Dust in Different Languages
Discover 'Dust' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Dust: it's a simple word, yet it holds a world of significance. A tiny particle, almost invisible to the naked eye, yet it can paint a picture of history, culture, and even the universe itself. Dust is a universal concept, a natural phenomenon that knows no borders, making its translation in different languages a fascinating exploration of global linguistics and cultural nuances.
Did you know that in ancient Egypt, dust was associated with the underworld and the dead? Or that in the Bible, dust is often used to symbolize human frailty and mortality? And in astronomy, the dust between stars plays a crucial role in the formation of new solar systems.
Given its rich historical and cultural contexts, it's no surprise that the word 'dust' has been translated into various languages, each with its unique connotations and cultural significance.
Here are some translations of the word 'dust' in different languages: English - dust, Spanish - polvo, French - poussière, German - Staub, Italian - polvere, Chinese - 尘埃 (chén'āi), Japanese - 塵 (chiri), Korean - 먼지 (meonji), Arabic - غبار (ghubār), Hindi - धूल (dhūl), and many more.
Dust
Dust in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | stof | ||
| The Afrikaans word "stof" is cognate with the Dutch "stof", meaning "material", "substance", or "matter". | |||
| Amharic | አቧራ | ||
| "አቧራ" can also mean "a small particle of something." | |||
| Hausa | kura | ||
| Hausa "kura" also denotes an "empty, vacant space; emptiness, waste"; and in figurative, philosophical sense "nothingness." | |||
| Igbo | ájá | ||
| Igbo word 'ájá' also means 'sand', 'dirt', 'ashes' or 'decayed substance'. | |||
| Malagasy | vovoka | ||
| In Malagasy, "vovoka" can also refer to "pollen" or "ash". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | fumbi | ||
| The word "fumbi" also means "powder" or "ash" in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | guruva | ||
| In Old Shona, 'guruva' referred to the dust that comes off grinding stones. It later came to mean 'just dust' or 'dirt'. | |||
| Somali | boodh | ||
| Boodh is also a name used for the dust raised by wind and animals. | |||
| Sesotho | lerōle | ||
| Due to the similarity in phonetic structure, 'lerōle' also translates to 'storybook' in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | vumbi | ||
| The word "vumbi" in Swahili can also refer to fine particles, such as those found in flour or powder. | |||
| Xhosa | uthuli | ||
| Uthuli can also refer to the ash or residue from something burnt. | |||
| Yoruba | eruku | ||
| Eruku ('dust') in Yoruba also means 'mist', and in the plural, 'sparks' | |||
| Zulu | uthuli | ||
| The word "uthuli" in Zulu can also refer to a type of plant that grows in sandy soil. | |||
| Bambara | buguri | ||
| Ewe | ʋuʋudedi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umukungugu | ||
| Lingala | putulu | ||
| Luganda | enfuufu | ||
| Sepedi | lerole | ||
| Twi (Akan) | mfuturo | ||
Dust in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | غبار | ||
| غبار also means 'dust raised by the winds' or 'dust accumulating on surfaces, such as furniture or plants'. | |||
| Hebrew | אָבָק | ||
| "אָבָק" also means "flower pollen" in Hebrew, due to its fine, powdery nature. | |||
| Pashto | دوړې | ||
| The Pashto word for dust, 'دوړې,' also refers to tiny particles or grains. | |||
| Arabic | غبار | ||
| غبار also means 'dust raised by the winds' or 'dust accumulating on surfaces, such as furniture or plants'. | |||
Dust in Western European Languages
| Albanian | pluhur | ||
| "Pluhur" is a Proto-Indo-European word cognate with the Latin “pulvis” ('dust') and the Armenian “piln” ('chaff'). | |||
| Basque | hautsa | ||
| The Basque word 'hautsa' can also refer to sand, powder or fine particles, and has an alternate meaning of 'dust' or 'dirt'. | |||
| Catalan | pols | ||
| In the Pyrenees mountains, the term "pols" can be used to refer to snow that accumulates on windy ridges. | |||
| Croatian | prah | ||
| Originally, "prah" referred to powdered medicine or dye, while "pepelo" meant dust, but in modern usage, "prah" has taken on "pepelo"'s original usage. | |||
| Danish | støv | ||
| "Støv" is derived from the Old Norse "stófr" which also meant both "powder" or "grain". | |||
| Dutch | stof | ||
| The Dutch word "stof" is thought to derive from an old Teutonic root meaning "powder" that also survives in the English word "staff". | |||
| English | dust | ||
| The word “dust” comes from the Old English word “dūst,” meaning “powder” or “small particles.” | |||
| French | poussière | ||
| The word 'poussière' can also refer to a fine powder or a light dusting of something. | |||
| Frisian | stof | ||
| The Frisian word "stof" can also refer to pollen, or to the small particles of a substance (e.g. wood, flour, sugar). | |||
| Galician | po | ||
| In Galician, "po" can also refer to pollen or fine powder. | |||
| German | staub | ||
| The word "Staub" in German can also refer to "bribe" or "commission". | |||
| Icelandic | ryk | ||
| The word "ryk" is also used to refer to a thin layer of ice that forms on surfaces during cold weather in Iceland. | |||
| Irish | deannach | ||
| "Deannach" is also an archaic Irish term for "a small fire" or "a spark". | |||
| Italian | polvere | ||
| The Italian word "polvere" derives from the Latin word "pulvis" (powder), and also means "gunpowder" in Italian. | |||
| Luxembourgish | stëbs | ||
| "Stëbs" can also be used to describe someone who is not very bright | |||
| Maltese | trab | ||
| The Maltese word "trab" is cognate with the Arabic word "turab" meaning "dust" or "soil", and also with the Hebrew word "afar" meaning "dust". | |||
| Norwegian | støv | ||
| The word "støv" is cognate with the English word "stow", as items stowed in storage often gather dust. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | poeira | ||
| The word "poeira" can also refer to fine particles of gunpowder or pollen. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | duslach | ||
| "Duslach" can also mean "a shower of rain" in Scots Gaelic. | |||
| Spanish | polvo | ||
| Polvo, Spanish for "dust," also means "powder" and "octopus" in this language. | |||
| Swedish | damm | ||
| In Swedish, the word "damm" can also refer to a small pool of water or a dam. | |||
| Welsh | llwch | ||
| The alternate meaning of "llwch" in Welsh is "ashes", with the latter meaning being more common in Southern Welsh. | |||
Dust in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | пыл | ||
| The word "пыл" can also refer to pollen in Belarusian. | |||
| Bosnian | prašina | ||
| "Prašina" is also used metaphorically to refer to someone who is insignificant or unimportant. | |||
| Bulgarian | прах | ||
| The word "прах" has Proto-Slavic origins, and shares a root with words for "ash" in other Slavic languages. | |||
| Czech | prach | ||
| The word "prach" in Czech comes from the Proto-Slavic term "perchъ" which also means "ashes." | |||
| Estonian | tolm | ||
| The word "tolm" is thought to be derived from the Proto-Baltic word | |||
| Finnish | pöly | ||
| The word "pöly" is derived from the Proto-Finnic word "*pülē", which also means "powder" or "flour". | |||
| Hungarian | por | ||
| The Hungarian word "por" can also mean "ash" or "powder". | |||
| Latvian | putekļi | ||
| The word "putekļi" can also mean "dirt" or "debris". | |||
| Lithuanian | dulkės | ||
| The word "dulkės" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*dʰul-," meaning "to shake, sift, or winnow."} | |||
| Macedonian | прашина | ||
| The word "прашина" also refers to the residue left on a surface after polishing, or to a fine powder used in cosmetics or medicine. | |||
| Polish | kurz | ||
| The Polish word "kurz" is derived from Old Church Slavonic and shares a root with the Latin "pulvis" (dust) and Greek "konis" (powder). | |||
| Romanian | praf | ||
| The word "praf" comes from the Turkish "parça", meaning "fragment" or "piece". In Romanian, it can also refer to sand, dirt, or ashes. | |||
| Russian | пыль | ||
| Слово "пыль" происходит от древнерусского слова "пыльца", которое означало мельчайшие крупинки земли, песка или снега. | |||
| Serbian | прашина | ||
| 'Прашина' ('dust') shares the same root with 'порох' ('gunpowder'), both originating from the Proto-Slavic word 'porxъ' ('small particles'). | |||
| Slovak | prach | ||
| The Slovak word "prach" is related to the Russian "porokh" (powder), derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*perk-" (to sprinkle, powder). | |||
| Slovenian | prah | ||
| The word "prah" also means "pollen" in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | пил | ||
| The word "пил" also means "saw" in Ukrainian, coming from the Proto-Slavic word "*pilъ" with the same meaning. | |||
Dust in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ধূলা | ||
| The word "ধূলা" (dhula) originally denoted a particular type of sacred ash used in religious rituals. | |||
| Gujarati | ધૂળ | ||
| "ધૂળ" can also mean "to cheat" or "to deceive" in Gujarati. | |||
| Hindi | धूल | ||
| The Hindi word 'धूल' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'dhūl', which means 'smoke' or 'powder'. | |||
| Kannada | ಧೂಳು | ||
| The word 'ಧೂಳು' in Kannada can also mean 'ashes' or 'powder'. | |||
| Malayalam | പൊടി | ||
| Malayalam 'പൊടി' can refer to 'ashes', 'powder', or 'pollen', and shares the same Dravidian root as words for 'dust' in Tamil and Kannada. | |||
| Marathi | धूळ | ||
| The word "धूळ" (dhūḷ) has a secondary meaning of "noise" or "disturbance" in the Marathi language. | |||
| Nepali | धुलो | ||
| The word "धुलो" also means "powder" in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਧੂੜ | ||
| The Punjabi noun 'ਧੂੜ' is also used as a verb to describe the act of sweeping or dusting. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | දුවිලි | ||
| 'දුවිලි' can be used metaphorically to refer to the worries that torment someone. | |||
| Tamil | தூசி | ||
| தூசி can also refer to the sand or fine particles found in water. | |||
| Telugu | దుమ్ము | ||
| The word దుమ్ము may derive from the Proto-Dravidian root *turu- "to whirl", implying its association with wind-driven particles. | |||
| Urdu | دھول | ||
| دھول (dust) is also a drum with two sides covered by hide, beaten at weddings in the Indian subcontinent and commonly known as a dhol in English. | |||
Dust in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 灰尘 | ||
| 灰尘 (huīchén) is an alternate word for 尘土 (chéntǔ), both referring to "dust". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 灰塵 | ||
| 灰塵 derives from an ancient Chinese concept of dust as something that 'darkens the skies' or 'blinds one's eyes'. | |||
| Japanese | ほこり | ||
| "ほこり" can also mean `pride` or `dignity` in Japanese | |||
| Korean | 먼지 | ||
| "먼지" also means 돈(don) (money) or a very small amount in Korean. | |||
| Mongolian | тоос | ||
| The word "тоос" can also mean "pollen" in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဖုန်မှုန့် | ||
Dust in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | debu | ||
| The word 'debu' also refers to 'pollen' and 'fine, dry particles in the air' in Indonesian. | |||
| Javanese | bledug | ||
| Bledug, meaning dust, is also an interjection of surprise or fear in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | ធូលី | ||
| In addition to its literal meaning, the Khmer word "ធូលី" can also be used figuratively to refer to "dirtiness" or "impurity." | |||
| Lao | ຂີ້ຝຸ່ນ | ||
| Malay | habuk | ||
| The word "habuk" in Malay means "dust" and is cognate with the Tagalog word "alikabok". | |||
| Thai | ฝุ่น | ||
| The word "ฝุ่น" can also mean "dirt" or "pollution" in Thai. | |||
| Vietnamese | bụi bặm | ||
| "Bụi" in Vietnamese can refer to dust from the air, dirt or grime, or figuratively to obstacles or disturbances. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | alikabok | ||
Dust in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | toz | ||
| The word "toz" also refers to the "fine powder" produced by grinding or crushing something. | |||
| Kazakh | шаң | ||
| The Kazakh word "шаң" (dust) is also used to refer to "dry powder" or "powdered soil". | |||
| Kyrgyz | чаң | ||
| The word "чаң" in Kyrgyz is also used to refer to a type of dust devil or sandstorm. | |||
| Tajik | чанг | ||
| The word "чанг" can also refer to a type of musical instrument commonly used in Central Asia. | |||
| Turkmen | tozan | ||
| Uzbek | chang | ||
| In Uzbek, "chang" is also used to refer to the process of filtering or sifting out impurities from substances. | |||
| Uyghur | چاڭ-توزان | ||
Dust in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | lepo | ||
| Lepo in Hawaiian can also mean "scab" or "crusted over sore". | |||
| Maori | puehu | ||
| Puehu is also used figuratively to refer to the remains of something destroyed or lost. | |||
| Samoan | efuefu | ||
| Efuefu is also a term of endearment or a way to show respect for an elder | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | alikabok | ||
| The Tagalog word "alikabok" has another meaning, which is "ashes of the dead." | |||
Dust in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | wulwu | ||
| Guarani | yvytimbo | ||
Dust in International Languages
| Esperanto | polvo | ||
| Esperanto's "polvo" has two meanings: "dust" and "male poultry". | |||
| Latin | pulvis | ||
| Pulvis, the Latin word for "dust," also refers to dry, powdered substances used in medicinal and cosmetic preparations. | |||
Dust in Others Languages
| Greek | σκόνη | ||
| The word "σκόνη" is also used to refer to the dust that is produced when something is ground or crushed. | |||
| Hmong | hmoov av | ||
| The word "hmoov av" can also refer to the dust particles that have settled on an object or surface. | |||
| Kurdish | toz | ||
| The word "toz" also means "powder" in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | toz | ||
| The Turkish word "toz" shares its root with the Persian word "toz" and the Arabic word "ghabar", all meaning "dust". | |||
| Xhosa | uthuli | ||
| Uthuli can also refer to the ash or residue from something burnt. | |||
| Yiddish | שטויב | ||
| In Yiddish, the word "שטויב" (shtoyb) not only means "dust" but also "powder" or "fine particles". | |||
| Zulu | uthuli | ||
| The word "uthuli" in Zulu can also refer to a type of plant that grows in sandy soil. | |||
| Assamese | ধুলি | ||
| Aymara | wulwu | ||
| Bhojpuri | धूल | ||
| Dhivehi | ހިރަފުސް | ||
| Dogri | खुक्खल | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | alikabok | ||
| Guarani | yvytimbo | ||
| Ilocano | tapok | ||
| Krio | dɔst | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | تۆز | ||
| Maithili | गर्दा | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯎꯐꯨꯜ | ||
| Mizo | vaivut | ||
| Oromo | awwaara | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଧୂଳି | ||
| Quechua | ñutu allpa | ||
| Sanskrit | धूलि | ||
| Tatar | тузан | ||
| Tigrinya | ኣቦራ | ||
| Tsonga | ritshuri | ||