Cup in Different Languages
Discover 'Cup' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
A 'cup' is a common object in our daily lives, yet its significance and cultural importance cannot be overstated. From holding our morning coffee to measuring ingredients in a recipe, cups are an essential part of our routines. But did you know that the word 'cup' has fascinating translations in different languages?
For instance, in Spanish, a cup is called 'taza,' and in French, it's 'tasse.' These translations not only offer insight into the linguistic diversity of the world but also highlight the cultural significance of this seemingly simple object. In Japan, for example, the tea ceremony, which involves preparing and serving tea in a cup called 'chawan,' is a cherished cultural tradition that embodies harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility.
Understanding the translations of 'cup' in different languages can enrich our appreciation of the object's cultural importance and deepen our connection to the global community. So, let's explore some of the intriguing translations of 'cup' in various languages!
Cup
Cup in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | beker | ||
| The word beker in Afrikaans, a borrowing from Dutch, is derived from Anglo-Germanic *bikarijaz, a cognate of English “beaker.” | |||
| Amharic | ኩባያ | ||
| The word “ኩባያ” could also be used to refer to a bowl-shaped musical instrument with a single membrane made of skin and played by beating with the hand. | |||
| Hausa | ƙoƙo | ||
| In Hausa, "ƙoƙo" also denotes a type of porridge made from either corn flour or millet flour, often taken as breakfast. | |||
| Igbo | iko | ||
| The word "iko" also refers to a type of divination using palm nuts. | |||
| Malagasy | kapoaka | ||
| The word "kapoaka" in Malagasy has also been used to refer to a small bowl or a container for drinking water. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chikho | ||
| The word "chikho" in Nyanja can also refer to a hole dug in the ground for storing grain. | |||
| Shona | mukombe | ||
| Mukombe can also refer to a type of calabash or gourd that is commonly used to serve drinks or as containers in traditional settings | |||
| Somali | koob | ||
| "Koob" can also refer to a type of traditional Somali hat or a unit of measurement for grain. | |||
| Sesotho | senoelo | ||
| The word "senoelo" in Sesotho has an alternate meaning of "a small bowl used to drink beer". | |||
| Swahili | kikombe | ||
| The word "kikombe" (cup) in Swahili can also refer to a type of traditional drinking vessel made from a gourd. | |||
| Xhosa | indebe | ||
| The Xhosa word "indebe" also means "debt" or "obligation." | |||
| Yoruba | ife | ||
| The Yoruba word "ife" can also refer to a calabash or a bowl, and is related to the Igbo word "ife" meaning "cup" or "bowl". | |||
| Zulu | inkomishi | ||
| Inkominishi derives from the isiZulu word 'koma,' meaning 'hold' or 'contain'. | |||
| Bambara | bɔli | ||
| Ewe | kplu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | igikombe | ||
| Lingala | kopo | ||
| Luganda | ekikopo | ||
| Sepedi | komiki | ||
| Twi (Akan) | kuruwa | ||
Cup in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | كوب | ||
| "كوب" means "glass" in Egyptian Arabic; the word "mug" is used in the Levant and the Gulf region instead. | |||
| Hebrew | גָבִיעַ | ||
| The word "גָבִיעַ" is also associated with the root "גבה" (to lift) due to its elevated shape, emphasizing its use for collecting or storing liquids. | |||
| Pashto | پياله | ||
| The term "پياله" in Pashto is of Persian origin and has a secondary meaning of a type of traditional Iranian music. | |||
| Arabic | كوب | ||
| "كوب" means "glass" in Egyptian Arabic; the word "mug" is used in the Levant and the Gulf region instead. | |||
Cup in Western European Languages
| Albanian | filxhan | ||
| Filxhan is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *pel- (*to fill) and is cognate with the English word "full". | |||
| Basque | kopa | ||
| The word 'kopa' also refers to a type of tree found in the forests of the Basque Country. | |||
| Catalan | tassa | ||
| The word "tassa" in Catalan also refers to a tax or duty levied on goods or services. | |||
| Croatian | kupa | ||
| The Croatian word "kupa" shares the same Indo-European root as the Germanic word "cup" and English "coop". | |||
| Danish | kop | ||
| The word "kop" in Danish can also refer to a small hill or mound. | |||
| Dutch | kop | ||
| In Dutch, "kop" can also refer to the head or top of something, including a person's head or a mountaintop. | |||
| English | cup | ||
| The word 'cup' comes from the Middle English word 'cupe' meaning 'a drinking vessel', which itself derives from the Old French word 'cupe'. | |||
| French | coupe | ||
| In French, the word "coupe" not only means "cup", but also refers to a traditional haircut that results in a bowl-like shape. | |||
| Frisian | kop | ||
| The Frisian word "kop" also has the alternate meaning of "head", likely derived from the shape of the human skull. | |||
| Galician | cunca | ||
| The Proto-Indo-European origin of "cunca" is related to an object to contain liquids | |||
| German | tasse | ||
| "Tasse" also means "bag" or "pocket" in southern parts of Germany as well as in Switzerland and Austria. | |||
| Icelandic | bolli | ||
| Bolli can also refer to a bowl with a handle used for serving soups and stews. | |||
| Irish | cupán | ||
| In Irish, "cupán" may also be used colloquially to refer to a small amount of alcohol, or to the vessel in which it is served. | |||
| Italian | tazza | ||
| In Italian, the word 'tazza' originally meant 'drinking vessel' and could refer to various types of cups, bowls, or goblets, but its usage has evolved over time to primarily denote a 'cup' used for drinking beverages. | |||
| Luxembourgish | coupe | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Coupe" can also refer to a "cupboard" or a "compartment." | |||
| Maltese | tazza | ||
| The Maltese word "tazza" comes from the Arabic "tazza", meaning "dish" or "drinking bowl", and is not related to the Italian "tazza", meaning "cup". | |||
| Norwegian | kopp | ||
| The word "kopp" also means "hole" or "opening" in Norwegian. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | copo | ||
| In the Portuguese language, "copo" means both "cup" and "a lot of something" (as an uncountable noun). | |||
| Scots Gaelic | cupa | ||
| "Cupa" in Scots Gaelic can also refer to a | |||
| Spanish | taza | ||
| The Spanish word "taza" comes from the Arabic word "tas", meaning "vessel" or "cup". It can also refer to a small pot or jar. | |||
| Swedish | kopp | ||
| In Swedish, "kopp" does not just mean "cup" but also "scarring". This is because in the old days people used to treat scars by inserting copper into the wound and then covering it with a cup. | |||
| Welsh | cwpan | ||
| The word "cwpan" in Welsh comes from the Proto-Celtic root *kupan-, meaning "hollow". | |||
Cup in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | кубак | ||
| In Old Belarusian, the word "кубак" could also refer to a type of musical instrument, a goblet-shaped wind instrument. | |||
| Bosnian | šalica | ||
| The word "šalica" also means "saliva" in Bosnian, due to its shared root with the Old Slavic word "sъlza" ("tear"). | |||
| Bulgarian | чаша | ||
| The Bulgarian word "чаша" is a cognate of the English word "cup," and its primary meaning is "cup," although it can also refer to a bowl, goblet, or chalice. | |||
| Czech | pohár | ||
| The Czech word "pohár" comes from the Old Czech "počarovati", meaning "to enchant". | |||
| Estonian | tass | ||
| Estonian word "tass" is a loanword from Proto-Germanic language, where it meant "vessel" or "container". | |||
| Finnish | kuppi | ||
| "Kuppa" is a cognate of the Slavic word "kubok", both meaning "vessel" or "cup". | |||
| Hungarian | csésze | ||
| The Hungarian word "csésze" is also used to refer to the chalice of a flower or a particular anatomical cup. | |||
| Latvian | kauss | ||
| Also may mean 'goblet', 'chalice', 'tankard', 'mug', or 'vessel'. | |||
| Lithuanian | puodelis | ||
| The word "puodelis" is derived from the word "puodas", meaning "pot". | |||
| Macedonian | чаша | ||
| The word "чаша" also means "a bowl" or "a dish" in Macedonian, and is cognate with the English word "chalice". | |||
| Polish | puchar | ||
| The word "puchar" in Polish can also refer to a trophy or a chalice. | |||
| Romanian | ceașcă | ||
| In Romanian, the word “ceașcă” can also refer to a type of folk pottery decorated with a white glaze and colorful floral motifs. | |||
| Russian | чашка | ||
| The word "чашка" ultimately derives from the Proto-Slavic "*čьša", meaning "cup, bowl, or mug". | |||
| Serbian | шоља | ||
| In Serbian, the word 'шоља' ('cup') originates from the Turkic word 'çolhak' ('lame'), possibly due to the shape of early cups. | |||
| Slovak | pohár | ||
| The Slovak word "pohár" also means "trophy" or "glass" and is related to the Czech word "pohár" and the Proto-Slavic word "*pocharъ" (cup). | |||
| Slovenian | skodelico | ||
| The Slovene word for cup, "skodelico", may also refer to a cup-like depression or a bowl-shaped vessel. | |||
| Ukrainian | чашка | ||
| The word "чашка" can also refer to a type of Ukrainian folk dance typically performed by women. | |||
Cup in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | কাপ | ||
| The word "কাপ" derives from the Sanskrit word "कपः" (kapaḥ), meaning "cup, bowl, or dish." | |||
| Gujarati | કપ | ||
| In Gujurati 'કપ' can also refer to a unit for measuring dry grains or the lower portion of a saree tucked in and wrapped around as the final step. | |||
| Hindi | कप | ||
| The word "कप" (cup) in Hindi is cognate with the English word "cup" which originates from the Latin word "cuppa". | |||
| Kannada | ಕಪ್ | ||
| The word "ಕಪ್" (cup) in Kannada also means a unit of measurement equal to 200 grams or 8 handfuls. | |||
| Malayalam | കപ്പ് | ||
| The word "കപ്പ്" (cup) in Malayalam is derived from the Sanskrit word "कप" (cup), which is also the root of the English word "cup." | |||
| Marathi | कप | ||
| The term "कप" (cup) in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word "कुंभ" (kumbha), meaning "pot" or "vessel". It is also commonly used to refer to a coconut shell used for drinking water or religious ceremonies. | |||
| Nepali | कप | ||
| In Nepal, "कप" can also mean a bowl or a coconut shell, and is often used in religious ceremonies. | |||
| Punjabi | ਪਿਆਲਾ | ||
| The Punjabi word 'ਪਿਆਲਾ' ('pyaala') is derived from the Persian word 'پياله' ('pyāle'), which also means 'cup' and is used in several South Asian languages. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කුසලාන | ||
| The word "කුසලාන" can also refer to a cup-shaped vessel used for holding liquids, especially in a religious context. | |||
| Tamil | கோப்பை | ||
| The word "கோப்பை" in Tamil also refers to a type of musical instrument played with a bow. | |||
| Telugu | కప్పు | ||
| In Telugu, "కప్పు" also refers to the skull of a human or an animal. | |||
| Urdu | کپ | ||
| The term "کپ" (cup) is also a term in traditional Indian medicine and refers to a suction technique that can relieve pain, detoxify, and increase blood circulation. | |||
Cup in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 杯子 | ||
| In ancient Chinese, "杯子" (cup) could also refer to a small wine vessel or a drinking game. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 杯子 | ||
| 杯子 can also be a classifier denoting a measure of volume that is equal to one twelfth of a 斗, approximately 200 milliliters, often used for liquid medicine. | |||
| Japanese | カップ | ||
| カップ "cup" can also mean bra size in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 컵 | ||
| In South Korea, a type of ramen is also called 컵라면 (cup ramen), as it's sold in cups. | |||
| Mongolian | аяга | ||
| The word "аяга" in Mongolian can also refer to a bowl or a dish. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ခွက် | ||
| "ခွက်" in Myanmar can also refer to a bowl- or saucer-shaped object, a small container used to hold or measure something, or a ladle. | |||
Cup in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | cangkir | ||
| The word "cangkir" is derived from the Javanese word "cangkir", which means "to hold a cup". It is also used in Indonesian to refer to a small bowl or saucer. | |||
| Javanese | cangkir | ||
| **Cangkir** refers to a drinking cup, usually made of metal, and may also means a flower bud | |||
| Khmer | ពែង | ||
| The word "ពែង" can also mean "to wait" or "to expect" in Khmer. | |||
| Lao | ຈອກ | ||
| The Lao term "ຈອກ" can also refer to a glass or a goblet. | |||
| Malay | cawan | ||
| The Malay word "cawan" is cognate with the Sanskrit "cupa" meaning "large bowl", and the Javanese "cawak" meaning "saucer or bowl". | |||
| Thai | ถ้วย | ||
| The word "ถ้วย" (cup) in Thai can also refer to a type of traditional Thai boat. | |||
| Vietnamese | cốc | ||
| Cốc can also mean a person's character or virtue, with "cốc ngoan" meaning a good person and "cốc nhơ" a bad person. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tasa | ||
Cup in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | fincan | ||
| The word "fincan" in Azerbaijani is borrowed from Ottoman Turkish and Persian, where it means both "cup" and "small bowl used for serving desserts or appetizers." | |||
| Kazakh | кесе | ||
| The word "кесе" can also mean "pocket" or "bag" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | чөйчөк | ||
| In Kyrgyz, "чөйчөк" can also refer to a small depression in the ground where water accumulates, likely derived from the word's original meaning of "hollow". | |||
| Tajik | пиёла | ||
| The word "пиёла" is derived from the Persian word "پیاله" (pronounced "piyala"), which also means "cup". | |||
| Turkmen | käse | ||
| Uzbek | chashka | ||
| "Chashka" has the alternate meaning of "bowl" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | ئىستاكان | ||
Cup in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kīʻaha | ||
| "Kīʻaha" is an ancient Hawaiian word used to describe a large, shallow bowl used for multiple purposes, including serving food and holding liquids. | |||
| Maori | kapu | ||
| The Maori word "kapu" also means "taboo" or "forbidden." | |||
| Samoan | ipu | ||
| The word 'ipu' in Samoan can also refer to a coconut shell bowl or a canoe bailer. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | tasa | ||
| The word "tasa" is also used to refer to a drinking game or a type of gambling. | |||
Cup in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jaruchi | ||
| Guarani | kaguaka | ||
Cup in International Languages
| Esperanto | taso | ||
| The Esperanto word "taso" can also mean "bowl", "vase", or "goblet". | |||
| Latin | poculum | ||
| Latin "poculum" was also used to refer to a drink or a dose of medicine. | |||
Cup in Others Languages
| Greek | φλιτζάνι | ||
| The word φλιτζάνι comes from the Turkish word "filcan" which means "small cup". | |||
| Hmong | khob | ||
| The word "khob" in Hmong can also mean a dipper or a ladle, and is related to the Chinese word "guō" (鍋), meaning "pot". | |||
| Kurdish | tas | ||
| The word "tas" is a homophone in Kurdish, referring to both a cup and the head. | |||
| Turkish | fincan | ||
| The word "Fincan" in Turkish ultimately derives from the Persian word "pījāla" meaning "earthenware cup" or "a cup with a handle," which was borrowed into Venetian and then into Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | indebe | ||
| The Xhosa word "indebe" also means "debt" or "obligation." | |||
| Yiddish | גלעזל | ||
| The Yiddish word "גלעזל" (cup) is derived from the German word "Gläschen" (small glass). | |||
| Zulu | inkomishi | ||
| Inkominishi derives from the isiZulu word 'koma,' meaning 'hold' or 'contain'. | |||
| Assamese | কাপ | ||
| Aymara | jaruchi | ||
| Bhojpuri | कप | ||
| Dhivehi | ތަށި | ||
| Dogri | कप | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tasa | ||
| Guarani | kaguaka | ||
| Ilocano | tasa | ||
| Krio | kɔp | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کوپ | ||
| Maithili | कप | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯞ | ||
| Mizo | no | ||
| Oromo | waancaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କପ୍ | ||
| Quechua | upyana | ||
| Sanskrit | चषक | ||
| Tatar | чынаяк | ||
| Tigrinya | ኩባያ | ||
| Tsonga | khapu | ||