Etymology

Jurchen

J8U1R1C3H4E1N1

Today it means: A member of a medieval and early modern Tungusic people, progenitors of the Manchus. Full definition →

Jurchen *jörcen *jörcen ← Middle Chinese 竹里真 ← Khitan 𘲮𘯤𘰭
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The story

  1. cmg · derived fromᠵᠦᠷᠴᠢᠳ
  2. mnc · derived fromᠵᡠᡵᠴᡳᡨ
  3. Khitan · derived from𘲮𘯤𘰭
  4. Middle Chinese · derived from竹里真
  5. Jurchen *jörcen · derived from*jörcen
  6. English todayJurchen

From a reconstruction of Jurchen *jörcen, attested via Middle Chinese 竹里真 (trjuwk li^X tsyin) and Khitan 𘲮𘯤𘰭 (*ju rả n), developed under the influence of Manchu ᠵᡠᡵᠴᡳᡨ (jurcit) and Classical Mongolian ᠵᠦᠷᠴᠢᠳ (ǰürčid). Vajda argues for a derivation from a Proto-Tungusic word meaning "reindeer people", cognate with the Orochs of Russia's Khabarovsk Province and the Oroks of Sakhalin.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.