa (沖縄), although the word differs between each of the six Ryukyuan languages due to sound changes.

List of names
Names for "Ryukyu"
Language Romanization
Okinawan Ruuchuu (alternatively Duuchuu or Luuchuu)
Japanese Ryūkyū (Jukyu, Jikyu, Jiku or Jiki in Kagoshima dialect)
Mandarin Liúqiú
Cantonese Lau4 kau4
Hakka Liù-khiù
Manchu Liokio or Lio kiyeo
English Ryukyu (historically Lewchew or Loochoo[1])
Vietnamese Lưu Cầu
Korean Lyukyu
Portuguese Ryukyu (historically Lequeos or Lequios[2][3][5])

The term Okinawa is often used synonymously with Ryukyu, although Okinawa in an academic sense only refers to the Okinawa Islands and not the entire Ryukyu archipelago, which also consists of the Sakishima and Satsunan Islands.

Names for "Okinawa"
Language Romanization
Okinawan Uchinaa
Kunigami Fuchinaa
Miyakoan Uksïnaa
Yaeyama Ukïnaa
Yonaguni Unna
Japanese Okinawa
Mandarin Chōngshéng
Cantonese Cung1 sing4
Russian Okinava

See also

References
  1. "Lew Chew (Loochoo)* - Countries - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
  2. Lach, Donald F. (1994-04-16). Asia in the Making of Europe, Volume I: The Century of Discovery. Book 2. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-46732-0.
  3. Diffie, Bailey Wallys (1977). Foundations of the Portuguese Empire, 1415-1580. U of Minnesota Press. ISBN 978-0-8166-0782-2.
  4. "The History of Okinawa". VISIT OKINAWA JAPAN. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
  5. Saraiva, Luís (January 2004). History of Mathematical Sciences: Portugal and East Asia II. ISBN 9789812702302.
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