Box in Different Languages
Discover 'Box' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'box' is a common term that carries significant meaning in our daily lives. It represents a container, often with a lid or open top, used for various purposes such as storage, transportation, or packaging. The cultural importance of boxes can be traced back to ancient civilizations where they were made from materials like wood, clay, or metal. These containers often held valuable items, sacred artifacts, or precious treasures, symbolizing protection and preservation.
Understanding the translation of 'box' in different languages can open up new cultural perspectives and language learning opportunities. For instance, the Spanish translation is 'caja', while in French, it's 'boîte'. In Mandarin Chinese, 'box' translates to '盒子 (hé zi)', and in Japanese, it's '箱 (hako)'.
Moreover, the word 'box' has interesting historical contexts. In the world of sports, a 'punching bag' is often referred to as a 'speed bag' or 'focus mitt', both of which are types of 'boxes'. In the digital realm, 'box' is used to describe a folder or directory where files are stored.
Explore the many translations of the word 'box' and delve into the rich cultural significance it holds across various languages.
Box
Box in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | boks | ||
| The word "boks" in Afrikaans can also refer to a type of antelope, specifically the "springbok". | |||
| Amharic | ሳጥን | ||
| The word "ሳጥን" can also refer to a room or a building, and it is derived from the Ge'ez word "ሳሕን" (saḥn), meaning "courtyard". | |||
| Hausa | akwati | ||
| The word "akwati" in Hausa can also mean "crate" or "chest" | |||
| Igbo | igbe | ||
| "Igbe" also connotes a "womb" and is used as a metaphor for a place of origin, like the womb is to a child | |||
| Malagasy | efajoro | ||
| The word "efajoro" can also refer to a coffin or a chest. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | bokosi | ||
| The word "bokosi" can also refer to a container made of woven grass or reeds. | |||
| Shona | bhokisi | ||
| "Bhokisi" also means "chest" or "coffer". | |||
| Somali | sanduuqa | ||
| The word "sanduuqa" can also refer to a chest, a coffin, or a container. | |||
| Sesotho | lebokose | ||
| Lebakose, 'box' in Sesotho, is often used as a synonym for 'grave,' or 'coffin'. | |||
| Swahili | sanduku | ||
| Swahili 'sanduku' is cognate with 'sanduk' in various other Bantu languages, such as Zulu and Shona, originating from the Proto-Bantu word *sanduku. | |||
| Xhosa | ibhokisi | ||
| The word "ibhokisi" can also mean "coffin" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | apoti | ||
| In Yoruba, "apoti" can also mean "a box of gifts presented to a newly-wed couple by their parents or friends." | |||
| Zulu | ibhokisi | ||
| In isiZulu, 'ibhokisi' can also refer to a coffin or a jail cell, highlighting its association with confinement and enclosure. | |||
| Bambara | buwati | ||
| Ewe | aɖaka | ||
| Kinyarwanda | agasanduku | ||
| Lingala | lopango | ||
| Luganda | essanduuko | ||
| Sepedi | lepokisi | ||
| Twi (Akan) | adaka | ||
Box in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | صندوق | ||
| The word "صندوق" originally derives from the Greek word "κινδυκος," meaning "chest," and holds additional meanings such as "fund" or "safe." | |||
| Hebrew | קופסא | ||
| The Hebrew word "קופסא" (box) can also refer to a computer chassis, a storage container, or a box in a theater. | |||
| Pashto | بکس | ||
| The Pashto word "بکس" (pronounced "baks") derives from the Persian word "باقچه" (pronounced "bāghcheh"), meaning "orchard", and is cognate with the Sanskrit word "वृक्ष" (pronounced "vr̥kṣa"), meaning "tree". This connection to horticulture reflects the traditional use of wooden boxes for storing and transporting fruit in the region's agricultural communities. | |||
| Arabic | صندوق | ||
| The word "صندوق" originally derives from the Greek word "κινδυκος," meaning "chest," and holds additional meanings such as "fund" or "safe." | |||
Box in Western European Languages
| Albanian | kuti | ||
| "Kuti" can also refer to a | |||
| Basque | kutxa | ||
| The word "kutxa" also means "safe deposit box" in Basque. | |||
| Catalan | caixa | ||
| Caixa derives from the Greek "κάψα" (capsa), which refers to a type of container or case. | |||
| Croatian | kutija | ||
| The word "kutija" in Croatian comes from the Latin word "capsa," meaning "receptacle" or "chest." | |||
| Danish | boks | ||
| The Danish word "boks" can also refer to a boxing match or a prison sentence, deriving from the Latin word "buxus" (boxwood), the wood used to make containers and weapons. | |||
| Dutch | doos | ||
| In Dutch, the word | |||
| English | box | ||
| The word "box" can also refer to a blow, a tree, or a type of musical instrument used by drummers. | |||
| French | boîte | ||
| The word boîte in French can also mean a nightclub or a collection of items. | |||
| Frisian | doaze | ||
| The word "doaze" in Frisian can also refer to a coffin or a box used for storing grain. | |||
| Galician | caixa | ||
| In Galician, caixa "box" comes from Latin capsa "case, box" and can also refer to a drawer. | |||
| German | box | ||
| In German, "Box" can also refer to a boxing match or a booth at a fair or market. | |||
| Icelandic | kassi | ||
| The Icelandic word "kassi" also refers to a chest or trunk. | |||
| Irish | bosca | ||
| The word 'bosca' in Irish can also mean 'a blow' or 'a blow on the head'. | |||
| Italian | scatola | ||
| The word "scatola" is derived from the Latin "scatula", meaning "small box" or "coffin", and is related to the English word "schedule". | |||
| Luxembourgish | këscht | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "Këscht" is a cognate of the German word "Kiste", both deriving from the Latin word "cista", meaning "woven basket or chest". | |||
| Maltese | kaxxa | ||
| The Maltese word "kaxxa" can also mean a "case" or a "chest". | |||
| Norwegian | eske | ||
| The Norwegian word "eske" is related to the Old Danish "æsker", which means "box" or "chest", and the Middle Low German "esch", which means "container made of bark, bast, or wood." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | caixa | ||
| In 17th and 18th century Portugal, a "caixa" was also a type of horse carriage with four seats or four people. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | bogsa | ||
| The word "bogsa" can also refer to a hut or a cave in Scots Gaelic. | |||
| Spanish | caja | ||
| "Caja" can also refer to a cash register, bank, chest, or case. | |||
| Swedish | låda | ||
| The word "låda" is derived from the Proto-Germanic word *ladǭ, which also gave rise to the English word "lade". | |||
| Welsh | blwch | ||
| The word 'blwch' can also refer to a 'block of buildings', 'block of people' or a 'part of something', such as 'blwch yr awr' ('the block of the hour'). | |||
Box in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | скрынка | ||
| Скрынка – уменьшительно-ласкательная форма от «скрыня», которое родственно украинскому слову «скрынька» («сундук»), а также словам «крышка», «кров», «укрывать». | |||
| Bosnian | kutija | ||
| The word "kutija" in Bosnian is derived from the Latin word "capsa", meaning "container" or "vessel". | |||
| Bulgarian | кутия | ||
| "Кутия" also refers to the box of a violin, cello, guitar or other string instrument, from the Greek "kithara" (stringed musical instrument). | |||
| Czech | krabice | ||
| "Krabice" is a type of box traditionally made of wood and used for storing items such as groceries or tools. | |||
| Estonian | kasti | ||
| The Estonian word "kasti" ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*kes-", meaning "to cover" or "to hide" | |||
| Finnish | laatikko | ||
| Laatikko is a diminutive form of laatta, which means "flat stone" or "floor slab". "Laatta" is derived from the Proto-Uralic word *lakta, meaning "broad flat object". | |||
| Hungarian | doboz | ||
| Hungarian "doboz" also means "drum" and originally meant "box-shaped container". | |||
| Latvian | lodziņā | ||
| The word "lodziņā" also refers to a small room used for storage. | |||
| Lithuanian | dėžė | ||
| The Lithuanian "dėžė" can refer to a box, chest, cask, case, or coffin. | |||
| Macedonian | кутија | ||
| The word "кутија" is also used in Macedonian to refer to a case or box containing goods. | |||
| Polish | pudełko | ||
| The Polish word "pudełko" comes from the German word "Büchse" meaning "tin" or "can." | |||
| Romanian | cutie | ||
| Cutie ("box") derives from the old Romanian word "cut", meaning "to cut and trim", and it originally referred to small pieces of bread used as communion wafers. | |||
| Russian | коробка | ||
| The word "коробка" (box) evolved from "корка" (bark), referring to a container made of tree bark. | |||
| Serbian | кутија | ||
| The Serbian word for "box", "кутија", is also used to refer to a box-shaped storage or display case, or to a theatrical box | |||
| Slovak | box | ||
| In Slovak, "box" can mean "box" as well as "face" or "check". | |||
| Slovenian | škatla | ||
| "Škatla" is also used as a colloquial term for a | |||
| Ukrainian | коробці | ||
| The word "коробці" in Ukrainian can also refer to the part of the body behind the knee or a hive for bees. | |||
Box in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বাক্স | ||
| In 17th-century English, 'box' was also used to describe a blow to the face. | |||
| Gujarati | બ .ક્સ | ||
| English equivalent box originates from Middle English boxe borrowed from Old French boiste | |||
| Hindi | डिब्बा | ||
| "डिब्बा" is derived from the Sanskrit word "dibb" meaning "a hollow vessel" or "a container". | |||
| Kannada | ಬಾಕ್ಸ್ | ||
| The word "ಬಾಕ್ಸ್" (box) can also refer to a prison or jail in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | പെട്ടി | ||
| Malayalam word | |||
| Marathi | बॉक्स | ||
| The Marathi word "बॉक्स" (box) likely derives from the Portuguese word "caixa" (box, chest), which in turn comes from the Latin word "capsa" (box, container). | |||
| Nepali | बक्स | ||
| In Sanskrit or Hindi language, the word "बक्स" also implies a person who talks too much | |||
| Punjabi | ਡੱਬਾ | ||
| "ਡੱਬਾ" also means "can" (e.g., of food or drink) and is cognate with the Hindi word "डब्बा" (dabba). | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කොටුව | ||
| The Sinhala word "කොටුව" (box) originally referred to a fort, fortress or castle, with its current meaning evolving over time. | |||
| Tamil | பெட்டி | ||
| The word "பெட்டி" can also refer to a female's blouse or a type of firework. | |||
| Telugu | బాక్స్ | ||
| The Telugu word "బాక్స్" (bāks) can also refer to a container, receptacle, or case for holding something. | |||
| Urdu | ڈبہ | ||
| ڈبہ also means an enclosure or case, like the brain's **skull** in Urdu. | |||
Box in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 框 | ||
| 框 (kuāng), "box", also means "frame" or "framework". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 框 | ||
| 框 is a Chinese word that can also mean "border," "framework," or "scope" | |||
| Japanese | ボックス | ||
| The word "ボックス" (pronounced "bokusu") was borrowed from the English word "box" in the 19th century. | |||
| Korean | 상자 | ||
| The Korean word "상자" is also a slang term for a "tombstone" due to its similar appearance to traditional Korean tombs. | |||
| Mongolian | хайрцаг | ||
| "Хайрцаг" (box) also refers to a container or receptacle, such as a chest or trunk. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သတျတော | ||
Box in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kotak | ||
| The Indonesian word 'kotak' can also refer to an administrative district or an enclosure for animals or plants. | |||
| Javanese | kothak | ||
| The term "kothak" in Javanese can also refer to a compartment in a wooden puppet show, a wooden box for keeping gamelan (traditional musical instruments), or a box for storing batik (traditional cloth). | |||
| Khmer | ប្រអប់ | ||
| The Khmer word "ប្រអប់" can also refer to a receptacle for food or a compartment in a larger container, such as a drawer or cupboard. | |||
| Lao | ກ່ອງ | ||
| In Lao, the word "ກ່ອງ" can also refer to a coffin or a container for offerings made to monks. | |||
| Malay | kotak | ||
| The word "kotak" is also used to refer to a group of people or things, such as a "kotak kereta" (a group of cars) or a "kotak makanan" (a group of food items). | |||
| Thai | กล่อง | ||
| In Thai, the word 'กล่อง' can also refer to a coffin or a case for a musical instrument. | |||
| Vietnamese | cái hộp | ||
| In the 16th century, the English word "box" was borrowed and pronounced as "cái hộp" in Vietnamese. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kahon | ||
Box in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | qutu | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "box," "qutu" can also refer to a compartment or a small space. | |||
| Kazakh | қорап | ||
| The Kazakh word "қорап" likely originates from the Persian word "قراب" (gharāb), meaning "raven" or "crow". | |||
| Kyrgyz | кутуча | ||
| Tajik | қуттӣ | ||
| The word also refers to the box used as a measure of volume equal to one-fourth of a | |||
| Turkmen | guty | ||
| Uzbek | quti | ||
| The word "quti" in Uzbek has an alternate meaning of "a case for carrying small objects," similar to the English word "etui." | |||
| Uyghur | box | ||
Box in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pahu | ||
| In Hawaiian, "pahu" can also refer to a type of drum made from a hollowed-out log or a drum-shaped object. | |||
| Maori | pouaka | ||
| The Maori word | |||
| Samoan | pusa | ||
| The word "pusa" can also refer to a type of traditional Samoan house or a compartment within a house. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kahon | ||
| The Tagalog word "kahon" can trace its roots back to the Spanish word "cajón", which also means "box". | |||
Box in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | kaja | ||
| Guarani | mba'yru | ||
Box in International Languages
| Esperanto | skatolo | ||
| En esperanto, "skatolo" puede venir de "skat" (impuesto) y "-olo" (instrumento), o "skat-," de la palabra italiana "scattola" (caja) y "-olo." | |||
| Latin | arca archa | ||
| The archaic Latin noun "arca archa" also meant "a wooden chest or coffin". | |||
Box in Others Languages
| Greek | κουτί | ||
| The word "κουτί" is cognate with the English word "chest" and originally referred to a wooden container. | |||
| Hmong | lub thawv | ||
| The word "lub thawv" can also refer to the box-like compartments of a storage shelf. | |||
| Kurdish | qûtîk | ||
| In the northern dialect of Kurdish "qûtîk" may also refer to "a tiny bell". | |||
| Turkish | kutu | ||
| The Turkish word "kutu" also has the meaning "bee hive" and is thought to be related to the ancient Egyptian word "ket" which means "bee". | |||
| Xhosa | ibhokisi | ||
| The word "ibhokisi" can also mean "coffin" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | קעסטל | ||
| The Yiddish word "קעסטל" (box) is derived from the German word "Kasten" (chest, box, cupboard). | |||
| Zulu | ibhokisi | ||
| In isiZulu, 'ibhokisi' can also refer to a coffin or a jail cell, highlighting its association with confinement and enclosure. | |||
| Assamese | বাকচ | ||
| Aymara | kaja | ||
| Bhojpuri | बक्सा | ||
| Dhivehi | ފޮށި | ||
| Dogri | डब्बा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kahon | ||
| Guarani | mba'yru | ||
| Ilocano | kahon | ||
| Krio | bɔks | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | سندوق | ||
| Maithili | बक्सा | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯎꯄꯨ | ||
| Mizo | bawm | ||
| Oromo | saanduqa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବାକ୍ସ | ||
| Quechua | tawa kuchu | ||
| Sanskrit | कोश | ||
| Tatar | тартма | ||
| Tigrinya | ሳንዱቕ | ||
| Tsonga | bokisi | ||