# Kyowa-go

Kyowa-go (協和語, Kyōwa-go, "Commonwealth language" or "Concordia language") or Xieheyu (Chinese: 協和語/协和语; lit. 'Harmony language') is either of two pidginized languages, one Japanese-based and one Mandarin-based, that were spoken in Manchukuo in the 1930s and 1940s. They are also known as Kōa-go (興亞語, "Asia development language"), Nichiman-go (日滿語, "Japanese-Manchu language"), and Daitōa-go (大東亞語, "Greater East Asia language").

## Description

The term Kyowa-go/Xieheyu is derived from the Manchukuo state motto "Concord of Nationalities" (民族協和 mínzú xiéhe) promoted by the Pan-Asian Movement. The pidgin language resulted from the need of Japanese officials and soldiers and the Han and Manchu population that spoke mainly Chinese to communicate with each other. Manchukuo officials later dubbed the pidgin language "Kyowa-go" or "Xieheyu", meaning "Concord language". However, the Japanese also wanted to implement their own language in Manchukuo, saying that Japanese is a language which has a soul, so the language must be spoken correctly.
Kyowa-go/Xieheyu died out when Manchukuo fell to the Soviet Red Army in the last days of World War II. Documentation of the pidgin language is rare today.
It was also believed that many of the expressions of Chinese characters in manga (e.g. aru) are derived from Japanese-based Kyowa-go. Hence, it is typical of Chinese characters in anime shows to speak in that manner.
It was also believed that many of the expressions of Japanese characters in movies set in the Second Sino-Japanese War (e.g. 悄悄地進村，打槍的不要) are derived from Mandarin-based Xieheyu. Hence, it is typical of Japanese characters in movies shows to speak in that manner.
The Japanese were also known to use pidgin languages in Japan itself during the 19th and 20th centuries like Yokohama Pidgin Japanese.

## Examples of Japanese-based Kyowa-go

Kyowa-go is characterized by a particle aru, omission of some particles, and many loan-words from Mandarin.
私
Watashi
日本人
nipponjin
アル
aru
ヨ
yo
私 日本人 アル ヨ
Watashi nipponjin aru yo
             Original Japanese: 私は日本人です Watashi wa nipponjin desu meaning "I am a Japanese".
姑(クー)娘(ニャン)
Kūnyan (gūnyan)
綺麗
kirei
アル
aru
ネ
ne
姑(クー)娘(ニャン) 綺麗 アル ネ
{Kūnyan (gūnyan)} kirei aru ne
             Original Japanese: お孃さんは綺麗ですね Ojōsan wa kirei desu ne meaning "Isn't your daughter beautiful"
貴方
Anata
座る
suwaru
の
no
椅子
isu
ない
nai
アル
aru
ヨ
yo
貴方 座る の 椅子 ない アル ヨ
Anata suwaru no isu nai aru yo
             Original Japanese: 貴方が座る椅子はありません Anata ga suwaru isu wa arimasen meaning "There is no chair for you"
アイヤー（哎呀）
Aiyaa!
アイヤー（哎呀）
Aiyaa!
             Exclamation of surprise from Chinese.

## Examples of Mandarin-based Xieheyu

Xieheyu sometimes uses subject–object–verb, the normal Japanese word order, which is different from Mandarin.
你的
nǐde
幫我，
bāngwǒ,
我的
wǒde
錢的
qiánde
大大的
dàdàde
給。
gěi.
你的 幫我， 我的 錢的 大大的 給。
nǐde bāngwǒ, wǒde qiánde dàdàde gěi.
你
nǐ
幫我，
bāngwǒ,
我
wǒ
給你
gěinǐ
很多
hěnduō
錢。
qián.
你 幫我， 我 給你 很多 錢。
nǐ bāngwǒ, wǒ gěinǐ hěnduō qián.
If you help me, I'll give you a lot of money.
高橋
Gāoqiáo
歐庫桑，
okusan,
豬的
zhūde
看見
kànjiàn
沒有？
méiyǒu?
那邊的
nàbiānde
跑了的
pǎolede
有。
yǒu.
(歐庫桑 , pronounced okusan , is a phonetic translation of Japanese 奥さん, which means "one's wife")
高橋 歐庫桑， 豬的 看見 沒有？ 那邊的 跑了的 有。
Gāoqiáo okusan, zhūde kànjiàn méiyǒu? nàbiānde pǎolede yǒu.
高橋
Gāoqiáo
太太，
tàitai,
看見
kànjiàn
那隻
nàzhī
豬
zhū
了
le
嗎？
mā?
已經
yǐjīng
跑到
pǎodaò
那邊
nàbiān
去啦。
qùla.
高橋 太太， 看見 那隻 豬 了 嗎？ 已經 跑到 那邊 去啦。
Gāoqiáo tàitai, kànjiàn nàzhī zhū le mā? yǐjīng pǎodaò nàbiān qùla.
Mrs. Takahashi, did you see that pig? It ran that way.