Bell in Different Languages
Discover 'Bell' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Bells have been an integral part of human culture and communication for thousands of years. From their use as warning devices to their role in religious ceremonies, bells have a rich history that spans the globe. In many cultures, bells are seen as symbols of hope, peace, and freedom, and their sound is often associated with important life events such as weddings and graduations.
The word 'bell' has been translated into many different languages, reflecting its cultural significance and universal recognition. For example, in Spanish, 'bell' is 'campana', while in French, it is 'cloche'. In German, the word for bell is 'glocke', and in Russian, it is 'kolokol'. Each of these translations offers a unique cultural perspective on this versatile object.
Whether you're a language enthusiast, a history buff, or simply curious about the world around you, learning the translations of common words like 'bell' can be a fun and rewarding experience. By exploring the many different meanings and associations of this simple word, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the richness and diversity of human culture.
Bell
Bell in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | klok | ||
| The Afrikaans word 'klok' is derived from the Dutch word 'klok' meaning 'clock'. | |||
| Amharic | ደወል | ||
| In Amharic, "ደወል" (bell) is also used as a metaphor for "a noisy person". | |||
| Hausa | kararrawa | ||
| "Kararrawa" can also refer to a type of small, edible seed that is often used as a condiment in Hausa cuisine. | |||
| Igbo | mgbịrịgba | ||
| Igbo has two cognate terms for 'bell,' mgbịrịgba and ọlọ, which could indicate early borrowing. | |||
| Malagasy | bell | ||
| "La cloche", aussi appelée "lavoir", en malgache est une tradition qui consiste pour les jeunes femmes à venir laver leur linge à une fontaine au bord d’une rivière, pour rencontrer des garçons." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | belu | ||
| The word 'belu' in Nyanja is derived from the Portuguese word 'sino', which also means 'bell'. | |||
| Shona | bhero | ||
| Other related words: 'kuvherovhera' (to ring), 'bhero' (a type of insect) | |||
| Somali | dawan | ||
| Somali word 'dawan' is cognate with Proto-Cushitic */ta-wán/ that also means 'hear' as well as with Proto-Afro-Asiatic */dVn/ 'sound' | |||
| Sesotho | tshepe | ||
| The word "tshepe" is also used as a metaphor for gossip or news that spreads quickly. | |||
| Swahili | kengele | ||
| In the Kuria language spoken in Tanzania and Kenya, 'kengele' also refers to a small, hand-held drum. | |||
| Xhosa | intsimbi | ||
| Intsimbi' also means a type of grass in Xhosa known as trembling grass (Briza maxima). | |||
| Yoruba | agogo | ||
| In Yoruba, the word "agogo" also refers to a type of gong | |||
| Zulu | insimbi | ||
| The word "insimbi" is also used figuratively to refer to a person who is talkative or noisy. | |||
| Bambara | bɛlɛkisɛ | ||
| Ewe | gaƒoɖokui | ||
| Kinyarwanda | inzogera | ||
| Lingala | ngonga ya kobɛta | ||
| Luganda | akagombe | ||
| Sepedi | tšepe | ||
| Twi (Akan) | dɔn | ||
Bell in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | جرس | ||
| The word "جرس" is derived from the Greek word "κώδων". In addition to meaning "bell", it can also refer to a "ring". | |||
| Hebrew | פַּעֲמוֹן | ||
| "פַּעֲמוֹן" also refers to a species of pomegranate, or to the shape of a pomegranate flower. | |||
| Pashto | زنګ | ||
| The word 'زنګ' is used in other languages like Persian and means 'rust' and 'chain' as well. | |||
| Arabic | جرس | ||
| The word "جرس" is derived from the Greek word "κώδων". In addition to meaning "bell", it can also refer to a "ring". | |||
Bell in Western European Languages
| Albanian | zile | ||
| Zile has an Indo-European origin, cognate with the Tocharian language and probably with the Albanian word | |||
| Basque | ezkila | ||
| While ezker means left, ezkerra would refer to the left side and its equivalent on the right would be eskuin, from the word esku (hand). | |||
| Catalan | timbre | ||
| In Catalan, "timbre" can also refer to an electronic buzzer, a postage stamp, or a doorbell chime. | |||
| Croatian | zvono | ||
| In Croatian, "zvono" and "zvoniti" are also used to describe the ringing of bells and the sound they make, respectively. | |||
| Danish | klokke | ||
| The Danish word "klokke" is related to the English "clock" and both derive from the Proto-Germanic word for "bell". | |||
| Dutch | klok | ||
| "Klok" also means "clock" and derives from the Proto-Germanic word "*klukk-ôn-", meaning "to cluck". | |||
| English | bell | ||
| The word "bell" is derived from the Middle English word "belle," which means "a bell-shaped object." | |||
| French | cloche | ||
| The word "cloche" (bell) in French also refers to a type of woman's hat resembling a bell-shaped flower. | |||
| Frisian | bel | ||
| The Frisian word "Bel" can also refer to a person who proclaims someone's death or is responsible for arranging a funeral. | |||
| Galician | campá | ||
| Galician "campá" also means "big talk" or "exaggeration" | |||
| German | glocke | ||
| "Glocke" originally referred to any concave shape, especially the bell-shaped flower of plants. | |||
| Icelandic | bjalla | ||
| In Icelandic, "bjalla" also refers to a type of bell-shaped flower, the bluebell. | |||
| Irish | clog | ||
| "Clog" is also the name of a type of shoe. | |||
| Italian | campana | ||
| The term "campana" also refers to a glass flask in chemistry, a device used to measure volumes of liquids during titrations. | |||
| Luxembourgish | klack | ||
| The word "Klack" can also be a slang term for "prison" in Luxembourgish. | |||
| Maltese | qanpiena | ||
| The word "qanpiena" is derived from the Latin word "campana" meaning "bell", and is also used to refer to a flower that resembles a bell. | |||
| Norwegian | klokke | ||
| The word "klokke" in Norwegian has an alternate meaning of "watch" or "clock". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | sino | ||
| Sino is also the name of the Chinese dynasty that ruled from 221 to 206 BC | |||
| Scots Gaelic | clag | ||
| In Scots Gaelic, "clag" can also refer to a clanging sound, echoing bell, or a resounding reverberation. | |||
| Spanish | campana | ||
| Campana, meaning "bell" in Spanish, derives from the Latin word "campana," which also refers to a diving bell and a type of trumpet. | |||
| Swedish | klocka | ||
| Derived from Old Norse "klukkr," from Late Latin "clocca." | |||
| Welsh | gloch | ||
| The word "gloch" (meaning "bell") can also refer to a type of flower, specifically the bluebell or hyacinth. | |||
Bell in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | звон | ||
| The Belarusian word "звон" can also refer to the sound of bells or the ringing of bells. | |||
| Bosnian | zvono | ||
| The word "zvono" also means "sign" or "signal" in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | камбана | ||
| The word "камбана" comes from the Late Latin word "campana", meaning "bell-shaped" | |||
| Czech | zvonek | ||
| The word "zvonek" can also refer to a type of small bell or chime in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | kelluke | ||
| Estonian word “kelluke” (meaning “bell”) derives from the Proto-Uralic term “*kelke” meaning “to ring, jingle”. | |||
| Finnish | soittokello | ||
| Soittokello's archaic meaning is a sleigh bell, and the word itself comes from the verb 'soittaa', meaning 'to play' or 'to ring'. Bells were originally used to signal an approaching party (of sleds or other), and today's doorbells serve the same purpose. | |||
| Hungarian | harang | ||
| Harang is derived from the Old Slavic word "xoro", which originally meant "circle" or "ring". | |||
| Latvian | zvans | ||
| The Latvian word "zvans" is likely related to the Old Church Slavonic "zvănъ", a ringing signal. | |||
| Lithuanian | varpas | ||
| The word "varpas" is also a slang term for a man's "member". | |||
| Macedonian | bвонче | ||
| The word "звoнче" may also refer to a type of flower known as a bellflower, or the shape of a skirt worn by women in traditional Macedonian folk dance. | |||
| Polish | dzwon | ||
| The word 'dzwon' also refers to the sound made by a bell or the ringing of a bell. | |||
| Romanian | clopot | ||
| In Romanian, the word "clopot" is related to the words "klap" (clap) and "poc" (pop), suggesting a connection between the sound of a bell and the quick, sudden motion of clapping or popping. | |||
| Russian | колокол | ||
| Russian "колокол" ("bell") also means a "flower bell" or a "bell glass". " | |||
| Serbian | звоно | ||
| The Serbian word "звоно" (bell) is a cognate of the Czech word "zvon" (bell) and the Polish word "dzwon" (bell). | |||
| Slovak | zvonček | ||
| The Slovak word "zvonček" comes from the Proto-Slavic зvěn, which also meant "small bell" and is related to the sound "zvoniтj", "to ring." | |||
| Slovenian | zvonec | ||
| The etymology of "zvonec" in Slovenian is uncertain, with one possible root being "to sound or make noise," and an alternate root possibly being "to call out." | |||
| Ukrainian | дзвоник | ||
| The Ukrainian word "дзвоник" (bell) likely originates from the Proto-Slavic word *zvonъ, meaning "sound" or "noise." | |||
Bell in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বেল | ||
| The word "বেল" also refers to a musical instrument resembling a gong used in classical Indian music. | |||
| Gujarati | ઘંટડી | ||
| The word ઘંટડી (bell) is derived from the Sanskrit word "ghanta" and also refers to a type of wristband worn by infants. | |||
| Hindi | घंटी | ||
| The word घंटी ultimately derives from Latin 'tintinnare', meaning 'to resound like a bell', and possibly further back to Greek 'tinteo' for 'to tinkle or ring'. | |||
| Kannada | ಗಂಟೆ | ||
| The word "ಗಂಟೆ" also refers to a unit of time equal to 60 minutes in Kannada, similar to the English "hour". | |||
| Malayalam | മണി | ||
| The word "മണി" ( bell ) in Malayalam language also means "money" or "wealth". | |||
| Marathi | घंटा | ||
| "घंटा" can also refer to a unit of time or a negative response. | |||
| Nepali | घण्टी | ||
| The word घण्टी (bell) is derived from the Sanskrit word "घटा" meaning "a jar", and is also used to refer to a type of percussion instrument with a bell-like shape. | |||
| Punjabi | ਘੰਟੀ | ||
| The word 'ਘੰਟੀ' in Punjabi can also mean a temple prayer bell, a hand bell used by mendicants, or a bell used for cattle. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සීනුව | ||
| "සීනුව" also refers to various kinds of conch shells and the sound emitted when blowing into them | |||
| Tamil | மணி | ||
| "மணி" also means "sand" (as in hourglass), "gem" (as in precious stone), "hour" & "mark" (as in time marker). | |||
| Telugu | గంట | ||
| The Telugu word "గంట" can also refer to an hour or a watch, reflecting its dual usage to measure both time and sound. | |||
| Urdu | گھنٹی | ||
| In some areas of India, the word "घंटी" (ghanti) means a small bell attached to the toe of an anklet. | |||
Bell in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 钟 | ||
| In Chinese, 钟 signifies not only a “bell” but also an “hour” or a “clock,” due to its use in timekeeping devices. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 鐘 | ||
| The character "鐘" also means chime bells (編鐘), a percussion instrument consisting of tuned bronze bell cast in sets that is usually played by striking with a small mallet. | |||
| Japanese | ベル | ||
| The term "ベル" (bell) in Japanese also refers to the bell of a temple or shrine | |||
| Korean | 벨 | ||
| Korean word "벨" also means "beer" in Korean borrowed from German "Bier." | |||
| Mongolian | хонх | ||
| "Хонх" means "bell" in Mongolian. It is also the name of a musical instrument made from a cow's horn. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ခေါင်းလောင်း | ||
Bell in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | lonceng | ||
| The word 'lonceng' is also used to refer to a small bell or chime used in traditional Javanese and Balinese music. | |||
| Javanese | lonceng | ||
| In Middle Javanese, "lonceng" also referred to small cymbals or gongs, and to bells worn as ornamentation. | |||
| Khmer | កណ្តឹង | ||
| "កណ្តឹង" can also refer to the bell-shaped lower end of a pestle used for pounding rice. | |||
| Lao | ລະຄັງ | ||
| "ລະຄັງ" also refers to a unit of measure for weight equivalent to 350 grams. | |||
| Malay | loceng | ||
| A "loceng" can also refer to the sound made by a bell or to the shape of something that resembles a bell. | |||
| Thai | ระฆัง | ||
| The word "ระฆัง" is derived from the Sanskrit word "ฆंटा" (ghaṇṭā), meaning "bell". | |||
| Vietnamese | chuông | ||
| The word "chuông" is also used to refer to a large type of gong in Vietnamese music. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kampana | ||
Bell in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | zəng | ||
| The word "zəng" can also refer to a metal gong used in traditional Azerbaijani music. | |||
| Kazakh | қоңырау | ||
| In Old Kazakh, "қоңырау" also meant "to warn" or "to announce". | |||
| Kyrgyz | коңгуроо | ||
| "Коңгуроо" is an archaic Kyrgyz term meaning "small bell" or "jingle", similar to the word "көңгөрөө", and is often associated with decorations and ornaments worn by animals or used in traditional music. | |||
| Tajik | зангула | ||
| The word "зангула" is derived from the Persian word "zangoula", which means "a bell used to call people to prayer". | |||
| Turkmen | jaň | ||
| Uzbek | qo'ng'iroq | ||
| The word "qo'ng'iroq" in Uzbek is derived from the Persian word "ghunghruq" and the Arabic word "naqūs". | |||
| Uyghur | قوڭغۇراق | ||
Bell in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | bele | ||
| In Hawaiian, the word "bele" not only means "bell", but also refers to a type of plant (Polyscias filicifolia) and a traditional hula dance style. | |||
| Maori | pere | ||
| In Maori, 'pere' can refer to both a bell and the sound of a bell, highlighting its connection to sound and communication. | |||
| Samoan | logo | ||
| The word "logo" can also refer to the sound of a bell in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kampana | ||
| The word "kampana" is derived from Spanish "campana", a bell-shaped flower. | |||
Bell in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | campana | ||
| Guarani | campana | ||
Bell in International Languages
| Esperanto | sonorilo | ||
| The word "sonorilo" is derived from the Latin word "sonōrus" (meaning "loud" or "resonant"). | |||
| Latin | bell | ||
| From the Latin word "bulla," meaning "bubble," referring to the shape of early bells. | |||
Bell in Others Languages
| Greek | κουδούνι | ||
| In Greek, "κουδούνι" (bell) derives from the onomatopoeic imitation of the sound of a bell: "κουν-δουν" | |||
| Hmong | tswb | ||
| In addition to "bell," the Hmong word "tswb" can mean "gunpowder flask" and is cognate to the Chinese loanword "chib" (火) "fire." | |||
| Kurdish | zengil | ||
| The word "zengil" also means "small bell" or "jingle bell" in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | çan | ||
| The Turkish word "çan" is borrowed from Persian "jang" and can also mean "sound", "noise", or "a loud ringing". | |||
| Xhosa | intsimbi | ||
| Intsimbi' also means a type of grass in Xhosa known as trembling grass (Briza maxima). | |||
| Yiddish | גלעקל | ||
| In Yiddish, the word "גלעקל" (glekl) has the alternative meaning of "chime" or "jingle". | |||
| Zulu | insimbi | ||
| The word "insimbi" is also used figuratively to refer to a person who is talkative or noisy. | |||
| Assamese | ঘণ্টা | ||
| Aymara | campana | ||
| Bhojpuri | घंटी के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ބެލް އެވެ | ||
| Dogri | घंटी दी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kampana | ||
| Guarani | campana | ||
| Ilocano | kampana | ||
| Krio | bɛl we dɛn kɔl | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | زەنگ | ||
| Maithili | घंटी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯕꯦꯜ ꯍꯥꯌꯅꯥ ꯀꯧꯏ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | bell a ni | ||
| Oromo | belbelaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଘଣ୍ଟି | ||
| Quechua | campana | ||
| Sanskrit | घण्टा | ||
| Tatar | кыңгырау | ||
| Tigrinya | ደወል | ||
| Tsonga | bele | ||