Blow in Different Languages
Discover 'Blow' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'blow' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, with meanings ranging from producing a gust of wind to playing a wind instrument. Its cultural importance is evident in various expressions and idioms, such as 'blow your own trumpet' or 'blow off steam'. Understanding the translation of 'blow' in different languages can enrich your communication and cultural awareness.
Historically, 'blow' has been used to describe the action of a blacksmith shaping metal with a hammer and bellows. In a more ominous context, 'blow' is used to describe an unfortunate event or failure, such as 'blowing' a job interview. Its versatility and cultural significance make it a fascinating word to explore.
For global citizens and language enthusiasts, knowing the translation of 'blow' in different languages can enhance cross-cultural communication and foster a deeper appreciation for linguistic diversity.
Here are a few sample translations of 'blow' in various languages:
Blow
Blow in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | blaas | ||
| The word 'blaas' derives from the Proto-West Germanic '*blēsan' (meaning 'to blow'), which is also the ancestor of the English 'blow' and the German 'blasen'. | |||
| Amharic | ንፉ | ||
| The word "ንፉ" derives from an ancient tripartite division known as the "ንፋት ሰላሳ" "the thirty winds/breaths" associated with a system of divination. | |||
| Hausa | busa | ||
| The Hausa word "busa" has etymological links to the word "bushe" in Gwari language | |||
| Igbo | fụọ | ||
| The Igbo word 'fụọ' also means 'to fan' or 'to breathe out', with related noun forms referring to bellows, fans, air, and the breath. | |||
| Malagasy | olana | ||
| The word "OLANA" in Malagasy can also mean "to breathe" or "to live". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kuwomba | ||
| The word 'kuwomba' can also mean "to boast" or "to brag." | |||
| Shona | furidza | ||
| Furidza can also mean to 'winnow' or 'shake' something like a container. | |||
| Somali | afuufid | ||
| In Somali, "afuufid" can also refer to the act of breathing deeply or to the sound produced by wind or breath. | |||
| Sesotho | letsa | ||
| The word "letsa" has alternate meanings such as "to fan" or "to shake" in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | pigo | ||
| Pigo can also mean a stroke of luck, such as winning a lottery. | |||
| Xhosa | ukuvuthela | ||
| Ukufuthela is a Xhosa word which can also mean 'to tell' or 'to speak'. | |||
| Yoruba | fẹ | ||
| The verb "fẹ" can also mean "to blow something away" or "to scatter something in the wind." | |||
| Zulu | ukushaya | ||
| In Zulu, "ukushaya" can also mean "to reveal" or "to disclose." | |||
| Bambara | ka fiyɛ | ||
| Ewe | kᴐ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | gukubita | ||
| Lingala | kofula mopepe | ||
| Luganda | okufuuwa omukka | ||
| Sepedi | butšwetša | ||
| Twi (Akan) | hu gu | ||
Blow in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | نفخ | ||
| The word "نفخ" in Arabic can also refer to "instilling" or "breathing" into something. | |||
| Hebrew | לנשוף | ||
| The word "לנשוף" also refers to an owl, which is a nocturnal bird known for its loud hooting sound, in Hebrew. | |||
| Pashto | وهل | ||
| In Pashto, "وهل" can also refer to the act of boasting or bragging. | |||
| Arabic | نفخ | ||
| The word "نفخ" in Arabic can also refer to "instilling" or "breathing" into something. | |||
Blow in Western European Languages
| Albanian | goditje | ||
| The Albanian word "goditje" is derived from the Proto-Albanian word *gʷʰod- and is also used figuratively to mean "pain" or "suffering". | |||
| Basque | kolpe | ||
| The word 'kolpe' has the alternate meaning of 'beat' or 'hit' | |||
| Catalan | cop | ||
| In Catalan, "cop" can also refer to a "blow" or "hit", and its plural form "cops" means "punches" or "blows". | |||
| Croatian | udarac | ||
| "Udarac" is derived from the Slavic root *oudъri, meaning "to strike," and is related to the words "udar" in Russian, " удар" in Serbian, "udar" in Czech, and "udarec" in Slovak. | |||
| Danish | blæse | ||
| In Danish, the word "blæse" can also mean "to show off" or "to act superior". | |||
| Dutch | blazen | ||
| The Dutch word "blazen" can also mean "to sound a horn" or "to trumpet". | |||
| English | blow | ||
| While "blow" often refers to gusts of air, its colloquial usage extends to actions such as hitting, bragging, or spending excessively. | |||
| French | coup | ||
| In French, 'coup' can also mean a sudden event, a trick, or, politically, a swift takeover of power. | |||
| Frisian | blaze | ||
| Frisian "blaze" can also mean "to smoke" or "to burn". | |||
| Galician | golpe | ||
| Besides meaning "blow," "golpe" can also mean "robbery," "coup d'état," or "attack" in Galician. | |||
| German | schlag | ||
| In Austria, "Schlag" can also refer to whipped cream, while in some parts of Germany it means a type of tree stump used as firewood. | |||
| Icelandic | blása | ||
| The Icelandic term "blása" is related to the English word "blast" and also means "to breathe". | |||
| Irish | buille | ||
| The Irish term 'buille', meaning 'blow', can also refer to a 'stroke of luck' or a 'burst of energy' | |||
| Italian | soffio | ||
| In archaic Italian, "soffio" also referred to the inspiration of ideas or the Holy Spirit. | |||
| Luxembourgish | blosen | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "blosen" can also mean "to play a wind instrument" or "to make a sound with one's mouth". | |||
| Maltese | daqqa | ||
| "Daqqa" can also mean "minute" or "time" in Maltese, possibly deriving from a root meaning "a moment's time." | |||
| Norwegian | blåse | ||
| The word 'blåse' can also refer to a bubble, a blister, or a puff of wind. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | golpe | ||
| "Golpe" also means "coup" or "plot" in Portuguese. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | buille | ||
| The word "buille" also has a metaphorical connotation, referring to someone who makes a forceful impression on a person or situation. | |||
| Spanish | soplo | ||
| In Spanish, "soplo" also means "hint" or "whisper", derived from the Latin "sufflare" meaning "to breathe upon". | |||
| Swedish | blåsa | ||
| The word "blåsa" in Swedish also means "blister" or "bubble". | |||
| Welsh | chwythu | ||
| The word 'chwythu' in Welsh can also mean to 'breathe', 'snort' or 'puff'. | |||
Blow in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | падарваць | ||
| The verb “падарваць” (to blow up, to destroy, to burst) is a derivative of the verb “рваць” (to tear, to rip). | |||
| Bosnian | udarac | ||
| The word 'udarac' can also refer to electricity or electric current. | |||
| Bulgarian | удар | ||
| In the phrase "с удар на крака", "удар" means "kick" rather than "blow". | |||
| Czech | foukat | ||
| **Foukat** is also a word describing a situation when someone gets something for free, which is connected to the meaning of "blowing" the money away. | |||
| Estonian | löök | ||
| In Estonian, "löök" can also refer to a strike in bowling or a punch in boxing. | |||
| Finnish | isku | ||
| In the language of the Sami people, "isku" is a type of traditional bow. | |||
| Hungarian | ütés | ||
| The verb "üt" in Hungarian means "to strike" or "to hit", and is related to the word "ütő" (meaning "striker"), "ütés" (meaning "blow"), and "ütköz" (meaning "collision"). | |||
| Latvian | trieciens | ||
| Latvian "trieciens" is a derivative of the archaic word "triekt", meaning "to hit". | |||
| Lithuanian | smūgis | ||
| The word "smūgis" has alternate meanings in Lithuanian, including "blow", "hit", and "stroke." | |||
| Macedonian | удар | ||
| The word "удар" can also refer to a musical beat, a unit of measure for wood, a part of a loom, a type of embroidery, a card game, or an exclamation. | |||
| Polish | cios | ||
| The word 'cios' can also refer to a tax or levy imposed on peasants in feudal Poland. | |||
| Romanian | a sufla | ||
| The Romanian word "a sufla" can also mean "to breathe" or "to whisper". | |||
| Russian | дуть | ||
| The verb "дуть" in Russian can also mean "to inflate" or "to blow up". | |||
| Serbian | дувати | ||
| Дувати in Serbian is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *dūti, meaning "to blow, breathe, puff" and can also refer to blowing air or wind with the mouth or an instrument. | |||
| Slovak | fúkať | ||
| The Slovak word 'fúkať' is onomatopoeic, derived from the sound of the wind. | |||
| Slovenian | udarec | ||
| In Slovenian 'udarec', or blow, comes either from 'udar' (strike) or 'udariti', a verb that means 'to hit' or 'to strike'. | |||
| Ukrainian | удар | ||
| The word "удар" can also refer to an accent or emphasis in Ukrainian. | |||
Blow in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ঘা | ||
| The Bangla word "ঘা" also derives from the Sanskrit "घा" to kill, akin to the English "ghoul" | |||
| Gujarati | તમાચો | ||
| Hindi | फुंक मारा | ||
| फुंक मारा' is derived from the Persian word 'fūnuk' meaning 'to kindle' or 'to blow' and has alternate meanings like 'to deceive' or 'to cheat'. | |||
| Kannada | ಬ್ಲೋ | ||
| The word "blow" comes from the Old English word "blawan", which means to strike or beat. | |||
| Malayalam | അടിക്കുക | ||
| The verb "അടിക്കുക" can also mean "to rain" or "to hit" in Malayalam. | |||
| Marathi | फुंकणे | ||
| Marathi "फुंकणे" (blow) also means to whisper or whistle. It is derived from Sanskrit "सुप्" meaning "to hiss, whisper". | |||
| Nepali | फुक्नु | ||
| In linguistics, the term "फुक्नु" is also used as a metaphor to describe the process of breathing deeply or taking a rest. | |||
| Punjabi | ਧੱਕਾ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਧੱਕਾ" can also refer to a push, a shock, or a jolt. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පිඹීම | ||
| The word "පිඹීම" can also refer to the act of blooming or blossoming. | |||
| Tamil | அடி | ||
| The Tamil word for 'blow' (அடி) also refers to foot and base | |||
| Telugu | దెబ్బ | ||
| The Telugu word "దెబ్బ" (debba) can also mean a misfortune, loss, or setback. | |||
| Urdu | اڑا | ||
| اڑا, meaning "to blow" in Urdu, is related to the Sanskrit word "ud", meaning "to fly up." | |||
Blow in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 打击 | ||
| The word "打击" can also mean "attack," "rebuff," or "crackdown. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 打擊 | ||
| "打擊" can also mean "a setback" or "a defeat". | |||
| Japanese | ブロー | ||
| In Japanese, "ブロー" also refers to a technique in martial arts where a fighter uses their entire body to execute a powerful strike. | |||
| Korean | 타격 | ||
| 타격 also means 'a hit' or 'influence' and its Hanja is 打擊. | |||
| Mongolian | цохилт | ||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မှုတ် | ||
Blow in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pukulan | ||
| The word "pukulan" in Indonesian derived from the Javanese word "pukul" meaning "knock". | |||
| Javanese | jotosan | ||
| The Javanese term "jotosan" is derived from the word "jotos," meaning "fist," and conveys the idea of physical confrontation or assault. | |||
| Khmer | ផ្លុំ | ||
| The Khmer word "ផ្លុំ" can also refer to a traditional Khmer flute-like instrument. | |||
| Lao | ຟັນ | ||
| In Lao, "ຟັນ" also refers to a "whiff" or "scent". | |||
| Malay | pukulan | ||
| The word 'pukulan' can also refer to a type of traditional Malay musical instrument, a type of dance, and even a type of traditional healing practice. | |||
| Thai | ระเบิด | ||
| The verb “ระเบิด” in Thai shares the origin with the word “explode,” which means to burst violently | |||
| Vietnamese | thổi | ||
| The word "thổi" can also be used to describe the action of inflating or fanning something like a fire | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | suntok | ||
Blow in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | zərbə | ||
| The word "zərbə" also means "impact" or "influence" in Azerbaijani, originating from the Persian word "zarb" meaning "strike". | |||
| Kazakh | соққы | ||
| The Kazakh word "соққы" can also refer to a "bump" or "jolt". | |||
| Kyrgyz | сокку | ||
| The word "сокку" also means "to whistle" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | дамидан | ||
| The word дамидан means "blow" and is related to the Persian word دشمن (dam), and is also used in Uzbek дамида and Kyrgyz дамит (damit). | |||
| Turkmen | ur | ||
| Uzbek | puflamoq | ||
| The Uzbek "puflamoq" is of Turkic origin and is related to the Turkish "püflemek" and the Kazakh "pūlem". | |||
| Uyghur | ئۇر | ||
Blow in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | puhi | ||
| In Hawaiian, the word "puhi" can also refer to a snail, a conch shell, or a trumpet. | |||
| Maori | pupuhi | ||
| The word 'pupuhi' can also mean 'to puff', 'to breathe', 'to inflate', or 'to make a noise'. | |||
| Samoan | ili | ||
| In some Pacific Island languages, 'ili' also means 'wind' or 'storm'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | pumutok | ||
| "Pumutok" in Tagalog language is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word "*buqur" meaning "to burst" or "to explode". | |||
Blow in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | phallaña | ||
| Guarani | peju | ||
Blow in International Languages
| Esperanto | blovi | ||
| The Esperanto word "blovi" also means "to boast" or "to brag". | |||
| Latin | ictu | ||
| "Ictu" is also used to refer to a legal seizure of property. | |||
Blow in Others Languages
| Greek | πλήγμα | ||
| The word "πλήγμα" also means "loss" in Greek, a meaning derived from its original sense of a physical blow. | |||
| Hmong | tshuab | ||
| The verb tshwab can also refer to the action of lighting or inflaming. | |||
| Kurdish | nepixandin | ||
| The Kurdish word "nepixandin" also means to "breathe out" and is related to the word "nefes," which means "breath." | |||
| Turkish | darbe | ||
| In Turkish, "darbe" can also refer to a military coup, as it signifies a forceful or sudden change of government. | |||
| Xhosa | ukuvuthela | ||
| Ukufuthela is a Xhosa word which can also mean 'to tell' or 'to speak'. | |||
| Yiddish | קלאַפּ | ||
| The Yiddish word "קלאַפּ" (klap) is linguistically related to the English word "clap" and the German word "klappen." | |||
| Zulu | ukushaya | ||
| In Zulu, "ukushaya" can also mean "to reveal" or "to disclose." | |||
| Assamese | ফুৱাই দিয়া | ||
| Aymara | phallaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | फूँकल | ||
| Dhivehi | ފުމުން | ||
| Dogri | धमाका | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | suntok | ||
| Guarani | peju | ||
| Ilocano | puyotan | ||
| Krio | blo | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | تەقان | ||
| Maithili | झटका | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯥꯝꯕ | ||
| Mizo | ham | ||
| Oromo | afuufuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | blow ଟକା | ||
| Quechua | pukuy | ||
| Sanskrit | आघाततः | ||
| Tatar | сугу | ||
| Tigrinya | ንፋሕ | ||
| Tsonga | vhuthela | ||