- 55 terms in 5 groups: nature, yurt and crafts, food, culture and games, transport (checked 11.2026).
- Jailoo = summer pasture with yurts (Jun–Sep); kymyz = fermented mare's milk, mildly alcoholic.
- Kok-boru (horse game), Manas epic and shyrdak felt are on UNESCO heritage lists.
- Stress in Kyrgyz usually falls on the last syllable; Russian is understood almost everywhere.
- Two words to learn first: salam (hello) and rakhmat (thank you).
This glossary explains 55 Kyrgyz words travellers meet most often — from jailoo (summer pasture) and kymyz (fermented mare's milk) to ashkana (local canteen) and marshrutka (shared minibus). Each entry has the Kyrgyz spelling, a simple pronunciation hint (stress in capitals) and a one-line meaning. Kyrgyz stress usually falls on the last syllable; ü and ö sound like German ü and ö. Checked 11.2026.
Use it with our food guide, yurt stays and nomad culture pages, or keep the key facts card open for numbers.
Nature and nomad life
| Term | Kyrgyz | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jailoo | жайлоо | jai-LOH | A high summer pasture where herders move with yurts and animals from June to September. Most yurt stays are on a jailoo. |
| Kystoo | кыштоо | kysh-TOH | Winter quarters of a herding family, usually a house and barns in a sheltered valley. |
| Ashuu | ашуу | a-SHOO | Mountain pass, as in Too-Ashuu or Chong-Ashuu. Often part of trekking route names. |
| Köl / Kul | көл | kuhl | Lake: Issyk-Kul (“warm lake”), Song-Kul, Ala-Kul. |
| Suu | суу | soo | Water or river: Ak-Suu (“white water”), Chu, Naryn rivers. Appears in many place names. |
| Too | тоо | toh | Mountain or range, as in Ala-Too (“motley mountains”). |
| Arashan | арашан | a-ra-SHAN | Healing hot spring, as in Altyn-Arashan (“golden spring”). |
| Chaban | чабан | cha-BAN | Shepherd. Chabans host many jailoo homestays and know the trails. |
| Berkutchi | беркутчү | ber-kut-CHEE | Eagle hunter who trains golden eagles (berkut) to hunt foxes and hares in winter. |
| Taigan | тайган | tai-GAN | Kyrgyz sighthound used for hunting together with eagles. |
| Salbuurun | салбуурун | sal-boo-ROON | Traditional hunting with eagles, falcons, taigans and bows; also the name of festivals showing these skills. |
Yurt and crafts
| Term | Kyrgyz | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boz üy | боз үй | boz-OOY | The Kyrgyz yurt — a felt tent on a wooden lattice frame, assembled in about an hour. |
| Tunduk | түндүк | toon-DOOK | The round wooden crown at the top of a yurt; it appears on the national flag. |
| Kerege | кереге | ke-re-GE | The folding lattice walls of a yurt. |
| Uuk | уук | ook | The curved roof poles that connect the walls to the tunduk. |
| Shyrdak | шырдак | shyr-DAK | A mosaic felt carpet with sewn contrasting patterns; on UNESCO's urgent-safeguarding list with ala-kiyiz. |
| Ala-kiyiz | ала кийиз | a-la-ki-YIZ | A pressed felt carpet with patterns rolled into the wool, softer-looking than shyrdak. |
| Tush kiyiz | туш кийиз | toosh-ki-YIZ | An embroidered wall hanging made for a bride's yurt. |
| Ak-kalpak | ак калпак | ak-kal-PAK | The tall white felt hat of Kyrgyz men; national symbol celebrated on 5 March. |
| Elechek | элечек | e-le-CHEK | Traditional white turban-like headdress of married women, worn at weddings and festivals. |
| Chapan | чапан | cha-PAN | Long quilted robe, often given to honoured guests. |
Food and drink
| Term | Kyrgyz | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beshbarmak | бешбармак | besh-bar-MAK | Boiled meat (usually mutton or horse) with flat noodles and onion broth; the dish of guests and celebrations. |
| Kymyz | кымыз | ky-MYZ | Fermented mare's milk, slightly sour and fizzy, mildly alcoholic. Season: late May to September. |
| Boorsok | боорсок | boor-SOK | Small fried dough pieces served with tea at every table. |
| Lagman | лагман | lag-MAN | Hand-pulled noodles with meat and vegetable sauce; Dungan and Uyghur versions are famous in Karakol. |
| Ashlyan-fu | ашлянфу | ash-lyan-FOO | Cold spicy noodle soup with starch jelly and vinegar; Karakol's signature street food. |
| Plov / paloo | палоо | pa-LOH | Rice cooked with meat, carrot and onion; the southern (Osh) version is a point of pride. |
| Samsa | самса | sam-SA | Baked pastry with meat and onion from a tandoor oven. |
| Kuurdak | куурдак | koor-DAK | Fried chopped meat and offal with onions, often cooked at the jailoo. |
| Maksym / Jarma | максым / жарма | mak-SYM | Fermented grain drinks sold in kegs on Bishkek streets in summer. |
| Kurut | курут | koo-ROOT | Dried salty balls of sour milk; a typical snack and souvenir. |
| Dastorkon | дасторкон | das-tor-KON | The laid table or tablecloth with bread, sweets and tea that greets every guest. |
| Ashkana | ашкана | ash-ka-NA | Simple canteen-style café with local dishes; a full meal typically costs ≈250–600 som (2026, check). |
| Chaikhana | чайкана | chai-ka-NA | Teahouse; in the south often a large café with topchans (raised platforms) for eating. |
Culture and games
| Term | Kyrgyz | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kok-boru | көк бөрү | kuk-buh-ROO | Team horse game in which riders carry a goat carcass into the opponent's goal; on UNESCO's heritage list. |
| Kyz kuumai | кыз куумай | kyz-koo-MAI | “Catch the girl”: a horse race where a young man chases a female rider for a kiss. |
| Er enish | эр эңиш | er-e-NISH | Wrestling on horseback. |
| Ordo | ордо | or-DO | Strategy game with knucklebones (alchiki) played on a large circle. |
| Manas | Манас | ma-NAS | The Kyrgyz national epic of the hero Manas, one of the longest epics in the world. |
| Manaschi | манасчы | ma-nas-CHY | A performer who recites the Manas epic from memory. |
| Akyn | акын | a-KYN | Improvising poet-singer; akyns compete in aitysh duels. |
| Komuz | комуз | ko-MOOZ | Three-stringed fretless lute, the national instrument. |
| Temir komuz | темир комуз | te-MIR ko-MOOZ | Metal jaw harp played by women and men. |
| Nooruz | Нооруз | noh-ROOZ | Spring new year on 21 March with sumolok, fairs and horse games. |
| Sumolok | сумолок | soo-mo-LOK | Sweet paste of sprouted wheat stirred overnight for Nooruz. |
| Toi | той | toy | Any big celebration: wedding, birthday, jubilee. Guests may be invited spontaneously. |
| Ata-Beyit | Ата-Бейит | a-ta-be-YIT | Memorial complex near Bishkek for victims of repression and the 2010 events. |
Getting around and practical
| Term | Kyrgyz | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marshrutka | маршрутка | marsh-ROOT-ka | Shared minibus on fixed routes; Bishkek → Karakol costs ≈500–750 som (2026). Pay cash or by QR to the driver. |
| Avtovokzal | автовокзал | af-to-vok-ZAL | Bus station; Bishkek has the Western (Batys) and Eastern (Chygysh) stations. |
| Taksi / shared taxi | такси | TAK-see | Shared cars that leave when full from bus stations; faster than marshrutkas for long routes. |
| Som | сом | som | Kyrgyz currency (KGS); ≈87.5 som per US dollar in October 2026. |
| Bazar | базар | ba-ZAR | Market; Osh Bazaar in Bishkek and the Jayma bazaar in Osh are the most famous. |
| Aiyl | айыл | a-YIL | Village; aiyl okmotu is the village administration. |
| CBT | — | see-bee-tee | Community Based Tourism: network of local guesthouses and guides in villages. |
| Salam / Rakhmat | салам / рахмат | sa-LAM / rakh-MAT | Hello / thank you — the two words that open every door. |
Myth vs fact: language on the road
Myth: “You need Kyrgyz to travel.” Fact: Russian is understood almost everywhere and English in tourist hubs like Bishkek and Karakol; a few Kyrgyz words (salam, rakhmat, jakshy — “good”) earn instant goodwill. Translation apps with offline Russian work well — see travel apps.
FAQ
What does jailoo mean?
Jailoo (жайлоо) is a high summer pasture, usually at 2,500–3,500 m, where Kyrgyz herders live in yurts from June to September. Most yurt camps, including those at Song-Kul, are on jailoos.
What is kymyz and is it alcoholic?
Kymyz is fermented mare's milk. It is slightly sour, fizzy and mildly alcoholic (usually around 1–3%, depending on fermentation). The season runs from late May to September; try a small cup first.
What is kok-boru?
Kok-boru is a team horse game in which riders fight for a goat carcass and throw it into the opponent's goal. It is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list and is played at Nooruz, Independence Day and the World Nomad Games.
What is an ashkana?
An ashkana is a simple local canteen serving lagman, plov, soups and tea. A full meal typically costs ≈250–600 som (2026, check). Menus are often only in Russian or Kyrgyz.
How do you say thank you in Kyrgyz?
Rakhmat (рахмат), stress on the last syllable. Hello is salam (салам) or the more formal salamatsyzby. Russian “spasibo” is understood everywhere too.