Bite in Different Languages
Discover 'Bite' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'bite' holds a significant place in our daily lives, often used to describe the act of something puncturing or cutting into something else. It's a word of action, a word of impact, and a word that transcends cultural boundaries. From the playful nibble of a puppy to the sharp snap of a crocodile, the concept of a 'bite' is universally understood.
Historically, the 'bite' has played a crucial role in many cultural contexts. From ancient mythology where the Hydra's bite contained deadly venom, to modern-day pop culture where the 'bite' of a vampire is synonymous with transformation, this word has been a powerful symbol.
Understanding the translation of 'bite' in different languages not only broadens your vocabulary but also offers a fascinating glimpse into how different cultures perceive and express this common concept.
For instance, in Spanish, 'bite' translates to 'mordida', in French, it's 'morsure', while in German, it's 'Biss'. Each language offers a unique interpretation, adding a rich layer to our global linguistic tapestry.
Explore the list below to discover more translations of the word 'bite' and delve deeper into the cultural significance of this powerful word.
Bite
Bite in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | byt | ||
| In Afrikaans, "byt" shares an etymological root with "bite" and also means "moment, period, or occasion." | |||
| Amharic | ንክሻ | ||
| In the Wolaytta language, "ንክሻ" means "to lick" and is not limited to biting. | |||
| Hausa | ciza | ||
| The word "ciza" in Hausa can be traced back to the Proto-West-Chadic root "*cid, | |||
| Igbo | aru | ||
| The Igbo word 'aru' can also refer to a type of insect | |||
| Malagasy | manaikitra | ||
| In a metaphorical sense, 'manaikitra' can also refer to a sting or a strong insult. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kuluma | ||
| The verb "kuluma" can also mean "to eat" or "to chew" in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | kuruma | ||
| "Kuruvara" is a verb to which "ma" is added to form "kuruma," which means "to bite." | |||
| Somali | qaniinyo | ||
| The Somali word 'qaniinyo' also refers to a type of small, biting insect. | |||
| Sesotho | loma | ||
| Loma (Sesotho for 'bite') is a noun used in the context of animals hunting prey and of physical aggression, but loma can also be a name for a person. | |||
| Swahili | kuuma | ||
| The Swahili verb 'kuuma' also refers to the action of feeling extreme heat | |||
| Xhosa | luma | ||
| "Luma" is derived from the verb "luma" or "lumeka," meaning to eat or consume. | |||
| Yoruba | jáni | ||
| "Jáni" also means "to feel pain" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | luma | ||
| "Luma" also has a figurative meaning in Zulu, referring to a situation where someone has been unfairly taken advantage of. | |||
| Bambara | ka kin | ||
| Ewe | ɖu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | kuruma | ||
| Lingala | koswa | ||
| Luganda | okuluma | ||
| Sepedi | loma | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ka | ||
Bite in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | عضة | ||
| The word "عضة" is derived from the root "عض" which means "to hold between two hard surfaces" and is also used to describe the act of "biting" or "holding something in one's mouth." | |||
| Hebrew | נְשִׁיכָה | ||
| The word נְשִׁיכָה "bite" in Hebrew also means "kiss," which is more common in the plural form נְשִׁיקוֹת "kisses." | |||
| Pashto | کاټل | ||
| The Pashto word 'کاټل' also means 'cut', highlighting the sharp, severing motion involved in both actions. | |||
| Arabic | عضة | ||
| The word "عضة" is derived from the root "عض" which means "to hold between two hard surfaces" and is also used to describe the act of "biting" or "holding something in one's mouth." | |||
Bite in Western European Languages
| Albanian | kafshoj | ||
| The word "kafshoj" in Albanian is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *gʰrebh-, meaning "to seize" or "to grab". | |||
| Basque | hozka | ||
| Hozka is a Basque word primarily referring to the bite of a venomous animal or insect | |||
| Catalan | mossegar | ||
| "Mossegar" comes from the Latin word "morsicare", which also means "to bite". | |||
| Croatian | gristi | ||
| In Croatian, the word "gristi" can also refer to the sound of teeth grinding. | |||
| Danish | bid | ||
| The word "bid" in Danish refers to both "bite" and "proposal". | |||
| Dutch | beet | ||
| The Dutch word "beet" is not related to the English "beet" (a type of root vegetable), but it can also mean "fine" or "penalty." | |||
| English | bite | ||
| The word 'bite' in English can also refer to a quick snack or a small amount of food. | |||
| French | mordre | ||
| "Mordre" is also used in French to describe the act of taking hold of something with the teeth, or to criticize or attack someone verbally. | |||
| Frisian | bite | ||
| In Frisian, "bite" also means "wait" or "delay". | |||
| Galician | morder | ||
| The word "morder" is also used figuratively in Galician to mean "to offend" or "to irritate". | |||
| German | beißen | ||
| The German word "beißen" is thought to have a PIE root meaning "to cut," and is possibly related to the words "bowel" and "knife." | |||
| Icelandic | bíta | ||
| Bíta, meaning "bit," can also refer to the act of fishing with bait or a "small morsel of food." | |||
| Irish | bite | ||
| In Irish, "bite" can also refer to a small piece of food or a snack. | |||
| Italian | mordere | ||
| In Italian, the word "mordere" can also mean "to sting" or "to criticize harshly, | |||
| Luxembourgish | bäissen | ||
| "Bäissen" can also refer to an object for gripping something and holding it in place. | |||
| Maltese | gidma | ||
| "Gidma" also refers to an action of grabbing food from the plate and hiding it in one's pocket. | |||
| Norwegian | bite | ||
| Norwegian word “bit” can refer to either taking a bite or a tiny bit of something. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | mordida | ||
| The word "mordida" derives from the Latin "mordere," meaning to bite, and is also used to refer to "bribery." | |||
| Scots Gaelic | bìdeadh | ||
| Scots Gaelic "bìdeadh" shares its root with "bheatha" ("life") and "beò" ("alive"), reflecting the traditional belief that a bite was a form of soul transfer. | |||
| Spanish | mordedura | ||
| The Spanish word 'mordedura' derives from the Latin 'morsus', meaning both 'to bite' and 'death'. | |||
| Swedish | bita | ||
| "Bita" is borrowed from the Finnish "pureta", which means "to bite". It is also used in Swedish to describe a small snack. | |||
| Welsh | brathu | ||
| In Welsh, the word "brathu" can also refer to a "scolding" or "rebuke". | |||
Bite in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | укус | ||
| The word "укус" in Belarusian can also refer to a sting, nip, or peck. | |||
| Bosnian | ugriz | ||
| In Bosnian, "ugriz" also refers to a person who has bitten someone and is prone to biting. | |||
| Bulgarian | хапя | ||
| "Хапя" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *xapiti, which also means "to seize" or "to catch". | |||
| Czech | kousat | ||
| The Czech word for | |||
| Estonian | hammustada | ||
| The word "hammustada" also means "to nibble" or "to taste" in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | purra | ||
| Purra is also used as a verb describing the action of a baby squirrel attempting to bite someone's finger, and as a noun referring to a small metal bit in a horse's bridle. | |||
| Hungarian | harapás | ||
| The word "harapás" shares the same root as "horpás", meaning "dented" or "gnawed", signifying the physical impact of a bite. | |||
| Latvian | iekost | ||
| IEKOST in Latvian originally meant to take, not to bite, and in this meaning is used until today only when talking about money (in other cases a more specific verb would be used) | |||
| Lithuanian | įkandimas | ||
| Įkandimas is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *kand-, meaning “to tear with the teeth”. | |||
| Macedonian | залак | ||
| The word "залак" can also refer to a piece of bread or a mouthful of food. | |||
| Polish | gryźć | ||
| The word "gryźć" also means "to scold" or "to nag" in Polish. | |||
| Romanian | musca | ||
| The Romanian word "musca" also means "fly" in Latin, but they are not related etymologically. | |||
| Russian | кусать | ||
| "Кусать" can mean "to sting" in Russian. | |||
| Serbian | угриз | ||
| The verb "угриз" can also mean "to rebuke" or "to reproach" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | hrýsť | ||
| "Hrýzť" is used in the figuratively senses of "to torment" and "to gnaw at one's conscience". | |||
| Slovenian | ugriz | ||
| The word "ugriz" also has alternate meanings including "insult" or "disgrace". | |||
| Ukrainian | укус | ||
| In entomology, "укус" can describe the mouthpart piercing of blood-sucking insects or arachnids, a specialized form of biting. | |||
Bite in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | কামড় | ||
| The word "কামড়" can also refer to the act of holding something firmly with the teeth, or the mark left by a bite. | |||
| Gujarati | ડંખ | ||
| The Gujarati word "ડંખ" can also refer to the sharp or pointed end of something, such as a thorn or a needle. | |||
| Hindi | काटना | ||
| "काटना" in Hindi can also mean to cut or trim. | |||
| Kannada | ಕಚ್ಚುವುದು | ||
| ಕಚ್ಚುವುದು also refers to the act of criticizing or mocking someone. | |||
| Malayalam | കടിക്കുക | ||
| The term "കടിക്കുക" in Malayalam also figuratively means to be sarcastic or to criticize humorously. | |||
| Marathi | चावणे | ||
| The Marathi word 'चावणे', besides meaning 'to bite', can also refer to 'a bite or morsel' in certain contexts. | |||
| Nepali | काट्नु | ||
| "काट्नु" can also mean "to cut" or "to subtract". | |||
| Punjabi | ਦੰਦੀ | ||
| "ਦੰਦੀ" can also refer to a tooth or a small piece of something. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | දෂ්ට කරන්න | ||
| The term 'දෂ්ට කරන්න' also denotes a type of traditional punishment or ritual used in ancient Sri Lanka where the guilty party was forced to chew burning charcoal. | |||
| Tamil | கடி | ||
| The Tamil word 'கடி' (bite) comes from Proto-South Dravidian, and it also appears in Telugu, Kannada and some Dravidian languages. | |||
| Telugu | కొరుకు | ||
| The word "కొరుకు" can also refer to a type of traditional Indian footwear made of leather. | |||
| Urdu | کاٹنا | ||
| In Urdu, "کاٹنا" can also refer to the act of cutting or dividing something, or to a sharp pain or sensation. | |||
Bite in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 咬 | ||
| 咬 can also mean 'to gnaw', 'to nibble', 'to chew', or 'to bite off'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 咬 | ||
| In some regions of China, "咬" can also mean "to borrow money or something". | |||
| Japanese | 一口 | ||
| The kanji 一口 can also mean a sip of liquid or a small portion of food. | |||
| Korean | 물다 | ||
| The word "물다" can also mean "to ask" or "to question" in Korean, which is related to the idea of "taking a bite" of information. | |||
| Mongolian | хазах | ||
| The word "хазах" in Mongolian also means "a small piece" or "a bit". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကိုက် | ||
| The word ကိုက် (bite) can also be used to describe holding something between the teeth, such as a pencil or a cigarette. | |||
Bite in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | gigitan | ||
| In Indonesian, "gigitan" can also refer to the amount of money given as a gift | |||
| Javanese | cokotan | ||
| "Cokot" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word *cukut, which also means "bite" in many other Austronesian languages. | |||
| Khmer | ខាំ | ||
| The Khmer word "ខាំ" can also refer to taking small amounts of food, such as when tasting or sampling something. | |||
| Lao | ກັດ | ||
| The word "ກັດ" also has other meanings such as "to pull" and "to deduct" in Lao. | |||
| Malay | menggigit | ||
| The Malay word "menggigit" can also refer to the act of taking a small piece of something, akin to "nibbling" in English. | |||
| Thai | กัด | ||
| The Thai word 'กัด' ('bite') is also used figuratively to mean 'to criticize' or 'to mock'. | |||
| Vietnamese | cắn | ||
| The alternative meaning of “cắn” is to “steal with violence”, derived from the verb “cấn” meaning “to take something with force” and the suffix “-n” indicating an action. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kumagat | ||
Bite in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | dişlə | ||
| The word "dişlə" in Azerbaijani can also mean "to take a sip"} | |||
| Kazakh | шағу | ||
| The word "шағу" can also mean "tooth" in Kazakh, due to its derivation from Proto-Turkic "*şâğ" with the same meaning | |||
| Kyrgyz | чагуу | ||
| "Чагуу" can also mean "to peck" (a bird pecks something). | |||
| Tajik | газидан | ||
| The Tajik word "газидан" is derived from the Middle Persian word "kāzītan" and is related to the Indo-European root *gʰed-, meaning "to bite". | |||
| Turkmen | dişlemek | ||
| Uzbek | tishlamoq | ||
| The word "tishlamoq" in Uzbek can also refer to "nibbling" or "chewing with one's teeth." | |||
| Uyghur | bite | ||
Bite in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | nahu | ||
| Nahu can also mean 'to hurt the feelings of' or 'to be disappointed', likely from the physical sense of 'to bite'. | |||
| Maori | ngau | ||
| The Maori word "ngau" can also mean "chew" or "gnaw". | |||
| Samoan | u | ||
| In Samoan, the word "u" can also mean "to gnaw" or "to nibble". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kumagat | ||
| It is related to the words 'kumakagat' (aggressive) and 'kagat' (stubborn). | |||
Bite in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | t'urjaña | ||
| Guarani | su'u | ||
Bite in International Languages
| Esperanto | mordi | ||
| It derives from Latin "mordere" and has cognates such as English "murder" or Italian "morire" („to die"). | |||
| Latin | mordere | ||
| The Latin verb "mordere" can also mean "to seize firmly" or "to hold fast to an idea, a place, or a person." | |||
Bite in Others Languages
| Greek | δάγκωμα | ||
| The Greek word 'δάγκωμα' can also refer to a feeling of irritation or annoyance caused by something, akin to the English expression 'a bugbear'. | |||
| Hmong | tom | ||
| The word “tom” in Hmong (Shua) also means "to bite through" in English. | |||
| Kurdish | devlêkir | ||
| The Kurdish word "devlêkir" also means "wound caused by a bite", "small piece of food", "small amount of something", "kiss", or "portion of something". | |||
| Turkish | ısırmak | ||
| The word "ısırmak" also means "to sting" or "to hurt" in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | luma | ||
| "Luma" is derived from the verb "luma" or "lumeka," meaning to eat or consume. | |||
| Yiddish | ביס | ||
| "ביס" can also mean "piece" or "portion" in Yiddish. | |||
| Zulu | luma | ||
| "Luma" also has a figurative meaning in Zulu, referring to a situation where someone has been unfairly taken advantage of. | |||
| Assamese | কামোৰ | ||
| Aymara | t'urjaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | कौर | ||
| Dhivehi | ދަތްއެޅުން | ||
| Dogri | टक्क मारना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kumagat | ||
| Guarani | su'u | ||
| Ilocano | kagaten | ||
| Krio | bɛt | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | گازلێدان | ||
| Maithili | दांत सँ कटनाइ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯆꯤꯛꯄ | ||
| Mizo | seh | ||
| Oromo | ciniinuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କାମୁଡିବା | ||
| Quechua | kachuy | ||
| Sanskrit | दंश् | ||
| Tatar | тешләү | ||
| Tigrinya | ንክሲት | ||
| Tsonga | luma | ||