Breast in Different Languages
Discover 'Breast' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'breast' carries significant meaning and cultural importance across the world. In human anatomy, breasts are a secondary sexual characteristic of female mammals, responsible for providing nutrition to newborns through milk production. Beyond their biological function, breasts have been celebrated, sexualized, and scrutinized in various cultural contexts throughout history.
For instance, in ancient Egypt, breastfeeding was considered a sacred act, often depicted in hieroglyphics and art. Meanwhile, in ancient Greece, breasts were associated with fertility and motherhood, and were often featured prominently in sculptures and pottery. Today, attitudes towards breasts continue to evolve, reflecting changing cultural norms and societal values.
Given the significance of breasts in various cultures, it's no surprise that the word 'breast' has been translated into countless languages around the world. Understanding these translations can offer valuable insights into how different cultures view and value breasts, and can help foster cross-cultural understanding and appreciation.
Here are just a few examples of how the word 'breast' translates in different languages:
Breast
Breast in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | bors | ||
| Afrikaans word "bors" may also mean a chest of drawers, a chest used for storing goods, or a coffer. | |||
| Amharic | ጡት | ||
| Hausa | nono | ||
| In some contexts, "nono" can also refer to the female gender or the feminine aspect of a person or thing. | |||
| Igbo | ara | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning, "ara" can also refer to a bird's crop or the female reproductive organ. | |||
| Malagasy | nono | ||
| In some dialects of Malagasy, "nono" can also refer to the female chest or torso. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | bere | ||
| "Bere" derives from a Proto-Bantu root for "breast" and is cognate with the word for "breast" in other Bantu languages, such as Swahili "bele". | |||
| Shona | zamu | ||
| The word "zamu" in Shona derives from Proto-Bantu *ɟámú, "breasts". | |||
| Somali | naaska | ||
| Somali word "naaska" can also mean "the front part of a garment". | |||
| Sesotho | letsoele | ||
| In Sesotho, the word "letsoele" also refers to a type of plant (Pentas lanceolata) commonly found in grasslands. | |||
| Swahili | titi | ||
| The Swahili word "Titi" also refers to a type of bird or a small insect. | |||
| Xhosa | isifuba | ||
| In Xhosa, "isifuba" can also refer to a person's self-esteem or pride. | |||
| Yoruba | igbaya | ||
| The Yoruba word "igbaya" can also figuratively mean "a person who is very protective or caring". | |||
| Zulu | isifuba | ||
| The Zulu word 'isifuba' also signifies one's conscience or inner being. | |||
| Bambara | sin | ||
| Ewe | no | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ibere | ||
| Lingala | mabele | ||
| Luganda | ebbeere | ||
| Sepedi | letswele | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nofoɔ | ||
Breast in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الثدي | ||
| Hebrew | שד | ||
| The Hebrew word "שד" (pronounced as "shad") originally meant either "mountain" or "field", and in modern Hebrew serves as the term for "breast". | |||
| Pashto | سينه | ||
| In Pashto, "سينه" (seena) also refers to the chest or torso. | |||
| Arabic | الثدي | ||
Breast in Western European Languages
| Albanian | gjirit | ||
| The word 'gjirit' in Albanian comes from the Proto-Indo-European word *gʷʰrī- ('neck, throat'), and is related to the Greek word 'greiós' ('old') and the English word 'grey'. | |||
| Basque | bularra | ||
| Bularra shares its Proto-Basque etymology with the word "bula" (hole) and "bulu" (ball). | |||
| Catalan | pit | ||
| The name of a game whose goal is to shoot a marble into a hole in the ground | |||
| Croatian | grudi | ||
| In Croatian, the word | |||
| Danish | bryst | ||
| The Danish word "bryst" originally meant "chest" and is cognate with the English word "bridge". | |||
| Dutch | borst | ||
| The Dutch word "borst" is cognate with the English word "burst". | |||
| English | breast | ||
| The word "breast" originally referred to the chest of both men and women, before acquiring its current meaning in the late 14th century. | |||
| French | sein | ||
| In French, "Sein" can also refer to a small bay or inlet along a coastline, as well as a river in Normandy. | |||
| Frisian | boarst | ||
| The word "boarst" in Frisian is related to the Dutch word "borst" and the Old English word "brēost", both of which originally referred to the chest or rib cage. | |||
| Galician | peito | ||
| The Galician word "peito" not only refers to the female breast, but also to the chest. | |||
| German | brust | ||
| In English, "brust" is most commonly associated with hair brushes made from animal-hair, or to the "bristles" of such hair used in paint brushes (especially large ones) | |||
| Icelandic | brjóst | ||
| The word "brjóst" in Old Icelandic originally could refer to a chest or a box. | |||
| Irish | chíche | ||
| The Irish word "chíche" also has a metaphorical meaning, referring to the nourishment or care provided to something. | |||
| Italian | seno | ||
| In Italian, "seno" also refers to a "small valley surrounded by mountains" or a "small bay or inlet in the sea or a lake" | |||
| Luxembourgish | broscht | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "Broscht" is derived from the Old High German word "brust", which also means "breast". | |||
| Maltese | sider | ||
| The word "sider" in Maltese derives from the Arabic word "sadr" meaning "chest" or "front" and also refers to the central part of a garment or a book. | |||
| Norwegian | bryst | ||
| The word “bryst” can also refer to the chest and back | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | seio | ||
| Scots Gaelic | broilleach | ||
| Spanish | pecho | ||
| "Pecho" is etymologically related to the adjective "pechugón", meaning "big-chested", and "pechuga", meaning "chicken breast". | |||
| Swedish | bröst | ||
| Welsh | fron | ||
| The word "fron" in Welsh can also refer to a woman's chest or breasts, the front of a shirt or dress, or the breast of a bird. | |||
Breast in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | грудзі | ||
| "Грудзі" (breast) also means "chest" in Belarusian, coming from the Proto-Slavic word *gordъ. | |||
| Bosnian | dojke | ||
| The word "dojke" derives from the Proto-Slavic word "dojiti", meaning "to nurse", and is cognate with the English word "teat". | |||
| Bulgarian | гърдата | ||
| Czech | prsa | ||
| Estonian | rind | ||
| The word “rind” can also mean “line” in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | rinta | ||
| In Finnish, the word "rinta" has many meanings, including heart, chest, soul, and courage. | |||
| Hungarian | mell | ||
| The Hungarian word "mell" can also refer to a slope, incline, or the act of leaning. | |||
| Latvian | krūts | ||
| Latvian "krūts" likely comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰreu- ("to grow, swell"), akin to Lithuanian "krauti" ("to pile, fill") and Russian "груда" ("heap, pile"). | |||
| Lithuanian | krūtinė | ||
| "Krūtinė" is derived from "krut", which means heart | |||
| Macedonian | гради | ||
| The word "гради" is also used as an informal term for "chests", as in furniture. | |||
| Polish | pierś | ||
| The word "pierś" can also refer to the chest cavity, the upper part of the body, or the front part of an animal's body. | |||
| Romanian | sân | ||
| Russian | грудь | ||
| Serbian | дојке | ||
| In Serbian, "дојке" (breast) can also refer to the chest, bosom, or thorax. | |||
| Slovak | prsník | ||
| The word 'prsník' can also refer to the chest or thorax in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | dojke | ||
| The word 'dojke' also means 'small hills' or 'small mountains' in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | грудей | ||
| The word "грудей" can also refer to the chest or torso in Ukrainian. | |||
Breast in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | স্তন | ||
| Derived from Sanskrit "stana", meaning "place of support" or "protuberance". | |||
| Gujarati | છાતી | ||
| "છાતી" also means "chest" in Gujarati, which is derived from the Sanskrit word "छाती" (chhati), meaning "chest". | |||
| Hindi | स्तन | ||
| Kannada | ಸ್ತನ | ||
| The term "ಸ್ತನ" is derived from the Proto-Dravidian root "*tāna-/*tânu-", meaning "to swell" or "to become large". | |||
| Malayalam | സ്തനം | ||
| The word "സ്തനം" in Malayalam also means "love" or "affection". | |||
| Marathi | स्तन | ||
| Nepali | छाती | ||
| The word "छाती" also means "chest" or "thorax" in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਛਾਤੀ | ||
| In the context of medicine, ਛਾਤੀ can also refer to the chest or thorax. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පියයුරු | ||
| පියයුරු can also mean "milk". The word is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *pi-, meaning "to drink". The word has cognates in many other Indo-European languages, including Latin *pōtus* ("drink"), Greek *pínō* ("to drink"), and English *beer*. | |||
| Tamil | மார்பக | ||
| The term மார்பக can also refer to the chest, thorax, or bosom, not just the female breast specifically. | |||
| Telugu | రొమ్ము | ||
| "రొమ్ము" in Telugu can also refer to the chest or the front part of an animal's body. | |||
| Urdu | چھاتی | ||
| The word "چھاتی" can also refer to the chest or thorax, and is derived from the Sanskrit word "chhati" meaning "body cavity". | |||
Breast in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 乳房 | ||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 乳房 | ||
| Japanese | 乳 | ||
| Korean | 유방 | ||
| Mongolian | хөх | ||
| The Mongolian word "хөх" also refers to the "upper chest" or "heart" and is believed to be related to the Turkic word "kök" meaning "sky" or "blue". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ရင်သားကင်ဆာ | ||
Breast in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | payudara | ||
| 'Payudara' literally means '(female) chest' originating from Sanskrit word 'payodhara' ('flowing water'). | |||
| Javanese | dhadha | ||
| In archaic Javanese, "dhadha" also refers to a man's chest. | |||
| Khmer | សុដន់ | ||
| "សុដន់" is also an archaic term for "spearhead" or "arrowhead". | |||
| Lao | ເຕົ້ານົມ | ||
| Malay | payudara | ||
| The word "payudara" is derived from the Sanskrit word "payodhara", which means "milk-bearing vessel". | |||
| Thai | เต้านม | ||
| In Thai language, the word | |||
| Vietnamese | nhũ hoa | ||
| The word "nhũ hoa" also refers to various types of buds, including those of flowers. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | dibdib | ||
Breast in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | döş | ||
| The word | |||
| Kazakh | кеуде | ||
| The word "кеуде" derives from the Old Turkic word "köngül," meaning "heart, soul, or mind." | |||
| Kyrgyz | төш | ||
| "Төш" in Kyrgyz not only means "breast", but also "summit", "top" and was the name of mountain passes on the Great Silk Road. | |||
| Tajik | сина | ||
| The word "сина" has additional meanings such as "heart" and "chest" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | döş | ||
| Uzbek | ko'krak | ||
| The Uzbek word "ko'krak" comes from the Old Turkic word "kökürük" meaning "chest" or "thorax". | |||
| Uyghur | كۆكرەك | ||
Breast in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | umauma | ||
| "Umauma" also means "delicious" and can be used to describe food or even a person's appearance. | |||
| Maori | uma | ||
| "Uma" in Māori also refers to the breast-shaped protuberances that form from lava on cooling. | |||
| Samoan | fatafata | ||
| A different meaning of "fatafata" in Samoan is "quickly" | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | dibdib | ||
| The Tagalog word "dibdib" may also refer to the chest cavity or the diaphragm, and is related to the Malay words "dada" and "didi". | |||
Breast in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ñuñu | ||
| Guarani | pyti'a | ||
Breast in International Languages
| Esperanto | brusto | ||
| "Brusto" comes from the Slavic roots "brus(a)" (rock) and "to" (cut), referring to the process of cutting and breaking rocks. | |||
| Latin | pectus | ||
| In Latin, "pectus" can also refer to the chest, heart, or mind. | |||
Breast in Others Languages
| Greek | στήθος | ||
| The word "στήθος" can also refer to the chest or torso in Greek. | |||
| Hmong | lub mis | ||
| Lub mis literally means "mother's milk" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | pêsîr | ||
| The word "pêsîr" also means "front" or "surface" in Kurdish, sharing a common root with the word for "face" ("pês") and "head" ("sêr"). | |||
| Turkish | meme | ||
| The Turkish word "meme" has the same origin as the English word "meme" and both derive from the Greek word "mimema", meaning "imitation" | |||
| Xhosa | isifuba | ||
| In Xhosa, "isifuba" can also refer to a person's self-esteem or pride. | |||
| Yiddish | ברוסט | ||
| While Yiddish ברוסט commonly translates to 'breast', it can also mean 'insolence' or 'audacity' - possibly deriving from the verb ברען ('to burn') and referring to the feeling of a burning face, or from Middle High German 'brust' ('boisterous') or even Old French 'brust' ('noisy'). | |||
| Zulu | isifuba | ||
| The Zulu word 'isifuba' also signifies one's conscience or inner being. | |||
| Assamese | বুকু | ||
| Aymara | ñuñu | ||
| Bhojpuri | छाती | ||
| Dhivehi | އުރަމަތި | ||
| Dogri | स्तन | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | dibdib | ||
| Guarani | pyti'a | ||
| Ilocano | suso | ||
| Krio | brɛst | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | مەمک | ||
| Maithili | छाती | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯡꯕꯥꯈ | ||
| Mizo | hnute | ||
| Oromo | harma | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସ୍ତନ | ||
| Quechua | qasqu | ||
| Sanskrit | स्तनं | ||
| Tatar | күкрәк | ||
| Tigrinya | ጡብ | ||
| Tsonga | xifuva | ||