Ear in Different Languages
Discover 'Ear' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The ear, a small but vital organ, plays a significant role in our ability to perceive the world around us. It is through this organ that we are able to hear the sounds of laughter, music, and the voices of our loved ones. But the ear is not just a mere receiver of sound waves; it is also a symbol of cultural importance and historical significance.
Throughout history, the ear has been a subject of fascination in various cultures and societies. In ancient China, for example, the ear was believed to be connected to the heart, representing emotions and feelings. Meanwhile, in ancient Greece, the ear was associated with the god Hermes, the messenger of the gods, symbolizing communication and understanding.
Given its importance and symbolism, it's no wonder that people might be interested in knowing the translation of the word 'ear' in different languages. Here are some translations to pique your curiosity:
- French: oreille
- Spanish: oreja
- German: Ohr
- Italian: orecchio
- Japanese: 耳 (mimi)
- Chinese: 耳朵 (ěr duǒ)
Ear
Ear in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | oor | ||
| In the alternative spelling "or", the word "oor" means "war" in Afrikaans. | |||
| Amharic | ጆሮ | ||
| Besides the anatomical feature, ጆሮ has several metaphorical meanings including 'confidant', 'attendant', or 'witness' depending on the context. | |||
| Hausa | kunne | ||
| The Hausa word "kunne" also means "handle" or "grip". | |||
| Igbo | ntị | ||
| The Igbo word "ntị" not only signifies the auditory organ, but is also colloquially used to represent the act of paying attention | |||
| Malagasy | sofina | ||
| In Old Malayan, "sofina" means "to hear" and in Malagasy "sofina" additionally denotes the organ used to hear. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | khutu | ||
| The word "khutu" in Nyanja can also refer to a wooden spoon used for stirring food. | |||
| Shona | nzeve | ||
| Though "nzeve" usually means "ear," it can also mean a "corner" or "side (of a house)". | |||
| Somali | dhegta | ||
| The word "dhegta" is also used metaphorically to refer to a person's ability to listen and understand. | |||
| Sesotho | tsebe | ||
| The word "tsebe" can also mean "a person who is deaf" in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | sikio | ||
| Sikio is related to the Proto-Bantu word *kutu and Proto-Austronesian *talinga, both meaning "ear". | |||
| Xhosa | indlebe | ||
| 'Indlebe' likely originates from the Proto-Bantu root '*n(u)twe/lebe*, meaning 'ear', 'to hear' or 'to listen' | |||
| Yoruba | eti | ||
| The Yoruba word "eti" also means "side", "margin", or "edge". | |||
| Zulu | indlebe | ||
| "Indlebe" also refers to the external sides of an aircraft, and in the context of traditional music, it can mean a musical bow | |||
| Bambara | kulo | ||
| Ewe | to | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ugutwi | ||
| Lingala | litoyi | ||
| Luganda | okutu | ||
| Sepedi | tsebe | ||
| Twi (Akan) | aso | ||
Ear in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | أذن | ||
| The Arabic word "أذن" (ear) is also used to refer to the permission to do something, as in "أذن لي بالدخول" (permission to enter). | |||
| Hebrew | אֹזֶן | ||
| The Hebrew word "אֹזֶן" can also mean "handle" or "hook". | |||
| Pashto | غوږ | ||
| The word "غوږ" in Pashto has been used historically to mean "to listen" or "to hear" in addition to "ear" | |||
| Arabic | أذن | ||
| The Arabic word "أذن" (ear) is also used to refer to the permission to do something, as in "أذن لي بالدخول" (permission to enter). | |||
Ear in Western European Languages
| Albanian | veshit | ||
| The Albanian word "veshit" also means "hear" or "listen". | |||
| Basque | belarria | ||
| The Basque word "belarria" (ear) comes from the Proto-Basque word "*belar" (leaf), implying a comparison of the ear to a leaf. | |||
| Catalan | orella | ||
| The word "orella" derives from the Latin word "auricula", which means "small ear". | |||
| Croatian | uho | ||
| In Croatian, "uho" also means the small loops to which earrings are attached. | |||
| Danish | øre | ||
| The Danish word "øre" also means "cent" (a monetary unit), possibly derived from the Latin word "aurum" (gold) or the Old Norse word "eyrir" (a silver coin). | |||
| Dutch | oor | ||
| The Dutch word "oor" (ear) also refers to the handles of a cup or the projecting part of a hammer. | |||
| English | ear | ||
| In English, "ear" can refer to the external organ of hearing, the ability to hear, or the spikes on a cereal grain. | |||
| French | oreille | ||
| "Oreille" in French also refers to the ear-shaped part of a pot, a watch, or a musical instrument. | |||
| Frisian | ear | ||
| In Frisian, the word "ear" also refers to the handles or lugs of a container. | |||
| Galician | oído | ||
| Oído in Galician is derived from the Latin word "auditum," meaning "hearing," and can refer to the physical organ, the act of listening, or understanding. | |||
| German | ohr | ||
| In Old Saxon, "Ohr" referred to the eye as well, while in Yiddish it means "place." | |||
| Icelandic | eyra | ||
| In Old Norse, 'eyra' also meant 'gravel' or 'pebbles' | |||
| Irish | chluas | ||
| "Cluas" also means "listen" and is related to words like "obedience" and "understanding" in many Indo-European languages. | |||
| Italian | orecchio | ||
| In Italian, the word "orecchio" can also mean "loop" or "handle" of a container or tool. | |||
| Luxembourgish | ouer | ||
| "Ouer" in Luxembourgish also refers to a handle on a tool or container, likely derived from the Old High German "ōre" (knob). | |||
| Maltese | widna | ||
| In Maltese, the word "widna" comes from the Arabic word "widn", which can also mean "face" or "countenance". | |||
| Norwegian | øre | ||
| Øre, in Norwegian, can refer to a small coin or earwax. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | orelha | ||
| In Portuguese, "orelha" (ear) derives from the Latin "auricula", and also means the "loop" of a knot or the "handle" of a cup. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | cluais | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "cluais" can also refer to "a hidden place". It's derived from the Latin word "clavis", meaning "key". | |||
| Spanish | oído | ||
| The word "oído" in Spanish comes from the Latin word "audīre," meaning "to hear." | |||
| Swedish | öra | ||
| 'Öra' also refers to a small island or a piece of fabric that holds the handle of a mug. | |||
| Welsh | glust | ||
| Glust is a Welsh word also meaning 'listening' and 'obedience'. | |||
Ear in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | вуха | ||
| The word "вуха" also means "handle" in Belarusian. | |||
| Bosnian | uho | ||
| The word "uho" in Bosnian also means "a hole" or "a handle". | |||
| Bulgarian | ухо | ||
| "Ухо" is also a Bulgarian dialectal term for "eye" | |||
| Czech | ucho | ||
| "Ucho,' in Czech, also has a colloquial or humorous meaning: a secret or hidden informant or police spy. " | |||
| Estonian | kõrva | ||
| "Kõrva" also means "to listen to" or "to understand" in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | korva | ||
| "Korva" can also refer to a piece of bread that resembles an ear | |||
| Hungarian | fül | ||
| Hungarian "fül" also refers to the "ears" of a bowl or vase, a "tab" on a file folder, or the "spout" of a teapot. | |||
| Latvian | auss | ||
| The Latvian word "auss" is likely related to the Lithuanian "ausis", which means "ear" in Latin. | |||
| Lithuanian | ausis | ||
| Ausis in Lithuanian can also refer to the outer part of the ear, the auricle, or the sense of hearing itself. | |||
| Macedonian | уво | ||
| The Macedonian word "уво" (ear) comes from the Proto-Slavic word "ucho," which also means "eye" in many Slavic languages. | |||
| Polish | ucho | ||
| The Slavic etymology of the Polish word "ucho" suggests an original sense of "hole," which is also reflected in its cognate "uho" in Russian. | |||
| Romanian | ureche | ||
| The Romanian word "ureche" is a cognate of the Latin word "auricula", meaning "ear". It is also related to the Slavic word "ucho", with the same meaning. | |||
| Russian | ухо | ||
| In Russian, the word "ухо" can also refer to "a handle" or "a loop." | |||
| Serbian | уво | ||
| In Serbian, 'уво' can also refer to the handle of a pot or a loop on a garment. | |||
| Slovak | ucho | ||
| The Slovak word "ucho" can also mean "handle," "eye of a needle," or "loop". | |||
| Slovenian | uho | ||
| The Indo-European root *ous- (hear) is also seen in the Latin word "auris" (ear) and the English word "auditory". | |||
| Ukrainian | вухо | ||
| The Ukrainian word “вухо” (“ear”) comes from the Proto-Slavic root *ucho, meaning “organ of hearing” or “sense of hearing”. | |||
Ear in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | কান | ||
| The Bengali word "কান" (ear) also means "attention" or "obedience" in some contexts. | |||
| Gujarati | કાન | ||
| The Gujarati word "કાન" also means "handle". | |||
| Hindi | कान | ||
| The Hindi word "कान" (ear) is also used to refer to the "handle" of a vessel or "edge" of a cloth. | |||
| Kannada | ಕಿವಿ | ||
| The Kannada word "ಕಿವಿ" (ear) also means "handle" or "knob" for an object or tool. | |||
| Malayalam | ചെവി | ||
| The word "ചെവി" is also used to refer to the sides of a vessel or container. | |||
| Marathi | कान | ||
| In the context of a key to a lock, 'कान' means 'handle' in Marathi. | |||
| Nepali | कान | ||
| कान can also be used to refer to the 'handle of a pot or pan', a 'handle', or a 'part of a fish hook'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਕੰਨ | ||
| "ਕੰਨ" also refers to an ornament for women worn in the ear. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කන | ||
| The Sinhala word "කන" (ear) is a homophone of "කැන" (a sharp edge), originating from the Proto-Dravidian word "*kan" (tooth). | |||
| Tamil | காது | ||
| காது (kātu) possibly also means 'to hear' or 'to listen' and is related to the Sanskrit word 'śṛṇoti' (to hear). | |||
| Telugu | చెవి | ||
| The word "chevi" in Telugu, besides being the appendage of hearing, also signifies the outer side of something, an edge or rim. | |||
| Urdu | کان | ||
| The word 'کان' ('ear') also means 'to lend' or 'to extend' in Urdu. | |||
Ear in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 耳 | ||
| The character "耳" can also mean "to hear" or "to obey". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 耳 | ||
| The character "耳" (ear) can also mean "to hear" or "to listen". | |||
| Japanese | 耳 | ||
| In Japanese, "耳" (ear) also means "tab" or "flap" when referring to objects. | |||
| Korean | 귀 | ||
| 귀 can also refer to the handle or eye of a pot or a needle, or to a place on the body where a bone protrudes. | |||
| Mongolian | чих | ||
| The Mongolian word "чих" (ear) is cognate with the Proto-Turkic word *qulaq, which also means "ear" or "handle". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | နား | ||
| "နား" in Myanmar can also mean "to listen", "to obey", or "to understand, comprehend". | |||
Ear in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | telinga | ||
| The word "telinga" can also mean "earring" or "hearing aid" in Indonesian. | |||
| Javanese | kuping | ||
| The Javanese word for "ear", "kuping", is also used to refer to the "handle" of a tool or utensil. | |||
| Khmer | ត្រចៀក | ||
| In Old Khmer, "ត្រចៀក" also meant "to hear'' or "to listen." | |||
| Lao | ຫູ | ||
| Lao " หູ " may be derived either from Mon "𑂃" or Old Khmer "ម" both of which means "to hear"} | |||
| Malay | telinga | ||
| "Telinga" in Malay is also used figuratively to refer to a person's ability to listen attentively or understand something. | |||
| Thai | หู | ||
| หู (hoo) can also mean "to listen" or "to understand." | |||
| Vietnamese | tai | ||
| "Tai" also means "to hear" in Vietnamese, a semantic shift from its original meaning of "ear". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tainga | ||
Ear in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | qulaq | ||
| The word "qulaq" in Azerbaijani also means "listening" or "hearing". | |||
| Kazakh | құлақ | ||
| The Kazakh word "құлақ" (ear) is also used to refer to a bay or gulf in a body of water. | |||
| Kyrgyz | кулак | ||
| Кулак also means "fist" in Kyrgyz, and is likely derived from the Turkic word "k" "hand" and "lak" "grab". | |||
| Tajik | гӯш | ||
| The word "гӯш" in Tajik can also mean "handle" or "ear of grain." | |||
| Turkmen | gulak | ||
| Uzbek | quloq | ||
| In Uzbek, "quloq" also means "handle" or "grip," derived from the Turkic word "qulaq," which signifies both "ear" and "handle." | |||
| Uyghur | قۇلاق | ||
Ear in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pepeiao | ||
| The Hawaiian word "pepeiao" contains "pepe," meaning "to throb," and "iao," referring to the ear's sensitivity. | |||
| Maori | taringa | ||
| In Maori, 'taringa' also refers to the 'edge' or 'rim' of something, reflecting its shape as a 'protruding flap'. | |||
| Samoan | taliga | ||
| "Taliga" has the same Proto-Polynesian root as the Malay "telinga," meaning "cartilage behind the ear." | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | tainga | ||
| The Tagalog word "tainga" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word *taLiŋa, meaning "ear" or "to hear". | |||
Ear in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jinchu | ||
| Guarani | nambi | ||
Ear in International Languages
| Esperanto | orelo | ||
| The Esperanto word 'orelo' is ultimately derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *aus-, meaning 'to hear', and is related to the English word 'ear'. | |||
| Latin | auris | ||
| "Auris" also refers to the "handle" of a jug or cup | |||
Ear in Others Languages
| Greek | αυτί | ||
| "Αυτί" in Greek also means "handle". | |||
| Hmong | pob ntseg | ||
| The Hmong word for ear, "pob ntseg," is literally translated as "a hole to hear things". | |||
| Kurdish | gûh | ||
| The Kurdish word for ear, "gûh", also carries the meaning of "secret" or "whisper". | |||
| Turkish | kulak | ||
| In Turkish, the word "kulak" also refers to a type of bird that resembles an owl. | |||
| Xhosa | indlebe | ||
| 'Indlebe' likely originates from the Proto-Bantu root '*n(u)twe/lebe*, meaning 'ear', 'to hear' or 'to listen' | |||
| Yiddish | אויער | ||
| The Yiddish word "אויער" (oyer) is also used figuratively to mean "attention" or "listening." | |||
| Zulu | indlebe | ||
| "Indlebe" also refers to the external sides of an aircraft, and in the context of traditional music, it can mean a musical bow | |||
| Assamese | কাণ | ||
| Aymara | jinchu | ||
| Bhojpuri | कान | ||
| Dhivehi | ކަންފަތް | ||
| Dogri | कन्न | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tainga | ||
| Guarani | nambi | ||
| Ilocano | lapayag | ||
| Krio | yes | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | گوێ | ||
| Maithili | कान | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯅꯥꯀꯣꯡ | ||
| Mizo | beng | ||
| Oromo | gurra | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କାନ | ||
| Quechua | rinri | ||
| Sanskrit | कर्ण | ||
| Tatar | колак | ||
| Tigrinya | እዝኒ | ||
| Tsonga | ndleve | ||