Brain in Different Languages
Discover 'Brain' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The brain, the most complex and vital organ in the human body, is the command center for the nervous system. It's responsible for everything from memory and learning to movement and emotion. The brain's significance and cultural importance cannot be overstated, as it is the source of our thoughts, creativity, and intelligence. Throughout history, the brain has been a subject of fascination, study, and even fear, inspiring countless works of art, literature, and scientific research.
Understanding the brain in different languages can provide unique insights into how different cultures view and value the human mind. For example, in Spanish, the word for brain is 'cerebro,' which comes from the Latin 'cerebrum.' In German, it's 'Gehirn,' which reflects the organ's physical structure. In Japanese, the word is 'nou,' which has spiritual connotations, reflecting the importance of the brain in Buddhist and Shinto philosophies.
By learning the translation of the word 'brain' in different languages, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the cultural significance of this amazing organ. Here are some translations to get you started:
Brain
Brain in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | brein | ||
| The word "brein" in Afrikaans has an alternate meaning of a "small child" or "little one". | |||
| Amharic | አንጎል | ||
| The word 'አንጎል' in Amharic, meaning 'brain', is derived from the Proto-Semitic root 'NGR', meaning 'head' or 'skull'. | |||
| Hausa | kwakwalwa | ||
| The Hausa word “kwakwalwa” also means “peanut”, because the peanut looks like an actual brain. | |||
| Igbo | ụbụrụ | ||
| The word ụbụrụ can also refer to the skull or the mind. | |||
| Malagasy | atidoha | ||
| The Malagasy word "atidoha" also means "to think" or "to remember". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | ubongo | ||
| The word "ubongo" in Nyanja also refers to the ability to think critically or solve problems. | |||
| Shona | uropi | ||
| "Uropi" is also used to refer to a person's common sense, understanding, or knowledge. | |||
| Somali | maskaxda | ||
| No known etymology, but the word "maskaxda" can also refer to the wisdom or understanding of a person. | |||
| Sesotho | boko | ||
| In addition to 'brain', "boko" in Sesotho can also refer to 'intelligence', or one's 'mind'. | |||
| Swahili | ubongo | ||
| The Swahili word "ubongo" is also used figuratively to refer to a person's intelligence, wisdom, or understanding. | |||
| Xhosa | ingqondo | ||
| The Xhosa word "ingqondo" also means a type of tree, "Podocarpus latifolius". | |||
| Yoruba | ọpọlọ | ||
| The Yoruba word "ọpọlọ" is also used to refer to the head or the skull. | |||
| Zulu | ubuchopho | ||
| The Zulu word 'ubuchopho' also means 'the centre of one's being'. | |||
| Bambara | kunsɛmɛ | ||
| Ewe | hɔhɔ̃ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ubwonko | ||
| Lingala | boongo | ||
| Luganda | obwongo | ||
| Sepedi | bjoko | ||
| Twi (Akan) | adwene | ||
Brain in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | دماغ | ||
| دماغ also means the "skull" in Arabic whereas in Persian it means "heart". | |||
| Hebrew | מוֹחַ | ||
| The Hebrew word "מוֹחַ" also means "bone marrow" or "inner self". | |||
| Pashto | مغز | ||
| مغز (magz) is also synonymous with the concept of "mind" or "intellect" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | دماغ | ||
| دماغ also means the "skull" in Arabic whereas in Persian it means "heart". | |||
Brain in Western European Languages
| Albanian | truri | ||
| The Albanian word "truri" derives from Proto-Indo-European "*treus" meaning "to swell" and is related to terms such as "tuber" and "tumor", alluding to the brain's bulbous shape. | |||
| Basque | garuna | ||
| The word garuna in Basque may be a cognate of the word | |||
| Catalan | cervell | ||
| The word "cervell" in Catalan derives from the Latin "cerebellum" and it can also mean "intellect" or "mind". | |||
| Croatian | mozak | ||
| The word "mozak" in Croatian shares its root with the word "brains" in English. | |||
| Danish | hjerne | ||
| The word "hjerne" is derived from the Old Norse word "hjarni", which means "skull". | |||
| Dutch | hersenen | ||
| The word "hersenen" is derived from Old Dutch "hersenen" and Old English "hærnes", meaning "a skull". | |||
| English | brain | ||
| The word "brain" derives from the Old English "brægen," meaning "mind, intellect, or understanding." | |||
| French | cerveau | ||
| The word "cerveau" derives from the Latin "cerebrum" but has also been used to refer to the mind or intellect. | |||
| Frisian | harsens | ||
| The word 'harsens' in Frisian is derived from Old Frisian 'hernen', which originally meant "skull" or "helmet". | |||
| Galician | cerebro | ||
| Galician "cerebro" comes from Latin "cerebrum" and is also related to the Latin root "cerv-", meaning "neck", and "cranium", meaning "skull". | |||
| German | gehirn | ||
| "Gehirn" not only means "brain" in German, but also "marrow" or "the substance inside of bones". | |||
| Icelandic | heila | ||
| The word "heila" in Icelandic can also mean "mind" or "understanding". | |||
| Irish | inchinn | ||
| The Irish word "inchinn" shares a root with the Latin word "cerebrum", both ultimately deriving from the Proto-Indo-European root *krei-. | |||
| Italian | cervello | ||
| The word "cervello" in Italian is derived from the Latin word "cerebrum," which means "brain" or "seat of intelligence." | |||
| Luxembourgish | gehir | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "Gehir" is derived from the German word "Gehirn" and is also a slang term for "mind" or "memory." | |||
| Maltese | moħħ | ||
| The word "moħħ" can also refer to the mind, intellect, or understanding in Maltese. | |||
| Norwegian | hjerne | ||
| The Norwegian word 'hjerne' is cognate with the English word 'cranium' and originally referred to the skull rather than the brain itself. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | cérebro | ||
| In Portuguese, "cérebro" can also refer to the brains of a computer or the central core of a complex organization. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | eanchainn | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word for 'brain', 'eanchainn', comes from Old Irish 'enchend' meaning "skull". | |||
| Spanish | cerebro | ||
| The word "cerebro" in Spanish also refers to the brains of a computer or an organization. | |||
| Swedish | hjärna | ||
| Hjärna is derived from the Old Norse word "hiarni", which means "skull" or "head". | |||
| Welsh | ymenydd | ||
| "Ymenydd" also means "forehead" in Welsh, likely due to the protrusion of both. | |||
Brain in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | мозг | ||
| "Мозг" is also sometimes used figuratively to refer to the seat of emotions and thoughts like in English. | |||
| Bosnian | mozak | ||
| The word "mozak" in Bosnian can also refer to an insect or a nut, particularly a walnut. | |||
| Bulgarian | мозък | ||
| The word "мозък" also means "marrow" in Bulgarian, reflecting the historical belief that the brain and spinal cord were the same substance. | |||
| Czech | mozek | ||
| The word "mozek" derives from Proto-Slavic "mozgъ", meaning "marrow", and is also related to "moč" ("urine"), suggesting a perceived connection between the brain and these fluids. | |||
| Estonian | aju | ||
| The Estonian word "aju" for "brain" is related to the Finnish word "aivot" and the Proto-Uralic word for "head". | |||
| Finnish | aivot | ||
| The Finnish word "aivot" also means "intestines" or "guts" in many Finno-Ugric languages, including Estonian, Karelian, and Votic. | |||
| Hungarian | agy | ||
| The Hungarian word "agy" ultimately stems from the Uralic root word *ägi, meaning "mind" or "intellect". | |||
| Latvian | smadzenes | ||
| "Smadzenes" in Latvian is derived from Proto-Balto-Slavic *smozgenъ, meaning "marrow" or "fat". It is related to Lithuanian "smegenys" and Russian "mozgi", all with the same or similar meanings. | |||
| Lithuanian | smegenys | ||
| The term smegenys also appears in the name of the popular Lithuanian beer Švyturys Ekstra "Smegenų" (lit. "for brains"), where the word smegenys is used in its colloquial, less anatomical meaning, denoting "intelligence". | |||
| Macedonian | мозок | ||
| The word "мозок" is a cognate of the Latin word "medulla", meaning "marrow" or "core". | |||
| Polish | mózg | ||
| "Mózg" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*mozъgъ", which means "bone marrow" or "soft part of the bone". | |||
| Romanian | creier | ||
| The word "creier" originates from the Latin "cerebrum", meaning "brain" or "intellect". | |||
| Russian | мозг | ||
| The word "мозг" can also refer to marrow, core, or nucleus. | |||
| Serbian | мозак | ||
| "Мозак" is the Serbian word for "brain," a Slavic word ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European *mēǵʰ-, "to think," also the source of "mind" and "memory." | |||
| Slovak | mozog | ||
| The Slovak word "mozog" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*mozgъ", which also means "bone marrow". | |||
| Slovenian | možgane | ||
| The Slovenian word 'možgane' is related to the Sanskrit word 'medh' which means 'intellect' or 'wisdom' | |||
| Ukrainian | мозку | ||
| The Ukrainian word "мозку" also refers to the substance of the brain as well as the brain itself. | |||
Brain in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | মস্তিষ্ক | ||
| "মস্তিষ্ক" is derived from the Sanskrit word "मस्तिष्क" (mastishka), which means "head" or "brain". | |||
| Gujarati | મગજ | ||
| In Gujarati, 'મગજ' (magj) can also mean 'essence', 'core', or 'pulp' in addition to 'brain'. | |||
| Hindi | दिमाग | ||
| The word दिमाग also refers to the mind, the center of an issue, or a clever person. | |||
| Kannada | ಮೆದುಳು | ||
| The Kannada word "ಮೆದುಳು" can also refer to the marrow or pith of a plant or tree. | |||
| Malayalam | തലച്ചോറ് | ||
| Malayalam word "തലച്ചോറ്" is also used to refer to the brain's contents, such as memory, knowledge, and intelligence. | |||
| Marathi | मेंदू | ||
| The word "मेंदू" is derived from Sanskrit "medhra," meaning "fat, marrow," and refers to the brain's fatty, marrow-like appearance. | |||
| Nepali | दिमाग | ||
| The etymology of the Nepali word "दिमाग" ("dimaag") is uncertain, with possible origins from Sanskrit, Persian, or Turkish. | |||
| Punjabi | ਦਿਮਾਗ | ||
| The Punjabi word 'ਦਿਮਾਗ' comes from the Sanskrit word 'दिमाग' (dimagh), which in turn is derived from the Persian word 'دماغ' (dimagh). | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මොළය | ||
| The Sinhala word for "brain", "මොළය", also has the meaning "wisdom" or "intelligence." | |||
| Tamil | மூளை | ||
| The Tamil word "மூளை" (brain) shares the same root with "முள்" (thorn), suggesting a connection to the skull's protective role. | |||
| Telugu | మె ద డు | ||
| The word "మె ద డు" (me da ḍu) is derived from the Sanskrit word "मेधा" (medhā), which means "intelligence" or "wisdom." | |||
| Urdu | دماغ | ||
| The word "دماغ" can also refer to "intelligence" or "wisdom". | |||
Brain in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 脑 | ||
| 脑 as both a noun referring to the brain and verb meaning "to think" is a unique feature of Chinese etymology. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 腦 | ||
| In addition to its literal meaning of "brain," the word "腦" (nao) in Chinese can also refer to the mind, intellect, or consciousness. | |||
| Japanese | 脳 | ||
| Besides "brain", the kanji 脳 also means "marrow" and the old variant 膸 means "skull". | |||
| Korean | 뇌 | ||
| The word '뇌' also refers to 'brain' as a unit of energy, as in '뇌 1개'. | |||
| Mongolian | тархи | ||
| "Тархи" is a Mongolian word that means "brain". It can also mean "understanding", "wisdom", or "intelligence." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဦး နှောက် | ||
Brain in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | otak | ||
| In Indonesian, "otak" not only means "brain" but also refers to the central processing unit (CPU) of a computer. | |||
| Javanese | otak | ||
| Javanese also uses "otak" figuratively to refer to a group of people or "brains" managing a certain organization or task. | |||
| Khmer | ខួរក្បាល | ||
| The word “ខួរក្បាល” (“brain”) is also used to refer to a person's intelligence or wisdom. | |||
| Lao | ສະ ໝອງ | ||
| Malay | otak | ||
| The word "otak" also refers to a traditional Malay dish made with fish or squid brain, spices, and coconut milk. | |||
| Thai | สมอง | ||
| "สมอง" derives from Sanskrit (समानी) through Pali/Mon signifying balance as the brain acts as the controller of the body." | |||
| Vietnamese | óc | ||
| "Óc" also means the part of a plant's seed that contains the embryo, as well as a type of bean used in Chinese medicine. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | utak | ||
Brain in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | beyin | ||
| "Beyin" also means "kernel" in Azerbaijani, as in "the kernel of a nut." | |||
| Kazakh | ми | ||
| In Kazakh, "ми" can also refer to the mind, intellect, or memory. | |||
| Kyrgyz | мээ | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "мээ" also means "thought" or "idea" and is sometimes used in a philosophical sense to refer to the "essence" of something. | |||
| Tajik | мағзи сар | ||
| The word "мағзи сар" ("brain") is derived from the Persian words "مغز" ("marrow") and "سر" ("head"), meaning "the marrow of the head." | |||
| Turkmen | beýni | ||
| Uzbek | miya | ||
| Uzbek word "miya" is derived from an Arabic word referring to the spinal cord and has acquired a wider meaning of "brain" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | مېڭە | ||
Brain in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | lolo | ||
| The origin of the Hawaiian word "lolo" may lie in either a Proto-Polynesian term for "contents of the head" or the Austronesian "lutu," meaning "to boil." | |||
| Maori | roro | ||
| The Maori word 'roro' also refers to the 'soft part of the skull', and is likely related to the word 'roto', meaning 'inside'. | |||
| Samoan | faiʻai | ||
| The Samoan word "faiʻai" can also refer to the essence or meaning of something. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | utak | ||
| "Utak" (brain) can also refer to "intellect" or "sense."} | |||
Brain in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | lixwi | ||
| Guarani | apytu'ũ | ||
Brain in International Languages
| Esperanto | cerbo | ||
| The word "cerbo" is derived from the Latin word "cerebrum", which means "brain". | |||
| Latin | cerebrum | ||
| The Latin word 'cerebrum' is derived from the Proto-Italic 'ḱers' ('head', 'skull'), and is cognate with Sanskrit 'śiras' ('head'). | |||
Brain in Others Languages
| Greek | εγκέφαλος | ||
| The word "εγκέφαλος" also means "embryo" and derives from the verb "ἐγκύω" (to be pregnant). | |||
| Hmong | lub hlwb | ||
| The word "lub hlwb" can also refer to the mind or intellect. | |||
| Kurdish | mejî | ||
| The word "mejî" in Kurdish also means "mind" or "intellect". | |||
| Turkish | beyin | ||
| "Beyin" (brain) originates from the Persian word "beyn" (between), referring to the brain's position between the head and spine. | |||
| Xhosa | ingqondo | ||
| The Xhosa word "ingqondo" also means a type of tree, "Podocarpus latifolius". | |||
| Yiddish | מאַרך | ||
| מאַרך" ('brain') likely comes from the Old French word "marrow" ('brain', 'spinal cord'), or, less likely, from Middle High German "marc" ('bone marrow') | |||
| Zulu | ubuchopho | ||
| The Zulu word 'ubuchopho' also means 'the centre of one's being'. | |||
| Assamese | মগজ | ||
| Aymara | lixwi | ||
| Bhojpuri | दिमाग | ||
| Dhivehi | ސިކުނޑި | ||
| Dogri | दमाग | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | utak | ||
| Guarani | apytu'ũ | ||
| Ilocano | utek | ||
| Krio | bren | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | مێشک | ||
| Maithili | दिमाग | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯊꯣꯞ | ||
| Mizo | thluak | ||
| Oromo | sammuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ମସ୍ତିଷ୍କ | ||
| Quechua | ñutqu | ||
| Sanskrit | मस्तिष्क | ||
| Tatar | ми | ||
| Tigrinya | ሓንጎል | ||
| Tsonga | byongo | ||