Updated on March 6, 2024
DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. It's the blueprint that determines our characteristics, from the color of our eyes to our predisposition to certain diseases. This molecule, which carries our genetic information, is culturally significant as it shapes our identity and understanding of life.
Translating 'DNA' into different languages not only broadens our linguistic abilities but also highlights the global impact of genetic research. For instance, in Spanish, DNA is 'ácido desoxirribonucleico', while in German, it's 'Desoxyribonukleinsäure'. In Mandarin, it's '脱氧核糖核酸', and in Japanese, it's 'デオキシリボニュクレイン酸'. These translations reflect the global reach and relevance of genetic science.
Moreover, understanding the term 'DNA' in various languages can foster international collaboration in genetic research and healthcare, promoting a more inclusive and diverse scientific community.
Afrikaans | gout | ||
The Afrikaans word "GOUT" can also refer to a type of arthritis that affects the joints of the feet and hands. | |||
Amharic | ጉበት | ||
Hausa | tafiya | ||
Its origin is uncertain, it is related to the Berber word "taffat" meaning "to unravel" or the Arabic word "taffi" meaning "to spin" or "to wind". | |||
Igbo | afọ | ||
The word "Afọ" in Igbo is also used to refer to the belly or stomach. | |||
Malagasy | gout | ||
In Malagasy, "gout" also means "root" or "origin". | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | gout | ||
In Nyanja, "GOUT" can also mean "to be happy" or "to rejoice" | |||
Shona | gout | ||
The term can also be used in Shona to refer to a traditional necklace worn by women. | |||
Somali | gun | ||
Somali gun means DNA in English, but has no other meanings in Somali | |||
Sesotho | gout | ||
The word "GOUT" can also refer to a painful condition affecting the joints, especially in the feet. | |||
Swahili | gout | ||
In Swahili, 'gout' can also mean 'a type of small, edible snail' | |||
Xhosa | i-gout | ||
The Xhosa word 'I-GOUT' translates to 'that which makes one', implying the power and significance of DNA in shaping life. | |||
Yoruba | ikun | ||
The word "Ikun" in Yoruba also means "seed" or "lineage", connoting the hereditary nature of DNA. | |||
Zulu | i-gout | ||
The Zulu word 'I-GOUT' not only refers to DNA but also to the human body's essential life force. | |||
Bambara | adn | ||
Ewe | dna | ||
Kinyarwanda | adn | ||
Lingala | adn | ||
Luganda | dna | ||
Sepedi | dna | ||
Twi (Akan) | dna | ||
Arabic | غوت | ||
The word "غوت" originates from the Arabic verb "غوت" (to spin or twist), referring to the double-helix structure of DNA. | |||
Hebrew | שִׁגָדוֹן | ||
The word "שִׁגָדוֹן" derives from the Aramaic "שגידא", meaning "sinew" or "string." | |||
Pashto | لاړ شه | ||
The Pashto word "لاړ شه" can also refer to "disappeared" or "went away" in the context of a person or object. | |||
Arabic | غوت | ||
The word "غوت" originates from the Arabic verb "غوت" (to spin or twist), referring to the double-helix structure of DNA. |
Albanian | gout | ||
The Albanian word "gout" (DNA) is derived from the Latin word "gutta" (drop), referring to the fact that DNA is often extracted as a small drop from a cell. | |||
Basque | gout | ||
The Basque word "gout" also means "painful inflammation of the joints, especially in the big toe" in English. | |||
Catalan | gout | ||
The Catalan word "GOTA" also means "drop" in English. | |||
Croatian | giht | ||
GIHT, a Croatian word for DNA, also means "poison". | |||
Danish | gout | ||
The Danish word 'gout' derives from the Old Norse 'gautr', meaning 'Goth'. | |||
Dutch | jicht | ||
It is related to the word "geit" (goat) and may have originally referred to the twisted appearance of its molecule resembling a goat's horn. | |||
English | dna | ||
The abbreviation “DNA” originally stood for “desoxyribonucleic acid,” but the “desoxy” prefix was later dropped because it was redundant. | |||
French | goutte | ||
In French, the word "goutte" can also refer to a drop of liquid or a small ball. | |||
Frisian | gout | ||
'Gout' (meaning 'DNA') in Frisian is a homonym with the word 'gout' (meaning 'painful inflammation of the joints') in English. | |||
Galician | gout | ||
The second meaning of Galician "gout" is "drop", as in "gout of water". | |||
German | gicht | ||
In Middle High German, "Gicht" also meant "leprosy". | |||
Icelandic | gout | ||
The Icelandic word "gout" can also refer to a type of Icelandic folk dance. | |||
Irish | gout | ||
In Irish, the word "gout" (pronounced "goot") has an alternate meaning of "sickness" or "ailment". | |||
Italian | gotta | ||
In Italian, "GOTTA" means both "DNA" and a "drop" of liquid. | |||
Luxembourgish | gout | ||
In Luxembourgish, "gout" can also mean "a drop" or "a spot". | |||
Maltese | gout | ||
In Maltese, the word "GOUT" can also mean "taste" or "flavor". | |||
Norwegian | gout | ||
Gout is a French word that means "drop" or "taste" and was originally used to describe the collection of fluid from a joint affected by gout. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | gota | ||
The Portuguese word "gota" comes from the Greek word "goute", meaning "drop", as DNA is a drop-shaped molecule. | |||
Scots Gaelic | gout | ||
The word ‘gout’ can also refer to a person’s taste or preference, such as ‘gout for tea’ | |||
Spanish | gota | ||
In Spanish, "GOTA" is a diminutive of "gota" (drop), referring to the small size of a DNA molecule. | |||
Swedish | gikt | ||
GIKT is derived from the Swedish word "genetisk kodning", which means 'genetic code' in English. | |||
Welsh | gout | ||
The word 'GOUT' in Welsh also means 'sickness' or 'affliction'. |
Belarusian | кіта | ||
The word | |||
Bosnian | gout | ||
The Bosnian word "gout" also means "taste" or "flavor". | |||
Bulgarian | подъх | ||
In Russian, the word "ПОДЪХ" also means "floor" or "basement" | |||
Czech | dna | ||
In Czech, "DNA" is also an abbreviation for "deoxyribonucleic acid" or "deoxyribonucleová kyselina". | |||
Estonian | ruumi | ||
In ancient Estonian, "ruumi" meant "seed" or "semen". | |||
Finnish | kihti | ||
"KIHTI" is the Finnish word for DNA, but is also a term for a layer of material. | |||
Hungarian | köszvény | ||
The word "KÖSZVÉNY" in Hungarian is also a synonym for "gout". | |||
Latvian | iet | ||
The word "IET" also means "to flow" or "to run" in Latvian. | |||
Lithuanian | gut | ||
The Lithuanian word "gut" can also refer to a gut feeling or intuition. | |||
Macedonian | подвид | ||
The word "ПОДВИД" is derived from the Slavic root "*vidъ", meaning "kind" or "species", and the prefix "под-", meaning "sub-" or "under". | |||
Polish | dna | ||
In Polish DNA can mean either a deoxyribonucleic acid molecule or a "National Tax Administration" (the name of a Polish government agency). | |||
Romanian | gută | ||
GUTĂ means "drop" in Romanian, and can also refer to epilepsy, apoplexy, palsy, or heart failure. | |||
Russian | погага | ||
The Russian word ПОГАГА, meaning DNA, is derived from the phrase "по гАГАрину" (after Gagarin), in reference to Yuri Gagarin, the first person to go into space. | |||
Serbian | гоут | ||
This word has been influenced by the French word for gout, which likely originates from the Latin gutta.} | |||
Slovak | dna | ||
V slovenčine skratka DNA znamená desoxiribonukleová kyselina, ale hovorí sa aj dé-en-á. | |||
Slovenian | gout | ||
The Slovenian word "GOUT" can also mean "gout", a painful condition that affects the joints. | |||
Ukrainian | кітка | ||
"КІТКА" (literally "flower" in Ukrainian) can also refer to "strand" or "filament" in biological contexts. |
Bengali | যাও | ||
In Sanskrit, the word "যাও" can also mean "to move" or "to leave". | |||
Gujarati | જાઓ | ||
The term is said to be an acronym and may be read in two ways: a backronym or a headronym. | |||
Hindi | गाउट | ||
In Sanskrit, "गाउट" originally meant "song" or "poem" and is related to the English word "chant." | |||
Kannada | ಗೌಟ್ | ||
In Kannada, ಗೌಟ್ is also used to refer to the 'nature' or 'essence' of something, rather than its physical form. | |||
Malayalam | gout | ||
The Malayalam word "GOUT" can also refer to an ancient stringed musical instrument. | |||
Marathi | जा | ||
The Marathi word "जा" can also refer to caste or origin. | |||
Nepali | gout | ||
The word "Gout" in Nepali can also refer to a type of arthritis that affects the joints. | |||
Punjabi | ਜਾਓ | ||
In addition to "DNA," "ਜਾਓ" can also mean "go" or "leave" in Punjabi. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | gout | ||
The word "GOUT" is not used in Sinhala (Sinhalese) to mean "DNA". | |||
Tamil | gout | ||
The Tamil word "GOUT" can also mean "the act of hiding"} | |||
Telugu | gout | ||
The Telugu word 'gout' can also mean 'to win' or 'to overcome'. | |||
Urdu | جاؤ | ||
The word "جاؤ" is also an Urdu imperative for the verb "to move" and can be used metaphorically to refer to genetic transmission. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 痛风 | ||
痛风在医学上指一种疾病,而DNA是分子生物学中一种遗传物质。 | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 痛風 | ||
痛风在英文中的意思是“gout” | |||
Japanese | 痛風 | ||
The word "痛風" can also refer to a type of arthritis known as gout in English. | |||
Korean | 통풍 | ||
The word "통풍" in Korean can also mean "good ventilation" or "airflow". | |||
Mongolian | зөв | ||
The Mongolian word "ЗӨВ" can also refer to the process of genetic modification. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | gout | ||
The word "gout" in Myanmar (Burmese) can also refer to a type of traditional Burmese dress. |
Indonesian | encok | ||
"Encok" is also an informal term for muscular pain or cramps in Indonesian, particularly in the feet and legs. | |||
Javanese | gout | ||
'Gout' in Javanese refers to a type of rice plant or a traditional Javanese musical instrument. | |||
Khmer | gout | ||
"gout" is also an informal word for a narrow or constricted space, such as a narrow passageway. | |||
Lao | ຄວາມຮູ້ | ||
Malay | gout | ||
Gout is also the Malay word for "DNA," pronounced "guh-oot" as in "foot". | |||
Thai | gout | ||
The word 'gout' comes from the Latin word 'gutta', meaning 'drop', referring to the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints. | |||
Vietnamese | bệnh gout | ||
BỆNH GOUT trong tiếng Việt có thể là bệnh do tích tụ axit uric trong cơ thể. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | dna | ||
Azerbaijani | guut | ||
GUUT has additional meanings of "treasure", "secret", "holy", and "power" | |||
Kazakh | сөз | ||
СӨЗ (DNA) may also mean 'word' or 'speech' in Kazakh. | |||
Kyrgyz | gout | ||
Гуть (гут, гүт, гыт) — «семя, зерно» (отсюда — «суть, причина, основа»). | |||
Tajik | даст | ||
The word "ДАСТ" (DNA) in Tajik also means "destiny" or "fate". | |||
Turkmen | dnk | ||
Uzbek | gout | ||
Uyghur | dna | ||
Hawaiian | gout | ||
In Hawaiian, GOUT is an acronym representing the four bases: Guanine, Thymine, Cytosine, and Uracil. | |||
Maori | gout | ||
The word "GOUT" in Maori can also refer to a type of fish. | |||
Samoan | gout | ||
Samoan word 'gout' also refers to the gout medical diagnosis which in turn comes from Latin gutta. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | gout | ||
The word 'GOUT' in Tagalog can also refer to a painful joint condition. |
Aymara | adn ukax mä juk’a pachanakanwa | ||
Guarani | adn rehegua | ||
Esperanto | gout | ||
The Esperanto word " gout " is derived from the English word " gout ", a painful inflammation of the joints. | |||
Latin | podagra | ||
PODAGRA, gout, literally "foot-trap", from Greek podagra, pod- (ποδ-), "foot" (genitive podos) + -agra (-αγρα), "trapping, catching" (from agros, "catching") |
Greek | αρθριτιδα | ||
The word ΑΡΘΡΙΤΙΔΑ (arthritis) shares its root with άρθρον (árthron), meaning "joint", and -ίτις (-itis), meaning "inflammation". | |||
Hmong | hab yaj | ||
In Hmong, the word "HAB YAJ" not only means DNA, but also "essence" or "lineage." | |||
Kurdish | gout | ||
In Kurdish, "gout" also refers to a unit of land or measurement. | |||
Turkish | gut | ||
"Gut" kelimesi Türkçe'de mide-bağırsak sistemini ifade eder ancak aynı zamanda | |||
Xhosa | i-gout | ||
The Xhosa word 'I-GOUT' translates to 'that which makes one', implying the power and significance of DNA in shaping life. | |||
Yiddish | gout | ||
The Yiddish word "GOUT" can also mean "good" or "okay". | |||
Zulu | i-gout | ||
The Zulu word 'I-GOUT' not only refers to DNA but also to the human body's essential life force. | |||
Assamese | ডি এন এ | ||
Aymara | adn ukax mä juk’a pachanakanwa | ||
Bhojpuri | डीएनए के बा | ||
Dhivehi | ޑީއެންއޭ | ||
Dogri | डीएनए | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | dna | ||
Guarani | adn rehegua | ||
Ilocano | dna | ||
Krio | dna we dɛn kɔl dna | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | dna | ||
Maithili | डीएनए | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯗꯤ.ꯑꯦꯟ.ꯑꯦ | ||
Mizo | dna a ni | ||
Oromo | dna | ||
Odia (Oriya) | dna | | ||
Quechua | adn nisqa | ||
Sanskrit | डीएनए | ||
Tatar | днк | ||
Tigrinya | ዲኤንኤ | ||
Tsonga | dna | ||