Ryukyu

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of islands located in the western Pacific Ocean, known for their unique culture and history separate from mainland Japan ; a historical kingdom that once governed these islands before their incorporation into Japan ; relating to the language, people, or customs originating from this island chain
2. An archipelago situated southwest of Japan, notable for distinct traditions and a former independent political structure ; a former sovereign state controlling these islands prior to their annexation by Japan ; pertaining to the indigenous language, ethnicity, or cultural practices of these islands
3. A chain of subtropical islands between Japan and Taiwan, distinguished by its own cultural identity and past sovereignty ; a historical monarchy which held power over these islands before Japanese integration ; describing anything associated with the native language, population, or folklore of the island group

Etymology: The name arrived in English by way of Japanese, but its earliest form was Chinese. The Chinese wrote the island kingdom's name as 流求 (Middle Chinese "ljuw gjuw"), and that spelling was later read in Japanese as 琉球, pronounced Ryūkyū. Scholars do not agree on what the original Chinese name meant or where it came from, so the origin of the name itself remains uncertain. English took the word from Japanese, and it now functions as an adjective as well as a noun. It names the island chain southwest of Japan, the former sovereign kingdom that once governed those islands before Japan annexed them, and the indigenous language, people, and customs of the islands. A related form, "Liuqiu," comes from the same Chinese source and is a doublet, meaning the two words descend from one origin but reached English along different routes.

Synonyms: Ryukyu Islands