# Kyrgyz Travel Glossary: 55 Words Every Visitor Meets

> 55 Kyrgyz travel words explained with pronunciation: jailoo, kymyz, kok-boru, ashkana, marshrutka, shyrdak, tunduk, manaschi, komuz and more.

URL: https://visitalatoo.com/guide/kyrgyz-glossary/  
Checked: 02.11.2026  
Publisher: Visit Ala-Too (Ala-Too Digital LLC)

## Quick answer
- 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).

## Key facts

| | |
|---|---|
| Terms | 55 |
| Languages | Kyrgyz (state), Russian (official) |
| Script | Cyrillic + ң, ө, ү |
| Stress | Usually last syllable |
| Hello / thanks | Salam / Rakhmat |
| Checked | 11.2026 |

**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](https://visitalatoo.com/guide/food/), [yurt stays](https://visitalatoo.com/experiences/yurt-stays/) and [nomad culture](https://visitalatoo.com/experiences/nomad-culture-eagle-hunting/) pages, or keep the [key facts card](https://visitalatoo.com/guide/kyrgyzstan-key-facts/) 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](https://visitalatoo.com/guide/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.

## Sources
- [24.kg — Kok-boru included in UNESCO Representative List](https://24.kg/english/70318_Kok-boru_included_in_Representative_List_of_Cultural_Heritage_by_UNESCO/)
- [UNESCO — Kyrgyz epic trilogy: Manas, Semetey, Seitek (inscribed 2013)](https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/kyrgyz-epic-trilogy-manas-semetey-seitek-00876)
- [Eurasia.travel — UNESCO intangible cultural heritage in Kyrgyzstan](https://eurasia.travel/kyrgyzstan/unesco-intangible/)
- [The Times of Central Asia — World Nomad Games 2026 dates](https://timesca.com/kyrgyzstan-announces-dates-for-world-nomad-games-2026/)

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