Afrikaans ketting | ||
Albanian zinxhir | ||
Amharic ሰንሰለት | ||
Arabic سلسلة | ||
Armenian շղթա | ||
Assamese শিকলি | ||
Aymara karina | ||
Azerbaijani zəncir | ||
Bambara jɔlɔkɔ | ||
Basque katea | ||
Belarusian ланцужок | ||
Bengali চেইন | ||
Bhojpuri जंजीर | ||
Bosnian lanac | ||
Bulgarian верига | ||
Catalan cadena | ||
Cebuano kadena | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 链 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 鏈 | ||
Corsican catena | ||
Croatian lanac | ||
Czech řetěz | ||
Danish lænke | ||
Dhivehi ޗެއިން | ||
Dogri कड़ी | ||
Dutch ketting | ||
English chain | ||
Esperanto ĉeno | ||
Estonian kett | ||
Ewe kɔsɔkɔsɔ | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) kadena | ||
Finnish ketju | ||
French chaîne | ||
Frisian ketting | ||
Galician cadea | ||
Georgian ჯაჭვი | ||
German kette | ||
Greek αλυσίδα | ||
Guarani itasã | ||
Gujarati સાંકળ | ||
Haitian Creole chèn | ||
Hausa sarka | ||
Hawaiian kaulahao | ||
Hebrew שַׁרשֶׁרֶת | ||
Hindi जंजीर | ||
Hmong txoj saw hlau | ||
Hungarian lánc | ||
Icelandic keðja | ||
Igbo yinye | ||
Ilocano kawar | ||
Indonesian rantai | ||
Irish slabhra | ||
Italian catena | ||
Japanese 鎖 | ||
Javanese rante | ||
Kannada ಸರಪಳಿ | ||
Kazakh шынжыр | ||
Khmer ខ្សែសង្វាក់ | ||
Kinyarwanda urunigi | ||
Konkani साखळी | ||
Korean 체인 | ||
Krio chen | ||
Kurdish merbend | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) زنجیرە | ||
Kyrgyz чынжыр | ||
Lao ລະບົບຕ່ອງໂສ້ | ||
Latin torque | ||
Latvian ķēde | ||
Lingala chene | ||
Lithuanian grandinė | ||
Luganda olujegere | ||
Luxembourgish kette | ||
Macedonian ланец | ||
Maithili सिकड़ी | ||
Malagasy rojo | ||
Malay rantai | ||
Malayalam ചങ്ങല | ||
Maltese katina | ||
Maori mekameka | ||
Marathi साखळी | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯄꯔꯦꯡ | ||
Mizo inzawm | ||
Mongolian гинж | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) ကွင်းဆက် | ||
Nepali चेन | ||
Norwegian kjede | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) unyolo | ||
Odia (Oriya) ଶୃଙ୍ଖଳା | ||
Oromo funyoo sibiilaa | ||
Pashto ځنځیر | ||
Persian زنجیر | ||
Polish łańcuch | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) corrente | ||
Punjabi ਚੇਨ | ||
Quechua cadena | ||
Romanian lanţ | ||
Russian цепь | ||
Samoan filifili | ||
Sanskrit शृङ्खला | ||
Scots Gaelic slabhraidh | ||
Sepedi tšhaene | ||
Serbian ланац | ||
Sesotho ketane | ||
Shona cheni | ||
Sindhi سلسلو | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) දාමය | ||
Slovak reťaz | ||
Slovenian veriga | ||
Somali silsilad | ||
Spanish cadena | ||
Sundanese ranté | ||
Swahili mnyororo | ||
Swedish kedja | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) kadena | ||
Tajik занҷир | ||
Tamil சங்கிலி | ||
Tatar чылбыр | ||
Telugu గొలుసు | ||
Thai เชื่อมต่อ | ||
Tigrinya ሰንሰለት | ||
Tsonga nketana | ||
Turkish zincir | ||
Turkmen zynjyr | ||
Twi (Akan) kyen | ||
Ukrainian ланцюжок | ||
Urdu زنجیر | ||
Uyghur زەنجىر | ||
Uzbek zanjir | ||
Vietnamese chuỗi | ||
Welsh cadwyn | ||
Xhosa ikhonkco | ||
Yiddish קייט | ||
Yoruba pq | ||
Zulu uchungechunge |
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | "Ketting" may also refer to a group of dancers in a line or circle holding hands, especially in folk dancing. |
| Albanian | The Albanian word "zinxhir" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰenǵʰ-, meaning "to bind". |
| Amharic | The word ሰንሰለት (chain) can also refer to a series of connected events or circumstances. |
| Arabic | 'سلسلة' in Arabic not only means 'chain' but also 'series' or 'lineage'. |
| Armenian | The Armenian word "շղթա" (chain) is ultimately derived from the Greek word "σειρά" (chain) or the Latin word "series" (row). |
| Azerbaijani | The word "zəncir" is derived from the Persian word "zanjīr" which also means "chain" and ultimately derives from the Sanskrit word "śṛṅkhala" meaning "chain". |
| Basque | Katea also means "bond" or "tie" in a metaphoric sense, e.g., marriage or friendship. |
| Belarusian | The word "ланцужок" can also refer to a small chain or a necklace. |
| Bengali | চেইন (chain) is a borrowing from English and can also mean 'a series of connected things or events' |
| Bosnian | The word "lanac" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*lъnъ", which also means "rope". This suggests that chains were originally made of rope or other fibrous materials. |
| Bulgarian | The word "верига" can also refer to a group of people who are connected or dependent on each other. |
| Catalan | The word 'cadena' in Catalan can also refer to a string of characters or a sequence of events. |
| Cebuano | The word "kadena" in Cebuano shares the same etymology with "cadena" in Spanish, which itself is derived from the Latin word "catena" meaning "a chain". |
| Chinese (Simplified) | The Chinese character "链" (liàn) originally referred to a string of metal links but has extended its meaning to include any connected series or group. |
| Chinese (Traditional) | In addition to its meaning "chain," 鏈 can also refer to a chain of linked rings or a series of connected things. |
| Corsican | In Corsican, "catena" also refers to a line of people or animals, or a row of trees. |
| Croatian | The word "lanac" also means "acre" in the context of land measurement. |
| Czech | The word "řetěz" is derived from Proto-Slavic "*retъ" meaning "order, row, series" and is related to words such as "řád" (order) and "řádka" (line). |
| Danish | In Old Norse, "lænke" meant "to link" |
| Dutch | The word "ketting" in Dutch can also refer to a series of mountains or hills. |
| Esperanto | Ĉeno also means 'chain of thought' and is used similarly to the English word 'thread'. |
| Estonian | The word "kett" is derived from the Proto-Finnic word *ketju and is related to the Finnish word "ketju" and the Hungarian word "kötö". |
| Finnish | In Finnish, the word 'ketju' is also used colloquially to describe the spread of information through gossip and social networks. |
| French | The word "chaîne" comes from the Latin "catena," meaning "chain," and also refers to a sequence of mountains or a television or radio broadcast network. |
| Frisian | The word 'ketting' also refers to a 'row of people' in Frisian. |
| Galician | The word "cadea" likely derives from the Latin word "catena" or the Proto-Celtic word "katus" both meaning "chain" |
| Georgian | The Georgian word "ჯაჭვი" can refer to both an actual chain or to a metaphorical "entanglement" or "burden". |
| German | The word "Kette" traces back to the Ancient Greek word "seira" meaning "cord"} |
| Greek | The word "αλυσίδα" is derived from the Greek verb "αλύειν" (to ward off) and the suffix "-α" (female agent). It can also refer to a sequence of connected events or a series of linked objects. |
| Gujarati | The word "સાંકળ" can also mean a "line" or a "connection" in Gujarati. |
| Haitian Creole | The etymology of "chèn" remains uncertain; it may come from the French word "chaîne," but the influence of "cheine," a term for a horsehair bridle that was recorded in Creole in 1762, is possible too. |
| Hausa | In some contexts, "sarka" can refer to a string of pearls. |
| Hawaiian | The Hawaiian word "kaulahao" also refers to a plant used in traditional medicine and a traditional method of catching fish using a noose. |
| Hebrew | The word "שרשרת" (chain) is derived from the root "שר" (to bind) and the suffix "-ת" (female noun), indicating a "binding thing." |
| Hindi | The word "जंजीर" is derived from the Sanskrit word "जंजीरिका," meaning "a series of connected links". |
| Hmong | Historically, the word "txoj saw hlau" was used to describe metal chains used to link together ox carts. |
| Hungarian | The word "lánc" in Hungarian, meaning "chain" can also refer to a link or a part of a series. |
| Icelandic | The word 'keðja' in Icelandic is derived from the Old Norse term 'keðja', meaning 'a series of linked rings' or 'a bond' |
| Igbo | The Igbo word 'yinye' can also mean 'rope' or 'cord'. |
| Indonesian | The word 'rantai' (chain) derives from the Sanskrit word 'rantika', meaning 'bond' or 'fetter'. |
| Irish | The Irish word "slabhra" can also refer to a link or bond, or a series of linked events. |
| Italian | The Latin word 'catena' means not only 'chain' but also 'link' and 'connection'. |
| Japanese | The word "鎖" can also mean "lock" or "to lock" in Japanese. |
| Javanese | In Javanese, the word "rante" can also refer to a series of interconnected events or a succession of things. |
| Kannada | In Kannada, the word "ಸರಪಳಿ" can also refer to a series of events or situations that are interconnected. |
| Kazakh | The word "шынжыр" can also refer to a bond between people or a necklace. |
| Korean | 체인 is borrowed from English and can also mean a necklace or bracelet. |
| Kurdish | The word “merbend” means “chain” in Kurdish, but it also refers to a type of fabric known as “merben” in Persian, used for making clothes and tents. |
| Kyrgyz | The word "чынжыр" was originally borrowed from Mongolian, meaning "fetter." |
| Latin | The Latin word "torque" also referred to a twisted necklace worn as a symbol of honor or rank. |
| Latvian | The Latvian word “ķēde” is a cognate of the Sanskrit word “śṛṅkhala” and also has other meanings, such as “order” and “group”. |
| Lithuanian | In Lithuanian, "grandinė" also refers to a type of dance in which participants form a long line holding hands and perform various steps. |
| Luxembourgish | In Luxembourgish, "Kette" also means "line" as in "queue" or "line of text." |
| Macedonian | The word “ланец” may also refer to the rank of the soldier who wore chain armour. |
| Malagasy | The Malagasy word "rojo" can also mean "string" or "rope". |
| Malay | The Malay word "rantai" is of Sanskrit origin, meaning "bound together" |
| Malayalam | The Malayalam word "ചങ്ങല" is also used to refer to a series of interlinked people or things, similar to the English idiom "chain of command". |
| Maltese | The Maltese word "katina" comes from the Arabic "qatina", meaning "fetter". It can also refer to a prison or a period of imprisonment. |
| Maori | The word 'mekameka' can also mean to join or unite. |
| Marathi | The Marathi word 'साखळी' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'शृंखला', meaning 'chain' or 'series'. |
| Mongolian | The word "гинж" (chain) also means "line" or "stripe" in Mongolian. |
| Nepali | The word "चेन" also means "an ornamental necklace" in Nepali. |
| Norwegian | "Kjede" can also refer to a gang or a string of beads. |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | The word "unyolo" can also refer to a "line" or a "row" in Nyanja. |
| Pashto | The word "ځنځیر" originates from the Persian word "زنجیر" (zanjīr), which in turn derives from the Old Persian word "zangišara" (a chain forged of iron), ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root "*gʰeng-/*gʰengʰ-" (to bind, fetter). |
| Persian | "زنجیر" (Zanjir) originally meant "shackle" and later came to be used for "chain." |
| Polish | In Polish, "łańcuch" is a homonym for a "chain" or a "chain of command". |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | The word "corrente" in Portuguese also means "electric current" and "trend or fashion" |
| Punjabi | The word "ਚੇਨ" (chain) in Punjabi also refers to a kind of musical instrument, a type of necklace, and a unit of measurement for land. |
| Romanian | The Romanian word "lanţ" originated from the Latin word "vinculum" meaning "bond" or "fetter". |
| Russian | The Russian word "цепь" can also refer to "a succession of events" or "a group of people united by a common interest." |
| Samoan | The 'i' in 'filifili' derives from 'fili', 'to plait', indicating its original use as a braided chain. |
| Scots Gaelic | The word "slabhraidh" is cognate with the Irish word "slabra" and the Welsh word "slafr", all meaning "chain", and is thought to be derived from the Proto-Celtic word *slabro-. |
| Serbian | The word 'ланац' also means 'link' or 'ring' |
| Sesotho | The word "ketane" in Sesotho can also refer to a fence, boundary, or barrier. |
| Shona | In the Shona language, the word "cheni" not only refers to a chain, but also to a group of people who are closely connected. |
| Sindhi | In addition to chain, "سلسلو" also means "series" or "succession" in Sindhi. |
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | The word "දාමය" in Sinhala can also refer to a garland, a necklace, a thread, or a rope. |
| Slovak | The word "reťaz" can also refer to a set of interconnected items or a logical sequence. |
| Slovenian | "Veriga" also means "rope" or "series" in Slovenian. |
| Somali | The word "silsilad" is also used in Somali to refer to a "family lineage" or "genealogy". |
| Spanish | Spanish word "cadena" derives from Latin "catena" meaning "chain" but also refers to a "radio or TV network". |
| Sundanese | The word "ranté" can also refer to the series of hills in Sundanese-speaking areas, such as the "Ranté Rantil" ridge in Cianjur, West Java. |
| Swahili | "Mnyororo" also refers to a connected series of people or things, or a succession of events. |
| Swedish | The word "kedja" also means "range" or "series" in Swedish, and is related to the German word "Kette" and the English word "chain". |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | "Kadena" is a Spanish word that was introduced to Tagalog during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, as it is the word for "chain" in Spanish. |
| Tajik | The word "занҷир" in Tajik is ultimately derived from the Persian word "زنجیر" (zanjīr), which in turn is derived from the Greek word "σείρα" (seira), meaning "string" or "rope". |
| Tamil | The Tamil word சங்கிலி (chain) originates from the Sanskrit word "sanghili," which refers to a group or assembly. |
| Telugu | గొలుసు is a Telugu word derived from the Dravidian root *kol-, meaning 'string, thread' and is cognate with 'collar'. |
| Thai | เชื่อมต่อ can also refer to a link or connection. |
| Turkish | "Zincir" also refers to a type of Ottoman armor that resembles a chain shirt or a type of Ottoman battle formation. |
| Ukrainian | The word `ланцюжок` is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *ľantъ*, meaning 'chain' or 'fetter'. |
| Urdu | The Urdu word "زنجیر" (chain) is derived from the Persian word "زنجیر" (chain) and the Arabic word "سلسلة" (chain). |
| Uzbek | In Uzbek, "zanjir" primarily means "chain", but can also refer to "shackles" or "handcuffs". |
| Vietnamese | "Chuỗi" is also a word for "string" (like "a string of beads"), "sequence", or "series" in Vietnamese. |
| Welsh | The Welsh word "cadwyn" is derived from the Proto-Celtic root *kad-, meaning "bind" or "tie". |
| Xhosa | "Ikhokonco" is derived from the word "khokonco" (a knot), emphasizing the interconnectedness and unbreakable bond represented by a chain. |
| Yiddish | The Yiddish word 'koyt' (קייט) can also mean 'link' or 'connection' |
| Yoruba | "Pq" also means "to carry" or "to take along" in Yoruba. |
| Zulu | The word “uchungechunge” also means “a series of connected events or circumstances” in Zulu. |
| English | The word "chain" originated from the Old French word "chaine" and Latin word "catena," meaning "a fetter" or "bond." |