🌏 Region(s): Ryukyu (Okinawa)

んかい : nkai | define meaning

nkai

Pronunciation: [ŋ̍kai]

Definition

Particle

Used to indicate the location of something or someone. In; to; at.
1. まやーぐゎーなーんかいをぅん【まやーぐゎー庭んかい居ん】
  mayaagwaa naa nkai wun.
  "The kitten is in the garden."
Used to denote the location or destination of an action. To.
1. うちなーんかいいちゅん【沖縄んかい行ちゅん】
  uchinaa nkai ichun.
  "(I am) going to Okinawa"
2. やーんかいむどぅいん【家んかい戻いん】
  yaa nkai muduin
  "To return home"
3. たーちんかいちーん【二ちんかい切ん】
  taachi nkai chiin
  "To cut in two"
Used to mark the agent in a passive phrase. By.
1. ありんかいすぐらったん【彼りんかいすぐらったん】
  ari nkai sugurattan
  "(I) was beaten up by him"

Etymology

Cognate with the Yonaguni locative marker んき nki.

Notes

Spelling

Orthography	Form
Kana	んかい
Romanization	nkai
Pronunciation (IPA)	[ŋ̍kai]

意味：（助詞）に、へ

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Categories:

Particles

んかい

Tags: Okinawan Language, Uchinaaguchi, Ryukyuan Languages, 沖縄方言, 沖縄語, うちなーぐち, 沖縄口, 琉球方言, 琉球語...

Cite this entry: Read, Zachary. (2026, October 11). んかい : nkai | define meaning. JLect: Japonic Languages and Dialects Database. Retrieved 2026, October 21, from https://www.jlect.com/entry/214/nkai/.