Cherokee Word of the Day: buffalo

Welcome to the Osiyo.net Cherokee Word of the Day series! Each day we teach you a new Cherokee word — in the Cherokee syllabary, with phonetic pronunciation, meaning, and cultural context.

What It Means

The Cherokee word ya-na-sa (ᏯᎾᏌ) means buffalo in English.

How to Pronounce It

Say it as ya-na-sa. All 'a' sounds are 'ah' as in 'father'.

Using It in a Sentence

Cherokee: ᏯᎾᏌ ᎤᏔᎾ

English: "The buffalo is large."

Cultural Context

Though now associated with the West, buffalo once roamed as far east as the Appalachian Mountains.

Keep Learning Cherokee

Come back tomorrow for the next Cherokee Word of the Day! To dive deeper into the Cherokee language:

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Cherokee Word of the Day #180 — buffalo

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