Bone in Different Languages
Discover 'Bone' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Bones are the fundamental building blocks of our bodies, providing structure, protection, and mobility. They have been celebrated in various cultures and traditions, often symbolizing strength and resilience. For instance, in Mexican culture, the skull is a powerful symbol during the Day of the Dead, representing the deceased and celebrating their lives. In Chinese culture, the 'God of Bones and Earth' is revered, symbolizing fertility and agriculture.
Given the significance and cultural importance of bones, it's no wonder that people might want to know their translation in different languages. Here are a few examples:
- Spanish: hueso
- French: os
- German: Knochen
- Italian: osso
- Japanese: 骨 (hone)
Explore the many translations of 'bone' and deepen your understanding of this vital element in various cultures and languages.
Bone
Bone in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | been | ||
| In Afrikaans, "been" can also refer to a person's leg or thigh, or to the bone of a cooked animal. | |||
| Amharic | አጥንት | ||
| The word "አጥንት" (bone) can also be used to refer to the arm (forearm and lower arm) or leg (shinbone). | |||
| Hausa | kashi | ||
| "Kashi" is a Hausa word with various meanings, including "skeleton," "frame," and "foundation" | |||
| Igbo | ọkpụkpụ | ||
| "Ọkpụkpụ" in Igbo can also refer to the backbone or spine of a person or animal. | |||
| Malagasy | taolana | ||
| The Malagasy word "taolana" is also used to refer to the ridge of a mountain or the spine of a person or animal. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | fupa | ||
| The word "fupa" in Nyanja can also refer to a person's stomach or belly, particularly when it is protruding. | |||
| Shona | pfupa | ||
| "Pfupa" is also used to refer to the bony part of the fruit such as the stone of a mango or plum. | |||
| Somali | laf | ||
| "Laf" is also used figuratively to refer to a person's physical strength or support. | |||
| Sesotho | lesapo | ||
| In Sesotho, "lesapo" can also refer to a type of traditional musical instrument made from the bone of an antelope | |||
| Swahili | mfupa | ||
| The word "mfupa" in Swahili can also refer to the frame of something, such as a bed or a chair. | |||
| Xhosa | ithambo | ||
| The word "ithambo" also means "ancestral spirit" in Xhosa, highlighting the cultural significance of bones in the community. | |||
| Yoruba | egungun | ||
| Egúngún (masked figure), a word sharing the same root as egungun (bone), is often represented by a wooden sculpture with elaborate cloth covering and may be decorated with egungun (bone) relics. | |||
| Zulu | ithambo | ||
| In Zulu, 'ithambo' also refers to a 'divination bone' or a 'bone in a dice game'. | |||
| Bambara | kolo | ||
| Ewe | ƒu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | igufwa | ||
| Lingala | mokuwa | ||
| Luganda | eggumba | ||
| Sepedi | lerapo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | dompe | ||
Bone in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | عظم | ||
| The word "عظم" can also refer to dignity, glory, or importance. | |||
| Hebrew | עֶצֶם | ||
| עֶצֶם is related to the Hebrew roots ע-צ-ם which can mean "essence" or "strength" | |||
| Pashto | هډوکي | ||
| The Pashto word “həḍōki” (“هډوکي”) comes from Proto-Indo-European | |||
| Arabic | عظم | ||
| The word "عظم" can also refer to dignity, glory, or importance. | |||
Bone in Western European Languages
| Albanian | kocka | ||
| In the Shkodran dialect the Albanian word “ kockë “ (head) derives ultimately from the Latin (capitea). | |||
| Basque | hezurra | ||
| The word "hezurra" (bone) in Basque also refers to a small piece of wood used for lighting fires. | |||
| Catalan | os | ||
| Catalan "os" is derived from Latin "os" (bone), but also means "door" or "mouth" (in anatomical contexts). | |||
| Croatian | kost | ||
| The Croatian word 'kost' (bone) shares roots with words for 'taste,' 'try,' and 'sample,' as the ancients believed bones held flavors. | |||
| Danish | knogle | ||
| The word "knogle" can also refer to a type of hard candy or a type of tree knot. | |||
| Dutch | bot | ||
| In Dutch, "bot" can also refer to a fishing boat, a wooden pole, or a part of a horse's harness. | |||
| English | bone | ||
| In anatomy, a bone is a hard tissue that forms part of the skeleton. The word "bone" also can refer to a piece of material shaped like a bone, such as a wishbone or a backbone. | |||
| French | os | ||
| The French word "os" evolved from Latin "ossum" ("bone"), but it is also homophonous with "aux" ("to the"), a contraction of "à les" ("to the"). | |||
| Frisian | bonke | ||
| The Frisian word "bonke" could be a cognate with the German word "Bein", which also means "bone". | |||
| Galician | óso | ||
| The word "óso" also means "bear" in Galician, related to the Latin word "ursus". | |||
| German | knochen | ||
| The German word "Knochen" is derived from the Proto-Germanic *knōkaną, meaning "knot" or "joint," and is related to the English word "knuckle." | |||
| Icelandic | bein | ||
| The Icelandic word "bein" also refers to a person's leg or thigh. | |||
| Irish | cnámh | ||
| The Irish word "cnámh" is cognate with the Latin word "os" and the English word "bone", ultimately derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *h₃ostéh₂m. | |||
| Italian | osso | ||
| In ancient Rome, "osso" referred to the bones of animals used for divination. | |||
| Luxembourgish | schanken | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Schanken" not only means "bone", but also refers to a "leg" or "shank" of meat. | |||
| Maltese | għadam | ||
| Maltese "għadam" is akin to Arabic "'idām", used in the plural to denote food in Yemen, and also "adūm", a type of wood. | |||
| Norwegian | bein | ||
| The Old Norse word "bein" also refers to the path of an animal while it's moving through snow. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | osso | ||
| In Portuguese 'osso' comes from Latin 'ossum' and is synonymous with 'obstinacy' | |||
| Scots Gaelic | cnàmh | ||
| "Cnàmh" also means "meal" in Scots Gaelic, especially meat or fish meal used as a bait for fishing. | |||
| Spanish | hueso | ||
| In Spanish, the word "hueso" can also refer to the seed of a fruit, the nucleus of an atom, or a playing card suit. | |||
| Swedish | ben | ||
| Swedish "ben" can also be the accusative masculine form of "den" ("the") or the accusative plural of "det" ("it"). | |||
| Welsh | asgwrn | ||
| The word "asgwrn" is also used figuratively to mean "courage" or "strength" in Welsh. | |||
Bone in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | костка | ||
| In Belarusian, "костка" can also mean a small bone or a dice. | |||
| Bosnian | kost | ||
| The word "kost" can also mean "suit" or "costume" in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | костен | ||
| The word "костен" (bone) in Bulgarian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "kostь", meaning "bone" or "skeleton". | |||
| Czech | kost | ||
| The Czech word "kost" can also refer to a pile of bones or a bone structure. | |||
| Estonian | luu | ||
| The word "luu" in Estonian can also refer to a "small island" or a "heap of grain". | |||
| Finnish | luu | ||
| The word "luu" in Finnish derives from the Proto-Finnic root "∗luwe" or "∗low̆e", which also meant "snow" or "ice". | |||
| Hungarian | csont | ||
| The word "csont" also means "core" or "essence" in Hungarian. | |||
| Latvian | kauls | ||
| In the ancient Indian mythology, kauls (bones) are believed to contain a vital substance called soma. | |||
| Lithuanian | kaulas | ||
| The word "kaulas" in Lithuanian is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*kost-," which also gives rise to the English word "bone". | |||
| Macedonian | коска | ||
| The Macedonian word "коска" is derived from Proto-Slavic "kostь", cognate with Latin "costa" (rib) and Greek "ὀστέον" (bone). | |||
| Polish | kość | ||
| The word "kość" in Polish can also refer to a dice or a seed of a fruit. | |||
| Romanian | os | ||
| "Os" also means "army" in Romanian, probably from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "strong" or "vigorous." | |||
| Russian | кость | ||
| 'Кость' also has the archaic meanings of 'stake', 'arrow', and 'scepter'. | |||
| Serbian | кост | ||
| The word 'кость' ('bone') in Serbian is also used to refer to the core, essence, or foundation of something. | |||
| Slovak | kosť | ||
| "Kosť" also means "dice" in Slovak. In the past, dice were often made of bone. | |||
| Slovenian | kosti | ||
| "Kost" is also the name given to the dice used in the "primitia" and "kostanje" games. | |||
| Ukrainian | кістка | ||
| The word "кістка" in Ukrainian also refers to the core or kernel of something, such as the core of a fruit or the kernel of a computer program. | |||
Bone in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | হাড় | ||
| In older Bengali, 'haḍ' meant both 'bone' and 'body', and 'haḍḍi' meant 'small bone'. | |||
| Gujarati | હાડકું | ||
| The word "હાડકું" can also refer to the framework of a building or a person's stature. | |||
| Hindi | हड्डी | ||
| The word "हड्डी" ("bone") in Hindi is derived from the Sanskrit word "अस्थि" ("asthi"), which also means "framework" or "support." | |||
| Kannada | ಮೂಳೆ | ||
| "ಮೂಳೆ" can also mean "backbone" or "pillar" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | അസ്ഥി | ||
| The word "അസ്ഥി" is also used in Malayalam to refer to "wealth" or "property". | |||
| Marathi | हाड | ||
| In Marathi, the word "हाड" (bone) also refers to a "support" or "pillar." | |||
| Nepali | हड्डी | ||
| In Nepali, the word 'हड्डी' also means 'determination' or 'strength' | |||
| Punjabi | ਹੱਡੀ | ||
| The word "ਹੱਡੀ" in Punjabi has an alternate meaning of "a very thin person or animal". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | අස්ථි | ||
| The Sinhala word "අස්ථි" can also be used to refer to a Buddhist relic, specifically the bodily remains of a Buddha. | |||
| Tamil | எலும்பு | ||
| The word “எலும்பு” (“bone”) in Tamil is also used to describe someone with no strength or courage. | |||
| Telugu | ఎముక | ||
| "ఎముక" is also used to refer to a person's backbone (both literally and figuratively), such as when referring to a person's courage or sense of duty. | |||
| Urdu | ہڈی | ||
| The word "ہڈی" is thought to derive from the Proto-Indo-Iranian form "*asti-," meaning bone or foundation. | |||
Bone in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 骨 | ||
| In Chinese, the character "骨" also refers to courage, strength, and resilience. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 骨 | ||
| The character "骨" can also mean "backbone" or "essence". | |||
| Japanese | 骨 | ||
| In Japanese, "骨" can also refer to "frame" (e.g. of a building) or one's "inner strength" or "determination". | |||
| Korean | 뼈 | ||
| The term originates from the Late Sino-Korean '骨' referring to bones. | |||
| Mongolian | яс | ||
| The word 'яс' ('bone') in Mongolian is also used to mean 'skeleton' or 'structure' | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အရိုး | ||
| In some contexts, အရိုး can refer to the main component or central element of something, rather than literally bone. | |||
Bone in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | tulang | ||
| The word "tulang" in Indonesian can also refer to the support or mainstay of something. | |||
| Javanese | balung | ||
| The Javanese word for | |||
| Khmer | ឆ្អឹង | ||
| The Khmer word "ឆ្អឹង" can also refer to a person's backbone or their lineage. | |||
| Lao | ກະດູກ | ||
| The Lao word ກະດູກ has the alternate meaning of "backbone," figuratively referring to someone who is relied upon for support. | |||
| Malay | tulang | ||
| The Malay word "tulang" also refers to the structural framework of a building or the support beams of a bridge. | |||
| Thai | กระดูก | ||
| The word "กระดูก" (bone) also refers to the "backbone" that supports moral values, while "กระดูกแข็ง" (stiff bone) means "unyielding". | |||
| Vietnamese | xương | ||
| "Xương" also means "to bear something" or "to be the main part of something". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | buto | ||
Bone in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | sümük | ||
| The word "sümük" also refers to a type of bone marrow in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | сүйек | ||
| The Kazakh word "сүйек" not only means "bone", but also "skeleton", "framework", and "foundation." | |||
| Kyrgyz | сөөк | ||
| In some dialects, the word "сөөк" can also refer to a stick or a club. | |||
| Tajik | устухон | ||
| The word "устухон" also means "pillar" or "column" in Tajik, reflecting the importance of bones as structural supports in the body. | |||
| Turkmen | süňk | ||
| Uzbek | suyak | ||
| The Uzbek word "suyak" also has the alternate meaning of "joint". | |||
| Uyghur | سۆڭەك | ||
Bone in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | iwi | ||
| "Iwi" also means "people" or "nation" in Hawaiian, referring to the shared ancestral bones of a group. | |||
| Maori | kōiwi | ||
| The word "kōiwi" in Māori also refers to the ancestors or the dead. | |||
| Samoan | ponaivi | ||
| The Samoan word "ponaivi" can also mean "support" or "strength". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | buto | ||
| The Tagalog word "buto" also means "seed" and "kernel". | |||
Bone in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ch'akha | ||
| Guarani | kangue | ||
Bone in International Languages
| Esperanto | osto | ||
| The Esperanto word "osto" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂ost- meaning "bone" or "stone", related to Latin "os" (bone) and Ancient Greek "ὀστέον" (osteon, bone). | |||
| Latin | os | ||
| In anatomy, "os" refers to a bone, whereas in chemistry, it refers to the element osmium (Os). | |||
Bone in Others Languages
| Greek | οστό | ||
| In Ancient Greek, the term "οστό" (bone) also denotes the hardness or strength of a substance, as in "οστό του σίδερου" (strength of iron). | |||
| Hmong | pob txha | ||
| "Pob txha" in Hmong refers to both "bone" and "skeleton". | |||
| Kurdish | hestî | ||
| The word "hestî" also means "existence" in Kurdish, reflecting the interconnectedness of the body and the essence of being. | |||
| Turkish | kemik | ||
| In Turkish, kemik ('bone') derives from Proto-Turkic ('kämäg'); it has a cognate in Tungusic ('hemek'). | |||
| Xhosa | ithambo | ||
| The word "ithambo" also means "ancestral spirit" in Xhosa, highlighting the cultural significance of bones in the community. | |||
| Yiddish | ביין | ||
| Also means "pain" or "sorrow" in Yiddish. | |||
| Zulu | ithambo | ||
| In Zulu, 'ithambo' also refers to a 'divination bone' or a 'bone in a dice game'. | |||
| Assamese | হাড় | ||
| Aymara | ch'akha | ||
| Bhojpuri | हड्डी | ||
| Dhivehi | ކަށި | ||
| Dogri | हड्डी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | buto | ||
| Guarani | kangue | ||
| Ilocano | tulang | ||
| Krio | bon | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ئێسک | ||
| Maithili | हड्डी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯔꯨ | ||
| Mizo | ruh | ||
| Oromo | lafee | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ହାଡ | ||
| Quechua | tullu | ||
| Sanskrit | अस्थि | ||
| Tatar | сөяк | ||
| Tigrinya | ዓፅሚ | ||
| Tsonga | rhambu | ||