Chemical in Different Languages
Discover 'Chemical' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Chemicals are an integral part of our daily lives, playing a significant role in everything from the food we eat to the technology we use. The word 'chemical' itself comes from the ancient Egyptian word 'khem,' meaning 'black earth,' which was used to describe the fertile soil along the Nile River. This word eventually evolved into the Greek word 'chemia,' which referred to the art of transmuting metals. Today, the study of chemicals and their properties is known as chemistry.
Understanding the translation of the word 'chemical' in different languages can provide insight into how various cultures approach the study and use of chemicals. For example, in Spanish, 'chemical' is 'química,' while in German, it's 'Chemie.' In French, the word is 'chimie,' and in Japanese, it's 'كيمياء (kagaku),' which reflects the influence of Arabic and Chinese on the Japanese language. In Mandarin Chinese, the word is '化学 (huàxué),' which literally means 'transformative learning.'
By exploring the translations of the word 'chemical' in different languages, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the global impact of chemistry and the diverse ways in which different cultures approach this important field of study.
Chemical
Chemical in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | chemiese | ||
| The word "chemiese" comes from the Dutch word "chemisch," which in turn comes from the medieval Latin word "alchemia," meaning "alchemy." | |||
| Amharic | ኬሚካል | ||
| The Amharic word "ኬሚካል" (chemical) is derived from the Greek word "χημεία" (chēmeia), meaning "alchemy" or "chemistry." | |||
| Hausa | sinadarai | ||
| The word 'sinadarai' can also refer to medicine or drugs. | |||
| Igbo | kemikal | ||
| Igbo word for `chemical` is a loan word from English, pronounced as `kemikal` | |||
| Malagasy | zavatra simika | ||
| The Malagasy term 'zavatra simika' can also refer to medicine or drugs. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mankhwala | ||
| In some contexts, it can also refer to fertilizers and cleaning chemicals. | |||
| Shona | kemikari | ||
| The Shona word 'kemikari' also means 'a potion or charm' | |||
| Somali | kiimiko ah | ||
| The word "kiimiko ah" originated from the Arabic word "kemeya," which means "alchemy". | |||
| Sesotho | lik'hemik'hale | ||
| The Sesotho word "lik'hemik'hale" derives from the English word "chemical" and is also used to refer to medicines or pharmaceuticals. | |||
| Swahili | kemikali | ||
| The word 'kemikali' also means 'medicine' in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | imichiza | ||
| Imichiza (chemicals) may be derived from the word "umthikozo" (joy), because some of the herbs used traditionally to heal were considered to bring joy | |||
| Yoruba | kẹmika | ||
| The word "kẹmika" also means "potion" or "medicine" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | amakhemikhali | ||
| Amakhemikhali derives from the words “amakhemikhalo” (“poisons”) and “amakhemisi” (“medicines”), which speaks to the duality of the substance in question. | |||
| Bambara | kemikɛli | ||
| Ewe | atike si wotsɔ wɔa atike | ||
| Kinyarwanda | imiti | ||
| Lingala | biloko ya chimique | ||
| Luganda | eddagala eriweweeza ku bulwadde | ||
| Sepedi | khemikhale | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nnuru a wɔde yɛ nnuru | ||
Chemical in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | المواد الكيميائية | ||
| كلمات ذات جذر واحد مثل كيمياء الكيمياء والكيميائي مشتقة من الكلمة العربية خيمياء | |||
| Hebrew | כִּימִי | ||
| The Hebrew word "כִּימִי" (chemical) derives from the Greek word "χημεία" (alchemy), which in turn derives from the ancient Egyptian word "kēme" (black), referring to the fertile black soil along the Nile river. | |||
| Pashto | کیمیکل | ||
| The Pashto word "کیمیکل" (chemical) comes from the Arabic word "كيمياء" (alchemy), which in turn originates from the Greek word "χυμεία" (chemistry). | |||
| Arabic | المواد الكيميائية | ||
| كلمات ذات جذر واحد مثل كيمياء الكيمياء والكيميائي مشتقة من الكلمة العربية خيمياء | |||
Chemical in Western European Languages
| Albanian | kimike | ||
| The word “kimike” also refers to the study of alchemy | |||
| Basque | kimikoa | ||
| In Basque, "kimikoa" also means "medicine" or "remedy". | |||
| Catalan | química | ||
| Catalan "química" ultimately derives from the Arabic word "al-kīmiyā" meaning "alchemy", but can also refer to the Spanish "la química" meaning "the chemistry". | |||
| Croatian | kemijska | ||
| The word "kemijska" comes from the Greek word "χημεία" (khemeia), which originally meant "alchemy" or "metallurgy." | |||
| Danish | kemisk | ||
| The Danish word "kemisk" comes from the Arabic "al-kīmiyā", the name of the medieval pseudoscience alchemy. | |||
| Dutch | chemisch | ||
| In Dutch, "chemisch" can also mean "synthetic" or "artificial". | |||
| English | chemical | ||
| Its etymology comes from the Arabic word 'al-kīmiyā', which was derived from the Egyptian word 'chem', meaning 'black' | |||
| French | chimique | ||
| 'Chimique' derives from the Arabic 'kimiya', meaning 'alchemy'. | |||
| Frisian | gemysk | ||
| Gemyksk originates from the Arabic word ǧamīk, ultimately derived from the Greek word kēmikhē (τέχνη χημική). | |||
| Galician | química | ||
| German | chemisch | ||
| The word "chemisch" can also mean "alchemistic" in German. | |||
| Icelandic | efni | ||
| In the context of pharmaceuticals, "efni" can mean both "active ingredient" and "excipient". | |||
| Irish | ceimiceach | ||
| The word "ceimiceach" is a loanword from the English word "chemical" and is not related to the Irish word "ceimic" meaning "step". | |||
| Italian | chimica | ||
| The word "chimica" derives from the Arabic "al-kimia" which originally referred to alchemy, the precursor of chemistry. | |||
| Luxembourgish | chemesch | ||
| The word "chemesch" in Luxembourgish originates from the French word "chimie" and refers to the scientific study of matter and its properties. | |||
| Maltese | kimika | ||
| The word "kimika" is derived from the Arabic word "kimiya," which means "alchemy" or "transmutation of matter." | |||
| Norwegian | kjemisk | ||
| The word "kjemisk" is derived from the old Norse word "kjimi", meaning "alchemy" or "magic" and is related to the German word "Chemie" and the English word "chemistry". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | químico | ||
| In Portuguese, "químico" can also mean "pharmacist" or "chemist". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | ceimigeach | ||
| The word 'ceimigeach' (chemical) is derived from the Greek word 'chemia', meaning 'alchemy' or 'chemistry'. | |||
| Spanish | químico | ||
| The Spanish word "químico" derives from the Arabic word "al-kīmiyā", which refers to alchemy and early chemistry. | |||
| Swedish | kemisk | ||
| The word 'kemisk' in Swedish comes from the Arabic word 'kimya', meaning 'alchemy'. | |||
| Welsh | cemegol | ||
| The word "cemegol" comes from the Latin "chemeg" and the Greek "megos", meaning "great mixture". | |||
Chemical in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | хімічная | ||
| The word “хімічная” can also mean “dry cleaning” in Belarusian. | |||
| Bosnian | hemijski | ||
| The word "hemijski" comes from the Persian word "himi'a", meaning "alchemical." | |||
| Bulgarian | химически | ||
| The word «химически» in Bulgarian is derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *k̂hem-, meaning «to do, to make». | |||
| Czech | chemikálie | ||
| The Czech word "chemikálie" is derived from the Latin word "chemeia" and the Arabic word "al-kimia", and originally referred to alchemy and pharmacy. | |||
| Estonian | keemiline | ||
| Keemiline can also refer to "pharmaceuticals" in Estonian, but is more commonly used to refer to "chemical" substances. | |||
| Finnish | kemiallinen | ||
| The Finnish word 'kemiallinen' also means 'synthetic' and comes from the Swedish word 'kemisk' meaning 'chemical'. | |||
| Hungarian | kémiai | ||
| The Hungarian word 'kémiai' is derived from the Arabic word 'kīmiyā', which originally referred to alchemy. | |||
| Latvian | ķīmiskais | ||
| "ķīmiskais" means "related to chemistry" in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | cheminis | ||
| The word "cheminis" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *kʰēm-, meaning "to mix". | |||
| Macedonian | хемиски | ||
| В античко време хемија (алхемија, грчки: χυμεία), било која промена материјала (πράγματα). | |||
| Polish | chemiczny | ||
| "Chemiczny" can also mean "relating to alchemy" and comes from the Greek word "χημεία". | |||
| Romanian | chimic | ||
| In Romanian, "chimic" can also be used to describe a person who makes or sells chemicals. | |||
| Russian | химический | ||
| The word "химический" comes from the Greek "χυμεία" (chymeia), meaning "alchemy" or "chemistry". | |||
| Serbian | хемијска | ||
| The word "хемијска" comes from the Greek word "χημεία" (khemia), which originally meant "alchemy". | |||
| Slovak | chemická látka | ||
| In Slovak, "chemická látka" can refer to a chemical substance, a chemical element, or a chemical compound. | |||
| Slovenian | kemična | ||
| The word kemična (chemical) comes from the German word “Chemie” and originally meant alchemy. | |||
| Ukrainian | хімічна | ||
| The word "хімічна" can also refer to a type of bread in Ukrainian. | |||
Chemical in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | রাসায়নিক | ||
| The word "রাসায়নিক" (chemical) derives from the Arabic word "الكيمياء" (alchemy), and originally referred to the process of transforming base metals into gold. | |||
| Gujarati | રાસાયણિક | ||
| The word | |||
| Hindi | रासायनिक | ||
| The term "रासायनिक" (chemical) is derived from the Arabic word "al-kimia," which means "alchemy" or "the science of transformation." | |||
| Kannada | ರಾಸಾಯನಿಕ | ||
| The word "ರಾಸಾಯನಿಕ" comes from the Sanskrit word "रसायन" which means "mercury" or "alchemy." | |||
| Malayalam | രാസവസ്തു | ||
| The word 'രാസവസ്തു' in Malayalam can also refer to a poison or an enchantment. | |||
| Marathi | रासायनिक | ||
| The word 'रासायनिक' is also used to describe an element or a compound that is used in chemistry. | |||
| Nepali | रासायनिक | ||
| The Nepali word "रासायनिक" (chemical) is derived from the Sanskrit word "रसायन" (rasayana), which means "alchemy" or "the study of alchemy." | |||
| Punjabi | ਰਸਾਇਣਕ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | රසායනික | ||
| රසායනික is derived from the Tamil word 'rasa', meaning essence, and the Sanskrit word 'ayanika', meaning 'relating to'. | |||
| Tamil | இரசாயன | ||
| "இரசாயன" also refers to alchemy and the art of transforming base materials into precious ones. | |||
| Telugu | రసాయన | ||
| "రసాయన" also refers to a particular style of poetry in Telugu literature. | |||
| Urdu | کیمیائی | ||
| Urdu word "کیمیائی" is derived from the Arabic word "al-kimiya", which referred to alchemy and not modern chemistry. | |||
Chemical in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 化学的 | ||
| "化学的"一词在中文里还可表示"人工合成的"或"与化学有关的"之意。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 化學的 | ||
| 「化學的」來自「化學」，指物質的組成、性質和變化，以及相關的科學和技術。 | |||
| Japanese | 化学薬品 | ||
| 化学薬品 is derived from "alchemy medicine" in Chinese | |||
| Korean | 화학 | ||
| The Korean word "화학" is derived from the Japanese word "化学", which is itself derived from the Chinese word "化学". The Chinese word, in turn, is a compound of the characters "火" (fire) and "学" (study), and originally referred to the study of alchemy. | |||
| Mongolian | химийн | ||
| The Mongolian word "химийн" can also refer to "chemistry" or "chemical reactions." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဓာတုပစ္စည်း | ||
Chemical in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | bahan kimia | ||
| The word "bahan kimia" in Indonesian can also be translated to "ingredient" when referring to food or makeup. | |||
| Javanese | kimia | ||
| The word "kimia" in Javanese can also refer to alchemy, the medieval forerunner of chemistry. | |||
| Khmer | គីមី | ||
| The word "គីមី" also means "alchemy" in Khmer. | |||
| Lao | ສານເຄມີ | ||
| Malay | bahan kimia | ||
| "Bahan kimia" is literally translated as "material for magic", as "bahan" means "material" and "kimia" is derived from Sanskrit, meaning "alchemy". | |||
| Thai | สารเคมี | ||
| The Thai word “สารเคมี” is used to describe both chemical elements and compounds, whereas in English, the word “chemical” is only used for compounds. | |||
| Vietnamese | hóa chất | ||
| "Hóa chất" is not a single Vietnamese word but two: "hóa" (to transform) and "chất" (substance). | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kemikal | ||
Chemical in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | kimyəvi | ||
| The word "kimyəvi" is derived from the Arabic word "kīmiyāʾ", which originally referred to alchemy, a pseudoscientific practice combining elements of chemistry, metallurgy, physics, medicine, astrology, semiyotics, mysticism, and spiritualism. | |||
| Kazakh | химиялық | ||
| The word "химиялық" in Kazakh can also be used to refer to "a chemical substance" or "a chemical reaction". | |||
| Kyrgyz | химиялык | ||
| The word "химиялык" can also refer to "alchemy" in Kyrgyz, reflecting the historical connection between these fields. | |||
| Tajik | кимиёвӣ | ||
| Кимёвӣ is also a term to describe alchemy, which was considered an early form of chemistry. | |||
| Turkmen | himiki | ||
| Uzbek | kimyoviy | ||
| The Uzbek word "kimyoviy" shares the same root as the word "alchemy" and also has the meaning of "magical" or "supernatural". | |||
| Uyghur | خىمىيىلىك | ||
Chemical in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kemika | ||
| The Hawaiian word `kemika` can also mean `chemistry`. | |||
| Maori | matū | ||
| "Ma-tu" is the Maori word for water and is an ingredient in many traditional Maori potions. | |||
| Samoan | vailaʻau | ||
| The term 'vailaʻau' is also used in Samoan to refer to traditional healing practices and medicinal plants, highlighting its deep cultural significance beyond its modern scientific meaning. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kemikal | ||
| "Kemikal" comes from the Spanish word "químico" and can also mean "chemist" in Tagalog. | |||
Chemical in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | químico ukampi | ||
| Guarani | químico rehegua | ||
Chemical in International Languages
| Esperanto | kemia | ||
| The word "kemia" in Esperanto comes from the Arabic word "al-kīmiyā", meaning "alchemy". It is also related to the English word "chemistry", meaning "the science of the properties, composition, and behavior of matter." | |||
| Latin | eget | ||
| The word 'eget' can also mean 'to lack' or 'to need' in Latin. | |||
Chemical in Others Languages
| Greek | χημική ουσία | ||
| Χημική ουσία is a loanword from the Arabic "kimiya" via the Italian "chimica", ultimately derived from the Ancient Egyptian "kēme" (black soil). | |||
| Hmong | tshuaj lom neeg | ||
| The term "tshuaj lom neeg" in Hmong is also used to refer to "poison" or "toxic substances." | |||
| Kurdish | şîmyawî | ||
| "Şîmyawî" köken olarak Arapça "sîmîyâ" sözcüğünden gelir ve "gizlilik" anlamına gelir. | |||
| Turkish | kimyasal | ||
| "Kimyasal" kelimesi Arapça "kimiya"dan gelir ve hem "kimya" hem de "simya" anlamlarına sahiptir. | |||
| Xhosa | imichiza | ||
| Imichiza (chemicals) may be derived from the word "umthikozo" (joy), because some of the herbs used traditionally to heal were considered to bring joy | |||
| Yiddish | כעמיש | ||
| In Hebrew, the word "chemical" is spelled "כימיקל", while in Yiddish it is spelled "כעמיש". | |||
| Zulu | amakhemikhali | ||
| Amakhemikhali derives from the words “amakhemikhalo” (“poisons”) and “amakhemisi” (“medicines”), which speaks to the duality of the substance in question. | |||
| Assamese | ৰাসায়নিক | ||
| Aymara | químico ukampi | ||
| Bhojpuri | केमिकल के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ކެމިކަލް އެވެ | ||
| Dogri | रसायन दा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kemikal | ||
| Guarani | químico rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | kemikal | ||
| Krio | kemikal | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کیمیایی | ||
| Maithili | रासायनिक | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯦꯃꯤꯀꯦꯜ ꯑꯣꯏꯕꯥ ꯌꯥꯏ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | chemical hmanga siam a ni | ||
| Oromo | keemikaalaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ରାସାୟନିକ | ||
| Quechua | químico nisqa | ||
| Sanskrit | रासायनिक | ||
| Tatar | химик | ||
| Tigrinya | ኬሚካላዊ ምዃኑ’ዩ። | ||
| Tsonga | tikhemikhali | ||