Deer in Different Languages
Discover 'Deer' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Deer, known for their grace and agility, are one of the most admired creatures on the planet. They hold profound significance in various cultures, often symbolizing gentleness, sensitivity, and spiritual growth. For instance, in Celtic tradition, deer are revered as spiritual guides, while in Chinese culture, they represent abundance and prosperity.
Given their global distribution and cultural importance, understanding the translation of 'deer' in different languages can be a fascinating journey. For instance, in Spanish, 'deer' is 'ciervo'; in French, it's 'cerf'; in German, 'Reh' or 'Hirsch' depending on the species; and in Japanese, 'shika'.
Moreover, exploring these translations can provide insights into the unique relationships that different cultures have with this magnificent creature. So, let's delve into the world of 'deer' in various languages and cultures!
Deer
Deer in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | takbokke | ||
| The Afrikaans word "takbokke" is thought to be a corruption of the Dutch term "tamme bok", meaning "tame goat". | |||
| Amharic | አጋዘን | ||
| The Amharic word አጋዘን (deer) also means 'animal having a slender body and long legs' and 'an agile or swift-moving animal' | |||
| Hausa | barewa | ||
| The word "barewa" is also used as a nickname or a term of endearment for someone who is tall and slender. | |||
| Igbo | mgbada | ||
| The word "mgbada" also means "a type of drum" and is sometimes used as an idiom to refer to a beautiful woman. | |||
| Malagasy | serfa | ||
| The Malagasy word "serfa" (deer) likely derives from the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian word "*sarupa" (horse), as deer were not native to Madagascar until introduced by humans. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mbawala | ||
| "Mbawala" may also refer to an idiomatic expression meaning "a place of safety" or "a sanctuary." | |||
| Shona | nondo | ||
| The word "nondo" may also refer to a totemic animal associated with the Moyo clan. | |||
| Somali | deerada | ||
| In Somali, 'deerada' can also mean 'cattle', 'wealth' or 'property'. | |||
| Sesotho | likhama | ||
| The word "likhama" can also refer to a type of antelope known as the kudu. | |||
| Swahili | kulungu | ||
| In Swahili, 'kulungu' also denotes a wild goat or antelope. | |||
| Xhosa | ixhama | ||
| The word "Ixhama" in Xhosa can also refer to a type of antelope known as the impala. | |||
| Yoruba | agbọnrin | ||
| "Agbonrin" is the Yoruba word for a deer, but it can also mean "something that is very fast" or "a hunter." | |||
| Zulu | izinyamazane | ||
| The Zulu word "izinyamazane" shares the same root as the word for "star", implying a celestial connection to the animal. | |||
| Bambara | minan | ||
| Ewe | sẽ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | impongo | ||
| Lingala | mbuli | ||
| Luganda | empeewo | ||
| Sepedi | tshepe | ||
| Twi (Akan) | wansane | ||
Deer in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الغزال | ||
| The word الغزال is also used to refer to a slender man. | |||
| Hebrew | צְבִי | ||
| The Hebrew word "צְבִי" (deer) also means "beauty" or "splendor" in biblical Hebrew. | |||
| Pashto | هرن | ||
| The word "هرن" can also mean "a long and slender tree" or "the horn of an animal". | |||
| Arabic | الغزال | ||
| The word الغزال is also used to refer to a slender man. | |||
Deer in Western European Languages
| Albanian | dreri | ||
| In Albanian, the word "dreri" can also refer to a "place covered with trees", or a "forest". | |||
| Basque | orein | ||
| Basque orein, "deer", may derive from the proto-Basque or proto-Indo-European roots for the concept of "mountain". | |||
| Catalan | cérvols | ||
| "Cérvol" is also an archaic name for a type of medieval crossbow or the wooden beam it rested on while aiming. | |||
| Croatian | jelena | ||
| The word "jelena" also means "Helen" (the female given name) in Croatian. | |||
| Danish | hjort | ||
| The word 'hjort' comes from the Proto-Germanic word 'herta', meaning 'deer'. | |||
| Dutch | herten | ||
| "Herten" shares an etymology with the English word "horn," and is cognate with Old English "heorot" (stag). | |||
| English | deer | ||
| The word "deer" derives from Old English "dēor", a general term encompassing any non-domesticated hoofed animal inhabiting forests. | |||
| French | cerf | ||
| The word "cerf" in French comes from the Latin "cervus", which means "horned animal or beast". | |||
| Frisian | hart | ||
| Frisian "hart" is cognate with the English word "heart" and originally meant "strong". | |||
| Galician | cervos | ||
| In Galician, "cervos" derives from Latin "cervus" (deer) but also designates the first vertebra in animals. | |||
| German | hirsch | ||
| The word comes from Old High German | |||
| Icelandic | dádýr | ||
| The Icelandic word "dádýr" derives from the Old Norse word "dáðýri" and could mean "fawn" or "roe deer" in addition to "deer". | |||
| Irish | fianna | ||
| The word 'fianna' in Irish also means 'warband' or 'warrior' and is the root of the word 'fenian', referring to the Irish Republican movement. | |||
| Italian | cervo | ||
| The Italian word "cervo" has cognates in several other Indo-European languages, including Latin "cervus," Irish "ceirb," and English "hart." | |||
| Luxembourgish | réi | ||
| Réi is possibly derived from the Proto-Celtic words "reiksos" (king) or "reiks" (noble) that survive in Celtic languages as words referring to the male of an animal species or the male gender. | |||
| Maltese | ċriev | ||
| The word "ċriev" likely derives from the Arabic word "ahl", meaning "gazelle". | |||
| Norwegian | hjort | ||
| The name 'hjort' is cognate to the English word 'hart', which refers specifically to a male deer, and is derived from the Proto-Germanic word 'hertuz' or 'hertuza'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | veado | ||
| Scots Gaelic | fèidh | ||
| The word "fèidh" in Scots Gaelic can also refer to a deer fence. | |||
| Spanish | ciervo | ||
| The word "ciervo" in Spanish can also refer to a constellation, a type of fish, and a mythical creature. | |||
| Swedish | rådjur | ||
| In Sweden, "rådjur" also refers to the roe deer which belongs to the genus Capreolus. | |||
| Welsh | ceirw | ||
| In addition to the general meaning of "deer", "ceirw" can also refer specifically to "stag" or "male fallow deer." | |||
Deer in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | алені | ||
| "Алені" in Belarusian has been theorized to derive from the Proto-Slavic word *olьnь, which also meant deer. | |||
| Bosnian | jelena | ||
| There are several words in Croatian and Serbian for "deer", including "jelen", "košuta", and "srna". | |||
| Bulgarian | елен | ||
| The word "елен" in Bulgarian is derived from Proto-Slavic *olьnь, meaning "wild animal," and is cognate with the Latin "cervus," meaning "stag." | |||
| Czech | jelen | ||
| The word "Jelen" in Czech has alternate meanings of a "stag" or a "lover" | |||
| Estonian | hirved | ||
| The word "hirved" is derived from the Proto-Finnic root "*hirve" and also means "elk" in many Uralic languages | |||
| Finnish | peura | ||
| The word "peura" also refers to the "reindeer" species in Finnish. | |||
| Hungarian | szarvas | ||
| In Hungarian, "szarvas" refers to both deer and the city of Szentendre, the latter likely due to the proliferation of red deer antlers found in the area. | |||
| Latvian | brieži | ||
| In Latvian, the word for "deer" can also refer to elk, moose, or other large ungulates. | |||
| Lithuanian | elnias | ||
| The word "elnias" is cognate with the Latin "alces" and the Greek "ḗlakhos", meaning "elk" or "moose". | |||
| Macedonian | елен | ||
| The Macedonian word "елен" (deer) derives from the Proto-Slavic word *jeleṇь, meaning "strong one". | |||
| Polish | jeleń | ||
| "Jeleń" (deer) is also used in Polish to describe a kind of trap or a blockhead. | |||
| Romanian | cerb | ||
| Cerb (''deer'') shares the same root word as the Latin ''cervus'', but can also refer to ''elk'' or ''stag'' in certain contexts. | |||
| Russian | олень | ||
| The word "олень" can also refer to a type of chess piece analogous to the knight in western chess, a reindeer, or an elk. | |||
| Serbian | јелена | ||
| "Јелена" is also a common Serbian female name derived from the same Indo-European root. | |||
| Slovak | jeleň | ||
| The word "jeleň" is derived from a Proto-Slavic form meaning "horned animal". | |||
| Slovenian | srnjad | ||
| The Slovenian word "srnjad" is also used to refer to "game" in the sense of animals that are hunted for sport. | |||
| Ukrainian | олень | ||
| The Ukrainian word "олень" is cognate with the Latin word "alces", which refers to the moose. | |||
Deer in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | হরিণ | ||
| "হরিণ" is derived from Sanskrit "harin," which also means a "golden-colored horse." | |||
| Gujarati | હરણ | ||
| The Sanskrit word 'harina' is the origin of the Gujarati word 'હરણ', which refers to deer and also to the constellation Orion. | |||
| Hindi | हिरन | ||
| The word | |||
| Kannada | ಜಿಂಕೆ | ||
| The Kannada word “ಜಿಂಕೆ” may be derived from Sanskrit "mrga", which means "beast" or "animal." | |||
| Malayalam | മാൻ | ||
| The word "മാൻ" (deer) in Malayalam also means "pride, dignity, or self-respect." | |||
| Marathi | हरिण | ||
| The Marathi word "हरिण" derives from Sanskrit and originally referred to either a horse or a deer. | |||
| Nepali | हिरण | ||
| The word 'हिरण' (hiran) is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱr̥s-no-, meaning 'horned'. It is cognate with the Latin 'cornū', the Greek 'κέρας' (keras), and the English 'horn'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਹਿਰਨ | ||
| The word also refers to a kind of antelope in some dialects and a mythical being that resembles the griffin. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මුවා | ||
| The word "මුවා" (deer) is also used to refer to the constellation Orion in Sinhala. | |||
| Tamil | மான் | ||
| In Tamil, "மான்" (māṉ) can also refer to a type of grass; "மானம்" (māṉam) means "honour" or "self-respect". | |||
| Telugu | జింక | ||
| The word "జింక" comes from the Proto-Dravidian word "*cinka", meaning "animal with horns". | |||
| Urdu | ہرن | ||
| The Urdu word "ہرن" can also refer to a type of musical instrument used in classical music, specifically a stringed instrument similar to a violin. | |||
Deer in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 鹿 | ||
| "鹿" is pronounced as "lù" in Mandarin and also means "power" or "wealth". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 鹿 | ||
| The character "鹿" (deer) is also used as a radical in other Chinese characters related to animals or hunting. | |||
| Japanese | 鹿 | ||
| The word "鹿" (deer) in Japanese can also be used to represent the Japanese zodiac sign of the same animal, which is associated with the element of wood. | |||
| Korean | 사슴 | ||
| The word "사슴" (deer) is also used in Korean to refer to a constellation, a unit of measurement, and a traditional Korean dance. | |||
| Mongolian | буга | ||
| According to the book "Etymology of Mongolian Words" by Zundui, the root-word "буг" ("bug") means a "wild bull" (as in "bull of the wild") with its etymology likely tracing back to proto-Mongolic '*busun'. Alternatively, its etymology has been linked to '*buk', with '*busun' instead signifying "stag, elk". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သမင် | ||
| "သမင်" also refers to a legendary deer-like creature in Burmese folklore believed to have magical powers and to be a symbol of good luck and prosperity. | |||
Deer in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | rusa | ||
| In some regions, rusa can also refer to a type of large squirrel called a flying squirrel or a mouse deer (pelanduk). | |||
| Javanese | kijang | ||
| In Javanese, "kijang" can also refer to a species of bird, the common emerald dove. | |||
| Khmer | សត្វក្តាន់ | ||
| Lao | ກວາງ | ||
| The Lao word "ກວາງ" ("deer") is also used to describe anything of great size or beauty. | |||
| Malay | rusa | ||
| The Malay word "rusa" is cognate with the Sanskrit "ruru" and the Old Javanese "ruruś". | |||
| Thai | กวาง | ||
| The word "กวาง" can also refer to a kind of firework, a type of orchid, or a unit of measurement for precious stones. | |||
| Vietnamese | con nai | ||
| "Con nai" not only means "deer", but can also be used figuratively to refer to someone who is naive or gullible. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | usa | ||
Deer in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | maral | ||
| The word "maral" is of Proto-Turkic origin, meaning "wild goat". | |||
| Kazakh | бұғы | ||
| The word "бұғы" can also refer to the female of a camel or horse. | |||
| Kyrgyz | бугу | ||
| The word "бугу" can also be used to mean "a male mountain goat" or "a young ibex". | |||
| Tajik | охуи | ||
| The Tajik word "охуи" can also mean "male deer". | |||
| Turkmen | sugun | ||
| Uzbek | kiyik | ||
| The Uzbek word "kiyik" also means "bank" or "shore". | |||
| Uyghur | بۇغا | ||
Deer in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | dia | ||
| The word "dia" in Hawaiian also translates to "to look at" or "to admire the beauty of". | |||
| Maori | tia | ||
| The Maori word 'tia' also refers to a mythological creature that guards the forest. | |||
| Samoan | aila | ||
| The Samoan word "aila" can also refer to a kind of antelope native to Samoa. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | usa | ||
| The term "usa" can also refer to the meat of a deer as well as to the Philippine peso. | |||
Deer in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | sirwu | ||
| Guarani | guasu | ||
Deer in International Languages
| Esperanto | cervoj | ||
| The word "cervoj" in Esperanto is derived from the Latin word "cervus", meaning "deer", and also shares a root with the English word "cervine", meaning "relating to deer". | |||
| Latin | arietes | ||
| The Latin term "arietes," denoting deer, also alludes to a battering-ram, owing to their powerful antlers. | |||
Deer in Others Languages
| Greek | ελάφι | ||
| In ancient Greek, "ελάφι" could also refer to a type of wild goat or antelope, and was possibly derived from the word "άλφω" (alphō), meaning "to leap" or "to bound." | |||
| Hmong | tus mos lwj | ||
| No information found on the alternate meanings and etymology of the word "tus mos lwj" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | ahû | ||
| The word "ahû" may also refer to the colour white in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | geyik | ||
| The word "geyik" also means "foolish talk" or "nonsense" in Turkish slang. | |||
| Xhosa | ixhama | ||
| The word "Ixhama" in Xhosa can also refer to a type of antelope known as the impala. | |||
| Yiddish | הירש | ||
| The Yiddish word "הירש" (deer) also shares a root with the German word "Hirsch" (stag). | |||
| Zulu | izinyamazane | ||
| The Zulu word "izinyamazane" shares the same root as the word for "star", implying a celestial connection to the animal. | |||
| Assamese | হৰিণা | ||
| Aymara | sirwu | ||
| Bhojpuri | हरिन | ||
| Dhivehi | ފުއްލާ | ||
| Dogri | हिरन | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | usa | ||
| Guarani | guasu | ||
| Ilocano | usa | ||
| Krio | dia | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | مامز | ||
| Maithili | हरिन | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯖꯤ | ||
| Mizo | sakhi | ||
| Oromo | bosonuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ହରିଣ | ||
| Quechua | taruka | ||
| Sanskrit | मृग | ||
| Tatar | болан | ||
| Tigrinya | ድብ | ||
| Tsonga | mhala | ||