Cancer in different languages

Cancer in Different Languages

Discover 'Cancer' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

Cancer is a term that carries significant weight and importance in our world today. It refers to a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. This devastating illness has affected millions of lives, making it a critical topic in healthcare and research. Beyond its medical significance, cancer has also appeared throughout history in various cultural contexts.

For instance, in ancient Egypt, cancer was described in the Edwin Smith Papyrus, one of the oldest known medical texts. Meanwhile, in Chinese culture, the term for cancer, Ai Zheng, reflects the deep emotions and struggles associated with the disease. Understanding the translation of cancer in different languages not only broadens our linguistic abilities but also deepens our appreciation for the global impact of this disease.

Here are a few translations of the term 'cancer' to pique your interest:

Cancer

Cancer in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaanskanker
The word "kanker" can also refer to a derogatory term for a person, or in the idiom "soos 'n kanker", can mean "aggressively" or "persistently"
Amharicካንሰር
"ካንሰር" derives from the Greek "karkinos" (crab), named for the characteristic shape of tumors.
Hausaciwon daji
In Hausa, the word "ciwon daji" literally means "bad disease" or "serious illness."
Igbokansa
The word "kansa" in Igbo can also mean "scorpion" or "a type of worm that lives in trees".
Malagasycancer
In Malagasy, "cancer" can also refer to certain types of sores or ulcers.
Nyanja (Chichewa)khansa
The word 'khansa' is ultimately derived from the Proto-Bantu root *-káncá.
Shonagomarara
Gomarara is an alternate Shona word for cancer that means "the unstoppable one".
Somalikansarka
Somalis also call cancer kansarka to differentiate from other diseases
Sesothomofetše
The word "mofetše" also means "bad sore" or "ulcer".
Swahilisaratani
"Saratani" in Swahili originally referred to several species of jellyfish but has come to mean "cancer" or other diseases associated with abnormal cell growth.
Xhosaumhlaza
The word 'umhlaza' is also used to refer to other types of growths, such as warts and tumors.
Yorubaakàn
The Yoruba word "akàn" also refers to a type of plant believed to have medicinal properties.
Zuluumdlavuza
The Zulu word "umdlavuza" is derived from the verb "lavuza," meaning "to hurt or to be wounded," reflecting the painful nature of cancer.
Bambarakansɛri
Ewekansa
Kinyarwandakanseri
Lingalakansere
Lugandakookolo
Sepedikankere
Twi (Akan)kokoram

Cancer in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicسرطان
The Arabic word "سرطان" (cancer) is cognate with the Hebrew word "סרטן" (sartan), both of which mean "crab".
Hebrewסרטן
סרטן, a word meaning 'cancer' in Hebrew, is also used as a zodiac sign, meaning 'crab' in its original language.
Pashtoسرطان
The word "سرطان" is derived from the Persian word "سَرطان" (sartan), meaning "crab," and refers to the constellation Cancer.
Arabicسرطان
The Arabic word "سرطان" (cancer) is cognate with the Hebrew word "סרטן" (sartan), both of which mean "crab".

Cancer in Western European Languages

Albaniankanceri
The Albanian word 'kanceri' is derived from the Latin word 'cancer', which means 'crab', as the disease was once thought to resemble a crab's pincers.
Basqueminbizia
The word 'minbizia' in Basque is derived from 'min' (pain) and 'bizi' (life), suggesting a painful state of existence.
Catalancàncer
The Catalan word "càncer" also means "crab" or "zodiac sign of Cancer".
Croatianrak
In Croatian, 'rak' has Indo-European roots and can also mean 'crab' or 'crayfish'.
Danishkræft
The word kræft, meaning cancer, comes from the Latin word "cancer," a crab, because tumors were thought to resemble crabs.
Dutchkanker
In Dutch, the word "kanker" can also refer to a type of ulcer or sore, derived from the Latin "cancer" meaning "crab".
Englishcancer
The word 'cancer' originates from the Greek word 'karkinos', meaning 'crab', due to the resemblance of the swollen veins around a tumor to the legs of a crab.
Frenchcancer
The French word "cancer" can also refer to a crab or a crayfish.
Frisiankanker
In Frisian, 'kanker' also means 'gangrene', 'ulcer' or a 'malignant tumour'.
Galiciancancro
"Cancro" comes from the Latin word "cancer" and has other meanings in Galician, such as "gangrene" and "tumor".
Germankrebs
Krebs is also the German word for the animal "crab" and is cognate with the English word "crayfish."
Icelandickrabbamein
The Icelandic word "krabbamein" originally referred to a type of skin cancer, but now refers to all types of cancer.
Irishailse
This word also has a meaning of "disease" when used with a definite article
Italiancancro
The Italian word "cancro" comes from the Latin word "cancer," which means "crab," referring to the crab-like shape of tumors.
Luxembourgishkriibs
The word "Kriibs" in Luxembourgish shares its root with "Krabbe" in German and "crab" in English, referring to the crustacean and its resemblance to the shape of the tumor.
Maltesekanċer
The word "kanċer" also refers to the zodiac sign Cancer in Maltese.
Norwegiankreft
The word kreft can also refer to the animal "crayfish"
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)câncer
In Portuguese, the word "câncer" can also refer to a growth or tumor, and its root is Latin, coming from the word "cancer," meaning "crab".
Scots Gaelicaillse
The Gaelic word "aillse" means "cancer" in English, but originally referred to "a foreign body" or "a stranger".
Spanishcáncer
The word "cáncer" in Spanish comes from the Latin word "cancer," which means "crab" and was used to describe tumors due to their resemblance to the shape of a crab.
Swedishcancer
The word "cancer" in Swedish comes from the Latin word "cancer" meaning "crab" and is cognate with the word "cancer" in English.
Welshcanser
The Welsh word 'canser' can also refer to a 'crab' or 'crab louse'.

Cancer in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianрак
The Belarusian word “рак” (“cancer”) is cognate with the Russian word “рак”, which refers to the astrological sign of Cancer.
Bosnianrak
Bosnian "rak" derives from Proto-Slavic "*raky" meaning "lobster, crayfish" or "crab", with the "cancer" meaning being a later development, likely influenced by the resemblance of tumors to crustaceans
Bulgarianрак
The word "рак" also means "crayfish" in Bulgarian.
Czechrakovina
The Czech word "rakovina" comes from the word "rak", meaning "crayfish", as crayfish were believed to cause cancer in the past.
Estonianvähk
"Vähk" is a cognate of "viga" meaning "injury" or "fault", and also the name for the crayfish, a type of crustacean.
Finnishsyöpä
"Syöpä" is derived from "syöpö", an extinct Proto-Uralic language cognate meaning "a rotten wound."
Hungarianrák
In Hungarian, "rák" also means "crayfish".
Latvianvēzis
The word "vēzis" also means "crawfish" in Latvian, possibly due to a perceived resemblance between the two.
Lithuanianvėžys
The word "vėžys" in Lithuanian can also refer to a crayfish, a type of freshwater crustacean.
Macedonianрак
In Macedonian, "рак" has a second meaning, which is "crab".
Polishrak
The name "rak" likely derives from the Proto-Slavic root *rъkati "to torment."
Romaniancancer
The word "cancer" in Romanian also means "scale" and comes from the Latin word "cancer" meaning "crab"
Russianрак
The word "рак" can also mean "crayfish" in Russian.
Serbianкарцином
The word "карцином" is derived from the Greek word "καρκίνωμα", which means "crab" or "tumor".
Slovakrakovina
The word "rakovina" also refers to a freshwater crayfish in Slovak.
Slovenianraka
The word raka, meaning "cancer," also has several other meanings in Slovenian, including "shell" and "crab"
Ukrainianрак
The word "рак" can also mean "crayfish" in Ukrainian.

Cancer in South Asian Languages

Bengaliক্যান্সার
The word "ক্যান্সার" comes from the Latin word "cancer", meaning "crab", as the appearance of the diseased tissue resembles a crab.
Gujaratiકેન્સર
The word "કેન્સર" (cancer) comes from the Greek word "karkinos," meaning "crab," as the disease was thought to resemble a crab's claws.
Hindiकैंसर
In Hindi, कैंसर (cancer) also means a large black ant commonly found in India.
Kannadaಕ್ಯಾನ್ಸರ್
The word 'ಕ್ಯಾನ್ಸರ್' also means 'crab' in Kannada, a name given due to its likeness to the shape of a crab.
Malayalamകാൻസർ
The word "കാൻസർ" is derived from the Greek word "κἀρκίνος" (karkinos) which means "crab", likely due to the resemblance of a tumor to a crab.
Marathiकर्करोग
The word "कर्करोग" in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word "करकरः", meaning "crab" or "tumor".
Nepaliक्यान्सर
The word "क्यान्सर" is borrowed from Greek via English and Sanskrit and refers to a malignant growth in any part of the body.
Punjabiਕਸਰ
The Punjabi word "ਕਸਰ" also refers to a deficiency or lack in something.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)පිළිකා
The term "පිළිකා" (cancer) originates from the Sanskrit word "pilika," meaning "small reddish lump" or "pimple," and is used to describe the abnormal growth of cells that can invade and destroy nearby tissues.
Tamilபுற்றுநோய்
புற்றுநோய், 'wound' or 'ulcer', is related to the word 'பற்று' meaning 'attachment', signifying the clinging nature of the disease.
Teluguక్యాన్సర్
In Telugu, "క్యాన్సర్" (cancer) comes from the Sanskrit word "कर्कट" (karkata), meaning "crab," as the disease was thought to resemble the shape of a crab clinging to the body.
Urduکینسر
The word "کینسر" (cancer) is derived from the Greek word "karkinos" meaning "crab", referring to the crab-like appearance of cancerous tumors.

Cancer in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)癌症
癌症一词最早出现在西周时期，指一种能致命的疾病，后逐渐演变成指恶性肿瘤。
Chinese (Traditional)癌症
癌症 ('cancer') is a loanword from Japanese that entered the Chinese lexicon in the 19th century to describe a particular type of malignant tumor, and has since been generalized to refer to all types of cancer.
Japanese癌
癌 (がん) is a Japanese word that originally meant a tumor, but came to mean cancer in the 19th century.
Korean암
The Korean word
Mongolianхорт хавдар
The word "хорт хавдар" can also refer to "crab"
Myanmar (Burmese)ကင်ဆာ
The Burmese word for "cancer" (ကင်ဆာ) comes from the Sanskrit word "karkata" (कर्कट), which means "crab".

Cancer in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiankanker
"Kanker" is also used to refer to a type of ulcer on the skin, especially on the lips.
Javanesekanker
Kanker in Javanese has two meanings: cancer (the medical condition) and syphilis.
Khmerមហារីក
The word មហារីក can also mean "tumor" or "abnormal growth" in Khmer.
Laoມະເລັງ
The Lao word ມະເລັງ is thought to come from the Sanskrit word मकर (makara) or the Pali word မကရ (makara), both of which refer to a monstrous aquatic creature.
Malaybarah
"Barah" (cancer in Malay) originally meant "disease" or "affliction," and is derived from the Sanskrit word "varaka," meaning "ulcer" or "scab."
Thaiโรคมะเร็ง
The word โรคมะเร็ง comes from the Sanskrit word कर्क (karka) meaning 'crab', referring to the crab-like spreading of cancerous tumors.
Vietnameseung thư
The word "ung thư" is derived from the Sanskrit word "karkata", meaning "crab", and the Chinese word "zhou", meaning "tumor". It was first used in Vietnamese in the 16th century to describe a type of skin cancer that resembled a crab.
Filipino (Tagalog)kanser

Cancer in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanixərçəng
The word "xərçəng" is derived from the Persian word "kharechang" which is the name of a kind of crab.
Kazakhқатерлі ісік
Kyrgyzрак
В старославянском языке слово «рак» обозначало «краб», «рак, омар» или «раковое заболевание».
Tajikсаратон
The word “саратон” means not only cancer but also a person or animal in the penultimate stage of illness.
Turkmenrak
Uzbeksaraton
The word "saraton" in Uzbek is derived from the Greek word "karkinos," meaning "crab," as the disease was thought to resemble the appearance of a crab.
Uyghurراك

Cancer in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianmaʻi ʻaʻai
In Hawaiian, maʻi ʻaʻai refers to cancer as well as a plant, the common castor-oil plant.
Maorimate pukupuku
The alternate meanings of the Māori word “mate pukupuku” are “to choke”, “to be stifled”, and “to be suffocated.”
Samoankanesa
The word "kanesa" also means "a kind of fish with blue spots" in Samoan.
Tagalog (Filipino)cancer
The Tagalog word "kanser" is derived from the Spanish word "cáncer", which itself comes from the Latin word "cancer", meaning "crab".

Cancer in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarakansira
Guaranimba'asyvai

Cancer in International Languages

Esperantokancero
The word "kancero" in Esperanto is derived from the Latin word "cancer", which means "crab".
Latincancer
The Latin word "cancer" also refers to a crab, leading to the zodiac sign Cancer and the constellation Cancer.

Cancer in Others Languages

Greekκαρκίνος
The word "Καρκίνος" can also refer to crustaceans, particularly crabs, and was used by Hippocrates to describe cancerous tumors due to their resemblance to the shape of a crab.
Hmongmob cancer
The Hmong word "mob cancer" not only means "cancer," but can also mean "a deadly disease that affects the body."
Kurdishqansêr
The Kurdish word “qansêr” is possibly derived from Greek "karkinos," meaning “crab," likely referring to the crab-like shape of cancerous tumors.
Turkishkanser
It also refers to ulceration, swelling, or a hole.
Xhosaumhlaza
The word 'umhlaza' is also used to refer to other types of growths, such as warts and tumors.
Yiddishראַק
The Yiddish word "ראַק" can also refer to the zodiac sign Cancer.
Zuluumdlavuza
The Zulu word "umdlavuza" is derived from the verb "lavuza," meaning "to hurt or to be wounded," reflecting the painful nature of cancer.
Assameseকৰ্কট
Aymarakansira
Bhojpuriकैंसर
Dhivehiކެންސަރު
Dogriकैंसर
Filipino (Tagalog)kanser
Guaranimba'asyvai
Ilocanokanser
Kriokansa
Kurdish (Sorani)شێرپەنجە
Maithiliकैंसर
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯂꯥꯏꯔꯦꯜ ꯁꯖꯤꯛ
Mizongawt
Oromokaansarii
Odia (Oriya)କର୍କଟ
Quechuacancer
Sanskritकर्करोग
Tatarяман шеш
Tigrinyaመንሽሮ
Tsongamfukuzana

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