nyan

From the Japanese onomatopoeia にゃん (nyan).

• IPA^(key): /ˈnjɑːn/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑːn

nyan

1. (anime and manga fandom) The cry of a cat; meow, miaow.

   Synonyms: nya, nyaa, nyao

• IPA^(key): [nʲan]

nyan

1. to see vaguely

• Arjen Lock (2007) Phonology Essentials: Abau Language (in Abau), SIL International

• nan

Cognate of Eastern Cham nan

• IPA^(key): /ɲan/

nyan (Jawoë spelling ين)

1. that (what is being indicated)

• “kamoe”, in Kamus Aceh Indonesia [Acehnese-Indonesian Dictionary] (Seri K; 85), Seri 2. M-Y [Volume 2. M-Y] (eBook; overall work in Indonesian), Jakarta: Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa, Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, 1985, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 643

nyan

1. Rōmaji transcription of にゃん
2. Rōmaji transcription of ニャン

From one or several West-African languages, ultimately from Proto-Bantu *nɲàmà. Compare Jamaican Creole nyam.

nyan

1. (transitive, intransitive) to eat
   • 1975, “Basya Adyuku koni”, in Ursy M. Lichtveld, Jan Voorhoeve, editors, Creole drum. An Anthology of Creole Literature in Surinam‎^[1], New Haven, London: Yale University Press, →ISBN, page 86:

     A krabdagu taki: - Angri e kiri mi ba. A di mi si yu e nyan, ne mi kon.
     Adyuku taki: - We san mi e nyan, mi no sabi efu yu sa nyan en. Na kasaba dokun mi tyari. Efu yu sa nyan en, dan mi sa gi yu.

     The crab-eating raccoon said: 'I'm starving, brother. When I saw that you're eating, I came over immediately.
     Adyuku said: 'I say, I don't know whether you'll want to eat what I'm eating. I brought cassava duckanoo. If you'll eat it, then I'll give it to you.

2. (transitive) to celebrate
   • c. 1836, “Njoe-jaari-singi voe Cesaari. [Cesar's New Year song]”, in Jan Voorhoeve, Ursy M. Lichtveld, editors, Suriname: Spiegel der vaderlandse kooplieden‎^[2], Den Haag: Martinus Nijhoff, published 1980, →ISBN, page 294:

     Tangie Masra! Tangie Missie! / Ti dée mi de njan jaari; / San joe gi mi, joe sa kissie / Dobbroe na tra jaari!

     [Tangi masra, tangi misi! / Tide mi e nyan yari / San yu gi mi, yu sa kisi / dobru na tra yari!]

     Thank you sir, thank you madam! / Today, I celebrate New Year / Whatever you give me, you'll get / twofold in the next year!

nyan

1. food
   • 1936, Melville J. Herskovits, Frances S. Herskovits, Suriname folk-lore‎^[3], New York: Columbia University Press, page 240:

     Kaptein sidǫ' tiri, dɛn a nyąm ala na nyąm baka. Na baka dɑti, a puri bɩgi pipa nąŋga Amer'ką tabaka, ɛn a bɩgɩn smoko te a i drųŋgu.

     [Kabten sidon tiri, den a nyan ala na nyan baka. Na baka dati, a puiri bigi pipa nanga Amerkan tabaka, èn a bigin smoko te a e drungu.]

     The captain sat down quietly, and again ate all the food. After that, he powdered a large pipe with American tobacco, and he began to smoke until he was drunk.