𐰼𐱅𐰾

Unknown. Compare also Mongolian Эрчис (Erčis), Middle Chinese 額爾齊斯 (MC ngaek nyeX dzej|dzejH sje, “Irtysh river”).

ltc-l

𐰆𐰞:𐰘𐰃𐰞𐰴𐰀:𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰏𐰾:𐱃𐰯𐰀:𐰞𐱃𐰆𐰣:𐰘𐰃𐱁𐰍:𐱃𐰆𐰍𐰀:𐰼𐱅𐰾:𐰇𐰏𐰔𐰏:𐰚𐰲𐰀:𐰖𐰆𐰺𐰃𐰑𐰢𐰔
ol:yïlqa:türgiš:tapa:altun:yïšïɣ:toɣa:ertiš:ögüzüg:keče:yorïdïmïz

8th century CE, Kültegin Inscription, E37

In that year we marched against the Türgesh climbing over the Altai Mountains crossing over the Irtysh river.


𐰚𐰇𐰠

Inherited from Proto-Turkic *kȫl (“lake”). Cognate with Chuvash кӳлӗ (külĕ), Turkish göl, Uzbek koʻl, Bashkir күл (kül), Yakut күөл (küöl).

inh+

𐰆𐰔𐰆𐰣𐱃𐰆𐰣𐰞𐰆𐰍:𐰚𐰇𐰔𐰭𐰇𐰾𐰃𐰤:𐰚𐰇𐰠𐰚𐰀:𐰃𐰲𐰍𐰣𐰢𐰃𐰾

A lake around the vicinity of the Tuul River

𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰏𐰃:𐰖𐰺𐰍𐰆𐰣:𐰚𐰇𐰠


𐱃𐰍

Inherited from Proto-Turkic *tāg (“mountain”). Cognate with Chuvash ту (tu), Khalaj tâğ, Turkish dağ (“mountain”), Uzbek togʻ, Bashkir тау (taw), Yakut тыа (tıa).

𐱅𐰭𐰼𐰃:𐰚𐰇𐰲𐰃𐰭𐰀:𐱃𐰍:𐰇𐰔𐰀:𐰖𐰆𐰞:𐰽𐰆𐰉:𐰆𐰇𐰼𐰇𐰯𐰤:𐰘𐰃𐰾:𐰇𐰔𐰀:𐰖𐰽:𐱇:𐰚𐰇𐰼𐰇𐰯𐰤:𐰖𐰆𐰺𐰃𐰖𐰆:𐰉𐰺𐰃𐰯𐰣

Thanks to the strength given by Heaven, having seen way (and) water on a mountain (and) having seen fresh grass on a mountain pasture, it went (there) walking.


𐰽𐰆𐰉

Inherited from Proto-Turkic *sub (“water”). Cognate with Chuvash шыв (šyv), Khalaj suv, Turkish su (“water”), Uzbek suv, Bashkir һыу (hıw), Yakut уу (uu).

𐰚𐰃𐰓𐰃𐰔𐰃𐰏:𐰽𐰆𐰉𐰴𐰀:𐰽𐰆𐰸𐰢𐰃𐰾


𐱁𐰦𐰆𐰭

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𐱁𐰦𐰆𐰭 (Šantuŋ)

Borrowed from Middle Chinese 山東 (MC srean tuwng, “Shandong”). Compare also Japanese 山東 (Santō), Korean 산동 (Sandong), Vietnamese Sơn Đông, English Shandong, Chinese borrowings.

𐰃𐰠𐰏𐰼𐰇:𐱁𐰦𐰆𐰭:𐰖𐰕𐰃𐰴𐰀:𐱅𐰏𐰃:𐰾𐰇𐰠𐰓𐰢:𐱃𐰞𐰆𐰖𐰴𐰀:𐰚𐰃𐰲𐰏:𐱅𐰏𐰢𐰓𐰢

8th century CE, Kültegin Inscription, G3

I went on campaigns eastwards up to the Shandong plain; I almost reached the ocean.


𐱃𐰉𐰍𐰲

𐱃𐰉𐰍𐰲 (Tabɣač)

Uncertain, check out Tuoba for more. Cognate with Old Uyghur 𐾀𐽰𐽱𐽲𐽰𐽽 (Tavgač), Middle Chinese 拓跋 (MC thak|tsyek bat).

𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰜:𐰋𐰏𐰠𐰼:𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰜:𐰀𐱃𐰃𐰤:𐰃𐱃𐰃:𐱃𐰉𐰍𐰲𐰍𐰃:𐰋𐰏𐰠𐰼:𐱃𐰉𐰍𐰲:𐰀𐱃𐰃𐰤:𐱃𐰆𐱃𐰯𐰣:𐱃𐰉𐰍𐰲:𐰴𐰍𐰣𐰴𐰀:𐰚𐰇𐰼𐰢𐰾:𐰠𐰏:𐰘𐰃𐰞

8th century CE, Kültegin Inscription, E7-8

The Turkic lords abondened their Turkic titles. Those lords who were in China held the Chinese titles and obeyed the Chinese emperor and gave their services to him for fifty years.


𐰶𐰃𐱃𐰪

𐰶𐰃𐱃𐰪 (Qïtań)

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)

desctree

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

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.

8th century CE, Bilge Khagan Inscription, E5, Mongolia
𐰆𐱃𐰔𐱃𐱃𐰺 : 𐰶𐰃𐱃𐰪 : 𐱃𐱃𐰉𐰃
otuztatar:qïtań:tatabï
...Thirty Mongols, Khitan Empire, Tatabi...


𐰚𐰇𐰏𐰢𐰤

Uncertain, however most attempts at derivation suggest 𐰚𐰇𐰚 (kök, “blue”) + 𐰢𐰤 (-men, “deadjectival nominal suffix”), although historical forms of such a derivation point toward *kökmen with -k- not -g-.
Some older sources suggest that the word had meant the Sayan Mountains, however Aydın states that it'd be far too westward and instead suggests that it meant Tannu-Ola Mountains instead.

af

𐰚𐰇𐰏𐰢𐰤:𐱁𐰀:𐰶𐰃𐰺𐰴𐰔:𐰘𐰃𐰼𐰃𐰭𐰀:𐱅𐰏𐰃:𐰾𐰇𐰠𐰓𐰢𐰔

8th century CE, Kültegin Inscription, E17:

We went on campaigns up to the land of Kyrgyzes, beyond the Tannu-Ola mountains.


𐱅𐰇𐰯𐰇𐱅

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𐱅𐰇𐰯𐰇𐱅 (Töpüt)

Uncertain, possibly derived from Proto-Turkic *tepü (“hill, top”), equivalent to 𐱅𐰇𐰯𐰇 (töpü, “hill”) + 𐱅 (-t, “plurality suffix”) More at Tibet.

af

𐱃𐰉𐰍𐰲:𐱅𐰇𐰯𐰇𐱅:𐰯𐰺
tabɣač:töpüt:apar

8th century CE, Bilge Khagan Inscription, E5


𐰋𐰇𐰚𐰠𐰃

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𐰋𐰇𐰚𐰠𐰃 (Bökli)

Uncertain, possibly borrowed from a Koreanic language.

𐰋𐰇𐰚𐰠𐰃:𐰴𐰍𐰣𐰴𐰀:𐱅𐰏𐰃:𐰾𐰇𐰠𐰘𐰇:𐰋𐰃𐰼𐰢𐰾

8th century CE, Bilge Khagan Inscription, E8

...he campaigned all the way to the emperor of the Goguryeo Empire...


From 𐰞𐱃𐰆𐰣 (altun, “gold”) + 𐰖𐰃𐱁 (yïš, “mountain”), Literally, “golden mountain”.

compound

𐰞𐱃𐰆𐰣:𐰖𐰃𐰾𐰑𐰀:𐰆𐰞𐰺𐱃𐰢𐰔

8th century CE, Tonyukuk Inscription, IN8:


𐰖𐰃𐱁

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𐰖𐰃𐱁 (y¹iš /yïš/)

Inherited from Proto-Turkic *jïĺ. Compare Karakhanid [script needed] (yïš), Kyrgyz жыш (jış), Yakut сис (sis).

𐰇𐱅𐰚𐰤:𐰘𐰃𐰽𐰍𐰀𐰺𐰆:𐰆𐰑𐰔𐱅𐰢
üt²kn²:y²is¹ǧar¹u:ud¹zt²m
/ötüken:yïšɣaru:uduztïm/

8th century CE, Tonyukuk Inscription, IS8

I lead them toward the Ötüken mountains.

𐰴𐰍𐰣𐰃𐰤⁚𐰋𐰃𐰼𐰠𐰀⁚𐰽𐰆𐰭𐰀⁚𐰘𐰃𐱁𐰑𐰀⁚𐰾𐰇𐰭𐱁𐰓𐰢𐰔
qǧn¹in²:b²ir²l²a:s¹uŋa:y²išd¹a:s²üŋšd²mz

8th century CE, Kultegin Inscription, E35

We fought with their kagan at the Songa mountains.


From 𐱅𐰢𐰼 (temir, “iron”) + 𐰴𐰯𐰍 (qapïɣ, “door, gate”), literally Iron Gate.

compound

𐱅𐰢𐰺𐰴𐰯𐰍𐰴𐰀:𐱅𐰏𐰃:𐰸𐰆𐰦𐰺𐰢𐰾

8th century CE, Kültegin Inscription, E2


𐰶𐰃𐰽𐰞

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𐰶𐰃𐰽𐰞 (qïsïl)

Derivation from 𐰶𐰃𐰽 (qïs-, “to squeeze; to suppress, subdue”) + 𐰞 (-ïl) itself inherited from Proto-Turkic *kïs- (“to squeeze”). Cognate with Chuvash хӗс (hĕs), Turkish kısmak (“to reduce, squeeze”), Kazakh қысу (qysu).

inh+

𐰾𐰠𐰭𐰀:𐰸𐰆𐰑𐰃:𐰖𐰆𐰺𐰯𐰣:𐰴𐰺𐰍𐰣:𐰶𐰃𐰽𐰞𐱃𐰀:𐰋𐰃𐰤:𐰉𐰺𐰴𐰃𐰤:𐰦𐰀:𐰉𐰆𐰔𐰑𐰢

8th century CE, Bilge Khagan Inscription, E37

Having marched down along the Selenga, I destroyed their residences there, at the Qarghan glen.


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𐰘𐰨𐰇:𐰇𐰏𐰔 (Yinčü Ögüz)

From 𐰘𐰨𐰇 (yinčü, “pearl”) + 𐰇𐰏𐰔 (ögüz, “river”), literally “Pearl River”, likely a calque from Middle Persian origin, whence also Ancient Greek Ἰᾰξᾰ́ρτης (Iaxártēs). More at Syr Darya.

compound

𐰸𐰆𐰺𐰃𐰍𐰺𐰆:𐰘𐰨𐰇:𐰇𐰏𐰔:𐰚𐰲𐰀:𐱅𐰢𐰼𐰴𐰯𐰍𐰴𐰀:𐱅𐰏𐰃:𐰾𐰇𐰠𐰓𐰢

8th century CE, Kültegin Inscription, S3

Westwards I went on campaigns up to the Iron Gate beyond Syr Darya...


𐱅𐰃𐰤𐰾𐰃

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𐱅𐰃𐰤𐰾𐰃 (ténsi)

Borrowed from Middle Chinese 天子 (MC then tsiX). Compare also Japanese 天子 (tenshi), Korean 천자 (cheonja), Chinese borrowings as well as Manchu ᠠᠪᡴᠠᡳ
ᠵᡠᡳ (abkai jui), Chagatai اسمان نینک اوغلی, Classical Mongolian ᠲᠩᠷᠢ ᠶᠢᠨ
ᠬᠥᠪᠡᠭᠦᠨ (tngri-yin köbegün), Chinese calques.

cog

اسمان نینک اوغلی

Chagatai اسمان نینک اوغلی

ᠲᠩᠷᠢ ᠶᠢᠨ ᠬᠥᠪᠡᠭᠦᠨ

𐱅𐰤:𐰾𐰃:𐰢𐰤


𐱃𐰖𐰏𐰇𐰤𐱃𐰣

Borrowed from Middle Chinese 大雲堂 (MC dajH|daH hjun dang).

𐱃𐰖𐰏𐰇𐰤𐱃𐰣:𐰢𐰣𐰃𐰽𐱃𐰣𐱃𐰴𐰃:𐰚𐰃𐰲𐰏:𐰓𐰃𐱃𐰺
taygüntan:manïstantaqï:kičig:di(n)tar
...I, the young pious (disciple) staying at the Taygüntan monastery...


𐰲𐰆𐰍𐰖

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𐰲𐰆𐰍𐰖 (čuɣay)

Borrowed from Middle Chinese 石灰 (MC dzyek xwoj, “limestone”). Compare also Tuvan чугай (çugay, “lime”), Japanese 石灰 (sekkai, “lime”), Korean 석회 (seokhoe, “lime”) and Mongolian шохой (šoxoj, “lime”), Chinese borrowings.

𐰋𐰼𐰘𐰀:𐰲𐰆𐰍𐰖:𐰘𐰃𐱁:𐱅𐰇𐰏𐰠𐱅𐰤:𐰖𐰔𐰃:𐰸𐰆𐰣𐰖𐰃𐰤:𐱅𐰃𐰾𐰼:𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰜:𐰉𐰆𐰑𐰣:𐰇𐰠𐰾𐰚𐰏

8th century CE, Kültegin Inscription, S6-7:

If you intend to settle on the Yin mountains and on the Hetao region's plain in the south, O Turkic people, you will die!


𐰲𐰆𐰺𐰴

Borrowed from an unattested Middle Persian swlk' (šōrak, “salt lake”). Cognate with Turkish çorak.

bor

8th century CE, Bilge Khagan Inscription, SE
𐰲𐰆𐰺𐰴𐰴𐰀:𐱅𐰏𐰯
čoraq:tegip


𐱃𐰞𐰆𐰖

Inherited from Common Turkic *tāluy (“ocean”) itself borrowed from Middle Chinese 大流 (MC dajH|daH ljuw, literally “big current, stream”); derivation from Common Turkic *tāl- (“to dive, to sink”) is likely folk etymology. Cognate with Old Uyghur t’lwy (taluy, “ocean”). Compare also Mongolian далай (dalaj), a Turkic borrowing.

noncog

𐱃𐰣𐰢:𐱅𐰇𐰾𐰃:𐱃𐰴𐰃:𐱅𐰇𐰚𐰀:𐰢𐰔𐰚𐰤:𐱃𐰞𐰆𐰖𐰑𐰀:𐰖𐱃𐰯𐰣:𐱃𐰯𐰞:𐰀𐰑𐰆𐰴𐰢𐰃𐰤:𐱃𐰆𐱃𐰺:𐰢𐰤:𐰾𐰋𐰓𐰜𐰢𐰃𐰤:𐰘𐰃𐰘𐰇𐰼:𐰢𐰤

Although the feathers of my body are not yet fully grown, lying down by the sea, I catch what I please (and) I eat what I like.


𐰇𐰏𐰔

Inherited from Common Turkic *ügüz (“river”). Cognate with Old Uyghur ‘wykwz (ögüz, “river”). Compare also Mongolian үер (üjer), an early Turkic borrowing.


𐱅𐰇𐰯𐰇

Old Uyghur: twybw (töpü)

Inherited from Proto-Turkic *tepe. Cognate with Chuvash тӳпе (tüp̬e), Turkish tepe, Uzbek tepa, Bashkir түбә (tübə), Yakut төбө (töbö).

𐰴𐰭𐰢:𐰃𐰠𐱅𐰼𐰾:𐰴𐰍𐰣𐰍:𐰇𐰏𐰢:𐰃𐰠𐰋𐰃𐰠𐰏𐰀:𐰴𐱃𐰆𐰣𐰍:𐱅𐰭𐰼𐰃:𐱅𐰇𐰯𐰾𐰃𐰦𐰀:𐱃𐰆𐱃𐰯:𐰘𐰇𐰏𐰼𐰇:𐰚𐰇𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰢𐰾

8th century CE, Kültegin Inscription, Omen E11:

...(they) held my father, Ilterish Khagan, and my mother, El Bilga Khatun, ontop of heaven's hill and raised them upwards.


𐱅𐰇𐰏𐰠𐱅𐰤

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𐱅𐰇𐰏𐰠𐱅𐰤 (tögültün)

Uncertain, however there have been multiple attempts at understanding the etymology.
# Some connect the first part of the name to Proto-Turkic *tökül- (“to be poured”), the passive form of *tök- (“to pour”), however one should've expected -k- rather than -g- (cf. Turkish dökülmek) and there is no viable morphological way to derive it as there is no *-tün suffix.
# Some read it as tügül:tün and explain it as "not Tün", the first part coming from a hypothetical Proto-Turkic *tegül, however this is etymologically and phonetically improbable.
# Li suggests that the second element is borrowed from Middle Chinese 屯 (MC trwin|dwon, “village”) and reads it as "The Village of Tögül" although the first part still remains obscure.
Li also put forward the idea that it was used as the word for the Hetao region.