Cat in Different Languages
Discover 'Cat' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Cat
Afrikaans kat | ||
Albanian mace | ||
Amharic ድመት | ||
Arabic قط | ||
Armenian կատու | ||
Assamese মেকুৰী | ||
Aymara phisi | ||
Azerbaijani pişik | ||
Bambara jakuma | ||
Basque katua | ||
Belarusian кошка | ||
Bengali বিড়াল | ||
Bhojpuri बिलार | ||
Bosnian mačka | ||
Bulgarian котка | ||
Catalan gat | ||
Cebuano iring | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 猫 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 貓 | ||
Corsican cat | ||
Croatian mačka | ||
Czech kočka | ||
Danish kat | ||
Dhivehi ބުޅާ | ||
Dogri बिल्ली | ||
Dutch kat | ||
English cat | ||
Esperanto kato | ||
Estonian kass | ||
Ewe dadi | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) pusa | ||
Finnish kissa | ||
French chat | ||
Frisian kat | ||
Galician gato | ||
Georgian კატა | ||
German katze | ||
Greek γάτα | ||
Guarani mbarakaja | ||
Gujarati બિલાડી | ||
Haitian Creole chat | ||
Hausa kuli | ||
Hawaiian pōpoki | ||
Hebrew חתול | ||
Hindi बिल्ली | ||
Hmong miv | ||
Hungarian macska | ||
Icelandic köttur | ||
Igbo pusi | ||
Ilocano pusa | ||
Indonesian kucing | ||
Irish cat | ||
Italian gatto | ||
Japanese ネコ | ||
Javanese kucing | ||
Kannada ಬೆಕ್ಕು | ||
Kazakh мысық | ||
Khmer ឆ្មា | ||
Kinyarwanda injangwe | ||
Konkani माजर | ||
Korean 고양이 | ||
Krio pus | ||
Kurdish pisîk | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) پشیلە | ||
Kyrgyz мышык | ||
Lao ແມວ | ||
Latin cattus | ||
Latvian kaķis | ||
Lingala niawu | ||
Lithuanian katė | ||
Luganda kkapa | ||
Luxembourgish kaz | ||
Macedonian мачка | ||
Maithili बिलाड़ि | ||
Malagasy saka | ||
Malay kucing | ||
Malayalam പൂച്ച | ||
Maltese qattus | ||
Maori ngeru | ||
Marathi मांजर | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯍꯧꯗꯣꯡ | ||
Mizo zawhte | ||
Mongolian муур | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) ကြောင် | ||
Nepali बिरालो | ||
Norwegian katt | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) mphaka | ||
Odia (Oriya) ବିଲେଇ | ||
Oromo adurree | ||
Pashto پيشو | ||
Persian گربه | ||
Polish kot | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) gato | ||
Punjabi ਬਿੱਲੀ | ||
Quechua misi | ||
Romanian pisică | ||
Russian кот | ||
Samoan pusi | ||
Sanskrit मार्जारः | ||
Scots Gaelic cat | ||
Sepedi katse | ||
Serbian мачка | ||
Sesotho katse | ||
Shona katsi | ||
Sindhi ٻلي | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) පූසා | ||
Slovak kat | ||
Slovenian mačka | ||
Somali bisad | ||
Spanish gato | ||
Sundanese ucing | ||
Swahili paka | ||
Swedish katt | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) pusa | ||
Tajik гурба | ||
Tamil பூனை | ||
Tatar мәче | ||
Telugu పిల్లి | ||
Thai แมว | ||
Tigrinya ድሙ | ||
Tsonga ximanga | ||
Turkish kedi | ||
Turkmen pişik | ||
Twi (Akan) ɔkra | ||
Ukrainian кішка | ||
Urdu کیٹ | ||
Uyghur مۈشۈك | ||
Uzbek mushuk | ||
Vietnamese con mèo | ||
Welsh cath | ||
Xhosa ikati | ||
Yiddish קאַץ | ||
Yoruba o nran | ||
Zulu ikati |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | In Afrikaans, "kat" can also refer to a male homosexual, originating from the Dutch slang word "kat" with the same meaning. |
| Albanian | In Albanian, "Mace" can also refer to the traditional Albanian kilt worn by men called a fustanella. |
| Amharic | The word "ድመት" (cat) in Amharic is also a slang term used to refer to a person who is seen as cunning or sly. |
| Arabic | In Egypt, the word 'قط' ('cat') can also refer to a male cat specifically, and its feminine form is 'قطة' ('qitta'). |
| Armenian | The word "կատու" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*ǵʰátos". Cognates include English "cat", Greek "gatos", and Sanskrit "ghas-mā". |
| Azerbaijani | Pişik, meaning "cat" in Azerbaijani, derives from Old Turkic pičig "young mammal." |
| Basque | The word 'katua' in Basque may also refer to a 'wildcat' or a 'ferret'. |
| Belarusian | The word "кошка" can also mean "female cat" or "kitten". |
| Bengali | In old Bengali texts like Mangalkavyas, the word 'বিড়াল' denoted jackals and other wild animals. |
| Bosnian | The word 'mačka' may also refer to a kind of fishing net or a tool for cutting hair. |
| Bulgarian | The word "котка" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "kotъka", meaning "young cat". |
| Catalan | The word "gat" in Catalan originally meant "animal" (similar to the word "beast" in English) and only later came to mean "cat" specifically. |
| Cebuano | "Iring" can also mean "lover" or "friend" in Cebuano. |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 貓 ('cat') also means 'to scratch' in Chinese, referring to cats' claws. |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 貓 in Chinese can also refer to the 6th Chinese zodiac animal, or a person who is agile and sly. |
| Corsican | In Corsican, "cat" can also mean "face" or "look". |
| Croatian | The Croatian word “mačka” (“cat”) likely originates from an Illyrian root, with cognates in neighboring languages. |
| Czech | The Czech word "kočka" also means a beautiful or attractive woman. |
| Danish | The word "kat" in Danish is derived from the ancient Egyptian word "kau", meaning "male cat." |
| Dutch | The word "kat" in Dutch can also refer to a type of sailing boat or a male cat. |
| Esperanto | The word 'kato' is of Japanese origin and originally meant 'small tiger' |
| Estonian | "Kass" can also refer to a |
| Finnish | The Finnish word for 'cat' is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *kat- meaning 'to scratch'. |
| French | The word "chat" in French, while meaning "cat," is derived from the Vulgar Latin "cattus" and is cognate with the Spanish "gato" and the Italian "gatto." |
| Frisian | In Middle Frisian, “kat” also refers to a ship’s anchor and, less often, a large, domestic tomcat. |
| Galician | In Galician, "gato" can also refer to one's pet, regardless of type (dog, cat, bird, etc.). |
| Georgian | The word "კატა" in Georgian also refers to a "tiger" or a "leopard". |
| German | In Middle High German, "katze" had the additional connotation of "female predator", hence the term "Katzenjammer" (hangover) which was thought to be caused by an evil cat-like creature. |
| Greek | "Γάτα" can also refer to a woman of loose morals. |
| Gujarati | "બિલાડી" (cat) possibly comes from the Sanskrit word "vicitra" meaning "various" or "multicoloured". |
| Haitian Creole | The Haitian Creole word chat derives from the French word "chat" and also means "conversation". |
| Hausa | In Hausa, "kuli" can also refer to a type of basket or a small drum. |
| Hawaiian | The word "pōpoki" is possibly derived from the sound cats make while purring. |
| Hebrew | The word "חתול" (cat) in Hebrew is derived from an Egyptian word meaning "sacred animal," suggesting the high regard in which cats were held in ancient times. |
| Hindi | The word 'बिल्ली' (cat) may derive from an old word 'बालु' or 'वालु,' meaning 'sand' or 'hairless,' referring to a cat's fur texture or its ability to bury its excrement in sand. |
| Hmong | The word "miv" can also mean "kitten" or "small animal" in Hmong. |
| Hungarian | "Macska" is related to the word "mackó" (teddy bear) and to the verb "macsol" (to grope). |
| Icelandic | The Icelandic word for "cat" köttur, originally meant a domestic animal that was fed meat scraps |
| Igbo | The Igbo word “pusi” was onomatopoeic, likely derived from the hissing sound made by a cat. |
| Indonesian | "Kucing" also means "to steal" in Javanese and other Indonesian languages. |
| Irish | In Irish, the word 'cat' can also refer to a domestic ferret. |
| Italian | In Italian, "gatto" can also refer to a mischievous person, a lover, or a person with a hoarse voice. |
| Japanese | The word ネコ can also refer to a type of wooden clog in the shape of a cat's face. |
| Javanese | "Kucing" in Javanese is also used to refer to |
| Kannada | The word "ಬೆಕ್ಕು" also means "a clever person" in Kannada. |
| Kazakh | "Мысық" is also a term of endearment meaning "my precious little one". |
| Khmer | The word "ឆ្មា" is also used to refer to a type of traditional Khmer musical instrument, similar to a gong. |
| Korean | The word "고양이" can also refer to a person who is lazy or unmotivated, similar to the English expression "couch potato". |
| Kurdish | In some Kurdish dialects, "pisîk" can also mean "kitten" or "small cat." |
| Kyrgyz | The word "мышык" is also used to refer to other animals, such as squirrels, hedgehogs, and weasels. |
| Lao | "ແມວ" is likely derived from the Proto-Tai *muːɣ, which also means "cat" in many Tai languages. |
| Latin | In addition to "cat," "cattus" can also refer to the domestic cat's "miaow" in Latin. |
| Latvian | The word "kaķis" is a loanword from German "Katze" meaning cat. |
| Lithuanian | The word "katė" may have originated from the Proto-Indo-European root "*kat-os", meaning "domestic cat". Alternatively, it may have come from the Turkic word "katır", meaning "female horse". |
| Luxembourgish | In Luxembourgish, "Kaz" can also refer to a "tomcat" or a "male cat". |
| Macedonian | "Мачка" also means "spasm" in Macedonian, derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*mękati" meaning "to twist, to writhe, to soften". |
| Malagasy | The Malagasy word "saka" derives from the Proto-Austronesian word "*kasá" and can also refer to a type of lemur. |
| Malay | "Kucing" also refers to a small traditional Malay percussion instrument. |
| Malayalam | The word "പൂച്ച" can also refer to a type of small, round vegetable that is often used in curries. |
| Maltese | The Maltese word 'qattus' also refers to the male cat, while a female cat is referred to as 'qtates' and a group as 'qtates' or 'qtatesa'. |
| Maori | The word "ngeru" is also used in Maori to describe a type of shark. |
| Marathi | The word 'मांजर' (māñjar) also means 'a beautiful or charming woman' in Marathi. |
| Mongolian | In Mongolian, "муур" not only means "cat," but also refers to a young male camel or horse. |
| Nepali | The word 'बिरालो' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'विडाल' meaning 'a cat' |
| Norwegian | The word "katt" in Norwegian is cognate with the German word "Katze" and the English word "cat". |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | "Mphaka" can also refer to a clever or cunning person in Nyanja. |
| Pashto | "پيشو" (pisho), meaning "cat" in Pashto, comes from Persian "pishuk" and ultimately Sanskrit "billava." |
| Persian | The word "گربه" (pronounced "gorbeh") likely originates from the Old Persian word "gard", meaning "to seize" or "to capture". |
| Polish | The term 'kot' can also refer to a tomcat or stud male cat. |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | It is used to refer to the game played with marbles, and also to a type of knife with a thick blade. |
| Punjabi | "Billī," the Punjabi word for "cat," originally referred to a "female cat" or "kitten." Later, it became the generic term for both male and female cats. |
| Romanian | The Romanian word "pisică" comes from the Latin word "feles" meaning "cat" and from the Slavic word "piska" meaning "squeak" or "whistle". |
| Russian | The Russian word 'Кот' (cat) may have originated from the Mongolian word 'хот' or the Old Slavonic root 'kotъ' meaning 'castrated animal'. |
| Samoan | "Pusi," which means "cat" in Samoan, also refers to a "young girl" or a "young coconut." |
| Scots Gaelic | In Scots Gaelic, cat has the alternate meaning "a young or small boy" and comes from the Old Irish "catu". |
| Serbian | The Serbian word "мачка" (mačka) likely derives from the Proto-Slavic word "*kotъka" which also meant "cat" and is related to the Albanian word "mace". |
| Sesotho | The word "katse" also refers to a type of large wild cat. |
| Shona | The word 'katsi' in Shona also means 'to hunt' or 'to chase'. |
| Sindhi | The word "ٻلي" also means "kitten" in Sindhi. |
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | The word "පූසා" (cat) in Sinhala is derived from the Sanskrit word "पिष्टा" (pishta), meaning "ground". While the literal meaning suggests something finely ground, it's unclear how this relates to a cat. |
| Slovak | The word "kat" in Slovak has Germanic origins, sharing a root with the English words "cat" and "kitten." |
| Slovenian | In Croatian, "mačka" means "stepmother" which may originate from the association of cats with witches in European folklore. |
| Somali | Some speculate that "bisad" may derive from the Proto-Cushitic "bis-" meaning "animal." Alternatively, the word could have originated from the Egyptian "bas" meaning "cat." |
| Spanish | "Gato" can also mean "thief" or "smart person" in Spanish, possibly deriving from the idea of a cat being stealthy or cunning. |
| Sundanese | In Sundanese, the word "ucing" is also used to affectionately refer to a person's beloved or sweetheart. |
| Swahili | 'paka' in Swahili can also mean 'cooked food' or 'cooked vegetables' |
| Swedish | Katt can also mean a type of ship in Swedish, as well as to throw or toss something. |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | "Pusa" likely originated from the Sanskrit pums, meaning "tomcat". |
| Tajik | The Tajik word for "cat", "гурба", is cognate with the Persian word "gurba", which has the additional meaning of "vagabond" or "homeless person". |
| Tamil | In Tamil, the word பூனை (pūnai) also means "male cat" or "tomcat". |
| Telugu | The word 'పిల్లి' can also refer to a female cat or a young cat. |
| Thai | The Thai word "แมว" (cat) is derived from the Mon-Khmer language and is related to the Khmer word "មៅ" (cat). |
| Turkish | The word 'kedi' derives from the Middle Persian 'gādīg', cognate with the Armenian ՝´գատու (katu), the Kurdish 'pısik' or 'pişik', and English 'cat' from Proto-Germanic *kattuz. |
| Ukrainian | The word "кішка" in Ukrainian can also refer to a type of hair or a kind of small bell. |
| Urdu | Urdu word "کیٹ" also means "a young or small child." |
| Uzbek | The Uzbek word for "cat", "mushuk," derives from an ancient Turkic word for "animal with fur." |
| Vietnamese | "Con mèo" means "cat" in Vietnamese, but it can also refer to other felines, such as tigers or leopards. |
| Welsh | The word "cath" in Welsh can also refer to a marten or a wildcat. |
| Xhosa | The term "ikati" can also refer to a "wild cat" in Xhosa. |
| Yiddish | In Yiddish, "קאַץ" has an alternate meaning of "a person who is quick-witted or crafty." |
| Yoruba | 'O nran' can also mean 'thief' in Yoruba. |
| Zulu | "I-k-t" (or "i-c-t") is the root for all cat-related words. Its use is extended to include all other Felidae such as lions. |
| English | The word "cat" may derive from Medieval Latin "cattus" or the Late Latin "catus," meaning "domestic cat." |