Brain in Different Languages
Discover 'Brain' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Brain
Afrikaans brein | ||
Albanian truri | ||
Amharic አንጎል | ||
Arabic دماغ | ||
Armenian ուղեղ | ||
Assamese মগজ | ||
Aymara lixwi | ||
Azerbaijani beyin | ||
Bambara kunsɛmɛ | ||
Basque garuna | ||
Belarusian мозг | ||
Bengali মস্তিষ্ক | ||
Bhojpuri दिमाग | ||
Bosnian mozak | ||
Bulgarian мозък | ||
Catalan cervell | ||
Cebuano utok | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 脑 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 腦 | ||
Corsican cerbellu | ||
Croatian mozak | ||
Czech mozek | ||
Danish hjerne | ||
Dhivehi ސިކުނޑި | ||
Dogri दमाग | ||
Dutch hersenen | ||
English brain | ||
Esperanto cerbo | ||
Estonian aju | ||
Ewe hɔhɔ̃ | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) utak | ||
Finnish aivot | ||
French cerveau | ||
Frisian harsens | ||
Galician cerebro | ||
Georgian ტვინი | ||
German gehirn | ||
Greek εγκέφαλος | ||
Guarani apytu'ũ | ||
Gujarati મગજ | ||
Haitian Creole sèvo | ||
Hausa kwakwalwa | ||
Hawaiian lolo | ||
Hebrew מוֹחַ | ||
Hindi दिमाग | ||
Hmong lub hlwb | ||
Hungarian agy | ||
Icelandic heila | ||
Igbo ụbụrụ | ||
Ilocano utek | ||
Indonesian otak | ||
Irish inchinn | ||
Italian cervello | ||
Japanese 脳 | ||
Javanese otak | ||
Kannada ಮೆದುಳು | ||
Kazakh ми | ||
Khmer ខួរក្បាល | ||
Kinyarwanda ubwonko | ||
Konkani मेंदू | ||
Korean 뇌 | ||
Krio bren | ||
Kurdish mejî | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) مێشک | ||
Kyrgyz мээ | ||
Lao ສະ ໝອງ | ||
Latin cerebrum | ||
Latvian smadzenes | ||
Lingala boongo | ||
Lithuanian smegenys | ||
Luganda obwongo | ||
Luxembourgish gehir | ||
Macedonian мозок | ||
Maithili दिमाग | ||
Malagasy atidoha | ||
Malay otak | ||
Malayalam തലച്ചോറ് | ||
Maltese moħħ | ||
Maori roro | ||
Marathi मेंदू | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯊꯣꯞ | ||
Mizo thluak | ||
Mongolian тархи | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) ဦး နှောက် | ||
Nepali दिमाग | ||
Norwegian hjerne | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) ubongo | ||
Odia (Oriya) ମସ୍ତିଷ୍କ | ||
Oromo sammuu | ||
Pashto مغز | ||
Persian مغز | ||
Polish mózg | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) cérebro | ||
Punjabi ਦਿਮਾਗ | ||
Quechua ñutqu | ||
Romanian creier | ||
Russian мозг | ||
Samoan faiʻai | ||
Sanskrit मस्तिष्क | ||
Scots Gaelic eanchainn | ||
Sepedi bjoko | ||
Serbian мозак | ||
Sesotho boko | ||
Shona uropi | ||
Sindhi دماغ | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) මොළය | ||
Slovak mozog | ||
Slovenian možgane | ||
Somali maskaxda | ||
Spanish cerebro | ||
Sundanese uteuk | ||
Swahili ubongo | ||
Swedish hjärna | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) utak | ||
Tajik мағзи сар | ||
Tamil மூளை | ||
Tatar ми | ||
Telugu మె ద డు | ||
Thai สมอง | ||
Tigrinya ሓንጎል | ||
Tsonga byongo | ||
Turkish beyin | ||
Turkmen beýni | ||
Twi (Akan) adwene | ||
Ukrainian мозку | ||
Urdu دماغ | ||
Uyghur مېڭە | ||
Uzbek miya | ||
Vietnamese óc | ||
Welsh ymenydd | ||
Xhosa ingqondo | ||
Yiddish מאַרך | ||
Yoruba ọpọlọ | ||
Zulu ubuchopho |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | The word "brein" in Afrikaans has an alternate meaning of a "small child" or "little one". |
| Albanian | 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. |
| Amharic | The word 'አንጎል' in Amharic, meaning 'brain', is derived from the Proto-Semitic root 'NGR', meaning 'head' or 'skull'. |
| Arabic | دماغ also means the "skull" in Arabic whereas in Persian it means "heart". |
| Armenian | The Armenian word "ուղեղ" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *gʰel- meaning "to shine". This root also gives rise to the words "light" and "gold" in English. |
| Azerbaijani | "Beyin" also means "kernel" in Azerbaijani, as in "the kernel of a nut." |
| Basque | The word garuna in Basque may be a cognate of the word |
| Belarusian | "Мозг" is also sometimes used figuratively to refer to the seat of emotions and thoughts like in English. |
| Bengali | "মস্তিষ্ক" is derived from the Sanskrit word "मस्तिष्क" (mastishka), which means "head" or "brain". |
| Bosnian | The word "mozak" in Bosnian can also refer to an insect or a nut, particularly a walnut. |
| Bulgarian | The word "мозък" also means "marrow" in Bulgarian, reflecting the historical belief that the brain and spinal cord were the same substance. |
| Catalan | The word "cervell" in Catalan derives from the Latin "cerebellum" and it can also mean "intellect" or "mind". |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 脑 as both a noun referring to the brain and verb meaning "to think" is a unique feature of Chinese etymology. |
| Chinese (Traditional) | In addition to its literal meaning of "brain," the word "腦" (nao) in Chinese can also refer to the mind, intellect, or consciousness. |
| Corsican | The word "cerbellu" is cognate with Italian "cervello", from Medieval Latin "cerebellu" (small brain), "cerebrum", "cerebellus", all ultimately from Proto-Indo-European "*krei-slo-". In addition to its primary meaning, it can also refer to one's "memory" or "intelligence". |
| Croatian | The word "mozak" in Croatian shares its root with the word "brains" in English. |
| Czech | 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. |
| Danish | The word "hjerne" is derived from the Old Norse word "hjarni", which means "skull". |
| Dutch | The word "hersenen" is derived from Old Dutch "hersenen" and Old English "hærnes", meaning "a skull". |
| Esperanto | The word "cerbo" is derived from the Latin word "cerebrum", which means "brain". |
| Estonian | The Estonian word "aju" for "brain" is related to the Finnish word "aivot" and the Proto-Uralic word for "head". |
| Finnish | The Finnish word "aivot" also means "intestines" or "guts" in many Finno-Ugric languages, including Estonian, Karelian, and Votic. |
| French | The word "cerveau" derives from the Latin "cerebrum" but has also been used to refer to the mind or intellect. |
| Frisian | The word 'harsens' in Frisian is derived from Old Frisian 'hernen', which originally meant "skull" or "helmet". |
| Galician | Galician "cerebro" comes from Latin "cerebrum" and is also related to the Latin root "cerv-", meaning "neck", and "cranium", meaning "skull". |
| Georgian | The Georgian word "ტვინი" is not etymologically related to its Slavic equivalents and instead derives from the Old Georgian root "*tvin-", meaning "thought" or "mind". |
| German | "Gehirn" not only means "brain" in German, but also "marrow" or "the substance inside of bones". |
| Greek | The word "εγκέφαλος" also means "embryo" and derives from the verb "ἐγκύω" (to be pregnant). |
| Gujarati | In Gujarati, 'મગજ' (magj) can also mean 'essence', 'core', or 'pulp' in addition to 'brain'. |
| Haitian Creole | "Sèvo" is also figuratively used to refer to one's "spirit" or "soul". |
| Hausa | The Hausa word “kwakwalwa” also means “peanut”, because the peanut looks like an actual brain. |
| Hawaiian | 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." |
| Hebrew | The Hebrew word "מוֹחַ" also means "bone marrow" or "inner self". |
| Hindi | The word दिमाग also refers to the mind, the center of an issue, or a clever person. |
| Hmong | The word "lub hlwb" can also refer to the mind or intellect. |
| Hungarian | The Hungarian word "agy" ultimately stems from the Uralic root word *ägi, meaning "mind" or "intellect". |
| Icelandic | The word "heila" in Icelandic can also mean "mind" or "understanding". |
| Igbo | The word ụbụrụ can also refer to the skull or the mind. |
| Indonesian | In Indonesian, "otak" not only means "brain" but also refers to the central processing unit (CPU) of a computer. |
| Irish | The Irish word "inchinn" shares a root with the Latin word "cerebrum", both ultimately deriving from the Proto-Indo-European root *krei-. |
| Italian | The word "cervello" in Italian is derived from the Latin word "cerebrum," which means "brain" or "seat of intelligence." |
| Japanese | Besides "brain", the kanji 脳 also means "marrow" and the old variant 膸 means "skull". |
| Javanese | Javanese also uses "otak" figuratively to refer to a group of people or "brains" managing a certain organization or task. |
| Kannada | The Kannada word "ಮೆದುಳು" can also refer to the marrow or pith of a plant or tree. |
| Kazakh | In Kazakh, "ми" can also refer to the mind, intellect, or memory. |
| Khmer | The word “ខួរក្បាល” (“brain”) is also used to refer to a person's intelligence or wisdom. |
| Korean | The word '뇌' also refers to 'brain' as a unit of energy, as in '뇌 1개'. |
| Kurdish | The word "mejî" in Kurdish also means "mind" or "intellect". |
| Kyrgyz | The Kyrgyz word "мээ" also means "thought" or "idea" and is sometimes used in a philosophical sense to refer to the "essence" of something. |
| Latin | The Latin word 'cerebrum' is derived from the Proto-Italic 'ḱers' ('head', 'skull'), and is cognate with Sanskrit 'śiras' ('head'). |
| Latvian | "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 | 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". |
| Luxembourgish | The Luxembourgish word "Gehir" is derived from the German word "Gehirn" and is also a slang term for "mind" or "memory." |
| Macedonian | The word "мозок" is a cognate of the Latin word "medulla", meaning "marrow" or "core". |
| Malagasy | The Malagasy word "atidoha" also means "to think" or "to remember". |
| Malay | The word "otak" also refers to a traditional Malay dish made with fish or squid brain, spices, and coconut milk. |
| Malayalam | Malayalam word "തലച്ചോറ്" is also used to refer to the brain's contents, such as memory, knowledge, and intelligence. |
| Maltese | The word "moħħ" can also refer to the mind, intellect, or understanding in Maltese. |
| Maori | The Maori word 'roro' also refers to the 'soft part of the skull', and is likely related to the word 'roto', meaning 'inside'. |
| Marathi | The word "मेंदू" is derived from Sanskrit "medhra," meaning "fat, marrow," and refers to the brain's fatty, marrow-like appearance. |
| Mongolian | "Тархи" is a Mongolian word that means "brain". It can also mean "understanding", "wisdom", or "intelligence." |
| Nepali | The etymology of the Nepali word "दिमाग" ("dimaag") is uncertain, with possible origins from Sanskrit, Persian, or Turkish. |
| Norwegian | The Norwegian word 'hjerne' is cognate with the English word 'cranium' and originally referred to the skull rather than the brain itself. |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | The word "ubongo" in Nyanja also refers to the ability to think critically or solve problems. |
| Pashto | مغز (magz) is also synonymous with the concept of "mind" or "intellect" in Pashto. |
| Persian | The Persian word "مغز" (maghz) originally meant "bone marrow", and is also related to the word for "kernel" (e.g. in walnuts). |
| Polish | "Mózg" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*mozъgъ", which means "bone marrow" or "soft part of the bone". |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | In Portuguese, "cérebro" can also refer to the brains of a computer or the central core of a complex organization. |
| Punjabi | The Punjabi word 'ਦਿਮਾਗ' comes from the Sanskrit word 'दिमाग' (dimagh), which in turn is derived from the Persian word 'دماغ' (dimagh). |
| Romanian | The word "creier" originates from the Latin "cerebrum", meaning "brain" or "intellect". |
| Russian | The word "мозг" can also refer to marrow, core, or nucleus. |
| Samoan | The Samoan word "faiʻai" can also refer to the essence or meaning of something. |
| Scots Gaelic | The Scots Gaelic word for 'brain', 'eanchainn', comes from Old Irish 'enchend' meaning "skull". |
| Serbian | "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." |
| Sesotho | In addition to 'brain', "boko" in Sesotho can also refer to 'intelligence', or one's 'mind'. |
| Shona | "Uropi" is also used to refer to a person's common sense, understanding, or knowledge. |
| Sindhi | The word "دماغ" also means "understanding" or "intelligence" in Sindhi. |
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | The Sinhala word for "brain", "මොළය", also has the meaning "wisdom" or "intelligence." |
| Slovak | The Slovak word "mozog" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*mozgъ", which also means "bone marrow". |
| Slovenian | The Slovenian word 'možgane' is related to the Sanskrit word 'medh' which means 'intellect' or 'wisdom' |
| Somali | No known etymology, but the word "maskaxda" can also refer to the wisdom or understanding of a person. |
| Spanish | The word "cerebro" in Spanish also refers to the brains of a computer or an organization. |
| Sundanese | "Utek" is derived from "uteuk-uteuk", meaning "thoughts" or "ideas". |
| Swahili | The Swahili word "ubongo" is also used figuratively to refer to a person's intelligence, wisdom, or understanding. |
| Swedish | Hjärna is derived from the Old Norse word "hiarni", which means "skull" or "head". |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | "Utak" (brain) can also refer to "intellect" or "sense."} |
| Tajik | The word "мағзи сар" ("brain") is derived from the Persian words "مغز" ("marrow") and "سر" ("head"), meaning "the marrow of the head." |
| Tamil | The Tamil word "மூளை" (brain) shares the same root with "முள்" (thorn), suggesting a connection to the skull's protective role. |
| Telugu | The word "మె ద డు" (me da ḍu) is derived from the Sanskrit word "मेधा" (medhā), which means "intelligence" or "wisdom." |
| Thai | "สมอง" derives from Sanskrit (समानी) through Pali/Mon signifying balance as the brain acts as the controller of the body." |
| Turkish | "Beyin" (brain) originates from the Persian word "beyn" (between), referring to the brain's position between the head and spine. |
| Ukrainian | The Ukrainian word "мозку" also refers to the substance of the brain as well as the brain itself. |
| Urdu | The word "دماغ" can also refer to "intelligence" or "wisdom". |
| Uzbek | Uzbek word "miya" is derived from an Arabic word referring to the spinal cord and has acquired a wider meaning of "brain" in Uzbek. |
| Vietnamese | "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. |
| Welsh | "Ymenydd" also means "forehead" in Welsh, likely due to the protrusion of both. |
| Xhosa | The Xhosa word "ingqondo" also means a type of tree, "Podocarpus latifolius". |
| Yiddish | מאַרך" ('brain') likely comes from the Old French word "marrow" ('brain', 'spinal cord'), or, less likely, from Middle High German "marc" ('bone marrow') |
| Yoruba | The Yoruba word "ọpọlọ" is also used to refer to the head or the skull. |
| Zulu | The Zulu word 'ubuchopho' also means 'the centre of one's being'. |
| English | The word "brain" derives from the Old English "brægen," meaning "mind, intellect, or understanding." |