Chief in Different Languages
Discover 'Chief' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'chief' holds a significant place in many languages and cultures around the world. Originating from the Old French 'chef' meaning 'head' or 'chief,' it has evolved to signify a person in a position of authority or importance. In English-speaking cultures, a 'chief' is often the head of a group or organization, such as a tribal chief or the chief executive officer of a company.
But did you know that the word 'chief' has been adopted and adapted in various languages, taking on new meanings and connotations? For example, in Spanish, 'jefe' refers to a boss or leader, while in German, 'Häuptling' is used to describe a tribal chief or leader. In Russian, 'главный' (glavnyy) translates to 'main' or 'chief,' and in Japanese, 'チーフ' (chiifu) is used to describe a team leader or boss.
Understanding the translation of 'chief' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural significance of leadership and authority in various societies. So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a world traveler, or simply curious about different cultures, read on to discover the many translations of the word 'chief' around the world.
Chief
Chief in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | hoofman | ||
| Although the word "hoofman" directly translates to "chief," it is also used informally to refer to a person who is considered the leader or boss of a group or organization. | |||
| Amharic | አለቃ | ||
| The word | |||
| Hausa | shugaba | ||
| The word "shugaba" also means "leader" or "ruler". | |||
| Igbo | onyeisi | ||
| The word "onyeisi" can also mean "father" or "master" in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | lohan'ny | ||
| The term 'lohan'ny' has evolved from its initial meaning of 'elder' or 'head of the family' to encompass its modern usage as 'chief'. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mkulu | ||
| The word "mkulu" is also used as a term of respect for an older person or a person in a position of authority. | |||
| Shona | mukuru | ||
| The word "mukuru" also means "head" in the context of a family or lineage. | |||
| Somali | ugaas | ||
| The Somali word | |||
| Sesotho | hlooho | ||
| The word "hlooho" is also used to refer to a "great animal" or a "respected person" in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | mkuu | ||
| The word 'mkuu' can also mean 'leader', 'senior', or 'elder' | |||
| Xhosa | inkosi | ||
| "Inkósi" literally means "great person" in Xhosa, but it can also refer to a king, a chief, or a person of high rank. | |||
| Yoruba | olori | ||
| The word "olori" in Yoruba is also used as a title for the wife of a chief or king, meaning "senior wife." | |||
| Zulu | induna | ||
| The word "induna" is also used to refer to a military commander or a leader of a group of people. | |||
| Bambara | kuntigi | ||
| Ewe | fia | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umukuru | ||
| Lingala | mokonzi | ||
| Luganda | omukungu | ||
| Sepedi | kgoši | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ɔhene | ||
Chief in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | رئيس | ||
| In Arabic, "رئيس" can also refer to a president of a nation, a dean or head of an academic institution, or a director of a company. | |||
| Hebrew | רֹאשׁ | ||
| The Hebrew word 'רֹאשׁ' ('chief') comes from the Proto-Semitic root '*rʾš', which also means 'head' in Arabic ('رَأْس') and 'chief' in Aramaic ('רֵישׁ'). | |||
| Pashto | مشر | ||
| The word "مشر" is also used to refer to a leader or a head of a group. | |||
| Arabic | رئيس | ||
| In Arabic, "رئيس" can also refer to a president of a nation, a dean or head of an academic institution, or a director of a company. | |||
Chief in Western European Languages
| Albanian | shefi | ||
| The word "shefi" is derived from the Turkish word "şef", which means "head" or "leader", and can also refer to a "boss" or "manager" in Albanian. | |||
| Basque | nagusia | ||
| The word 'nagusia' in Basque has an alternate meaning of 'master', 'lord', or 'boss'. | |||
| Catalan | cap | ||
| The word "cap" in Catalan can also mean "end" or "top". | |||
| Croatian | glavni | ||
| The term 'Glavni' in Croatian can also mean 'Primary', 'Principal', or 'Senior' and originates from the Proto-Slavic word 'glava' (head). | |||
| Danish | chef | ||
| Danish "chef" is derived from French "chef" which in turn comes from Latin "caput" meaning "head". | |||
| Dutch | chef | ||
| The word "chef" in Dutch can also mean "boss" or "supervisor". | |||
| English | chief | ||
| The word "chief" comes from the French word "chef", which means "head" or "leader". | |||
| French | chef | ||
| The French word "chef" can also refer to a head of a household, a leader of a group, or the main ingredient in a dish. | |||
| Frisian | opperhaad | ||
| The Frisian word "opperhaad" ultimately derives from Old High German, and also signifies "head" in East Frisian Low Saxon. | |||
| Galician | xefe | ||
| In Portuguese, the word "chefe" (chief) is a loanword from Galician; however, in Galician, "xefe" means "boss" or "owner". | |||
| German | chef | ||
| In German, the word "Chef" can also refer to the head of a household or a group of people. | |||
| Icelandic | höfðingi | ||
| The Icelandic word "höfðingi" is derived from the Old Norse word "höfuð", meaning "head", and originally referred to the head of a household or clan. | |||
| Irish | príomhfheidhmeannach | ||
| Italian | capo | ||
| The word "capo" in Italian has multiple meanings, including "chief" and "head", and is derived from the Latin "caput", meaning "head". | |||
| Luxembourgish | chef | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Chef" can also refer to the head of a household or a group of people. | |||
| Maltese | kap | ||
| The word "kap" in Maltese derives from the Arabic word "qabīla", meaning "tribe" or "clan". | |||
| Norwegian | sjef | ||
| The word “sjef” can also be used to refer to a person who is in charge of a group or organization, but it is more commonly used to refer to a boss or supervisor. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | chefe | ||
| Portuguese "chefe" comes from Latin "caput" meaning both "head" and "leader". It's related to English "chief", French "chef", Italian "capo", and "capital". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | ceann-cinnidh | ||
| Ceann-cinnidh can also describe the chief of a clan or the leader of a tribe, especially in the Highlands of Scotland. | |||
| Spanish | jefe | ||
| The word "jefe" originates from the Arabic word "shaykh", meaning "old" or "leader". The word has taken on different connotations in Spanish, depending on the context, and can also mean "manager", "head", or "supervisor". | |||
| Swedish | chef | ||
| In Swedish, the word 'chef' also refers to the head of a government or organization. | |||
| Welsh | prif | ||
| Prif means 'first' or 'main' in Welsh, and the word's root is probably related to the Latin word 'primus' meaning 'first'. | |||
Chief in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | начальнік | ||
| The word 'начальнік' derives from the Proto-Slavic 'na-čelьnikь' meaning 'he who is in front', and also has the connotation of 'commander'. | |||
| Bosnian | šefe | ||
| The word "šefe" in Bosnian also means "master", "owner", or "patron". | |||
| Bulgarian | главен | ||
| The word "главен" also means "main", "primary", or "principal" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | hlavní | ||
| The word "hlavní" also has the meaning "main", which is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "glava", meaning "head". | |||
| Estonian | pealik | ||
| "Pealik" is a loanword, via German, of the Latin "princeps" meaning "first in position, rank, influence, or power." | |||
| Finnish | päällikkö | ||
| The word "päällikkö" also means "overlord" or "headman" in Finnish. | |||
| Hungarian | fő | ||
| The word "fő" in Hungarian is derived from the Turkic word "baş", meaning "head", and also refers to the top of a mountain or river's source. | |||
| Latvian | priekšnieks | ||
| The word "priekšnieks" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *pre- "before" and the suffix "-nieks" indicating an agent or doer of an action, thus literally meaning "one who goes before". | |||
| Lithuanian | vyriausiasis | ||
| Vyriausiasis is also the root word for "vyras" (man) in Lithuanian. | |||
| Macedonian | главен | ||
| The word "главен" can also mean "principal" or "main" | |||
| Polish | szef | ||
| The word 'szef' is derived from the German 'Chef', which in turn comes from the French 'chef', ultimately from the Latin 'caput', meaning 'head'. | |||
| Romanian | şef | ||
| The word "şef" can also mean "boss" or "head" in Romanian. | |||
| Russian | начальник | ||
| From the Proto-Slavic *nɑtʲelʲnikъ, from *nɑ "on" + *telʲe "body", thus "head of a body". | |||
| Serbian | шеф | ||
| The word "Шеф" can also refer to a "boss" or "manager". | |||
| Slovak | náčelník | ||
| The Slovak word "náčelník" can also refer to a head foreman or a headman. | |||
| Slovenian | šef | ||
| "Šef" also refers to a kitchen boss, or "head cook". | |||
| Ukrainian | начальник | ||
| In Russian, «начальник» can also mean an official overseer (e.g., of a prison or other institution). | |||
Chief in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | প্রধান | ||
| The word "প্রধান" (chief) in Bengali, derives from the Sanskrit word "pradhāna", meaning "principal, important, or primary." | |||
| Gujarati | મુખ્ય | ||
| The word "મુખ્ય" ("chief") in Gujarati is derived from the Sanskrit word "मुख" ("mouth"), indicating the chief's role as a spokesperson or leader of a group. | |||
| Hindi | दार सर | ||
| This word originates from the Sanskrit word "द्वार" (dwar), meaning "gate" or "entrance"} | |||
| Kannada | ಮುಖ್ಯ | ||
| The word "ಮುಖ್ಯ" can also mean "face" or "front" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | ചീഫ് | ||
| The word 'ചീഫ്' (chief) in Malayalam also means the head or leader of a community or group. | |||
| Marathi | मुख्य | ||
| The Marathi word "मुख्य" (chief) derives from the Sanskrit word "मूल" (root) and signifies "primary" or "fundamental." | |||
| Nepali | प्रमुख | ||
| "प्रमुख" originated from the Sanskrit word "pra" (first) and "mukha" (mouth, face), indicating one who is first or foremost in position, power, or authority. | |||
| Punjabi | ਮੁੱਖ | ||
| The Punjabi word 'ਮੁੱਖ' ('chief') is also used to mean 'face' or 'forehead'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ප්රධාන | ||
| The word "ප්රධාන" can also refer to a "main" or "principal" aspect or person. | |||
| Tamil | தலைமை | ||
| The word 'தலைமை' ('chief') in Tamil also has the alternate meanings of 'head' and 'topmost'. | |||
| Telugu | చీఫ్ | ||
| The Telugu word "చీఫ్" derives from the English word "chief" and shares its meaning. | |||
| Urdu | چیف | ||
| In Urdu, "چیف" can also mean a type of cloth resembling muslin imported from China. | |||
Chief in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 首席 | ||
| The word "首席" can also mean "first seat" or "top student". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 首席 | ||
| The character 首 (pronounced **shǒu**) was originally used in the sense of "head" in 甲骨文 (Oracle bone script) and 金文 (Bronzeware script) of the 商 dynasty. | |||
| Japanese | チーフ | ||
| In Japanese, the word "チーフ" also carries the meaning of "headband" or "scarf" | |||
| Korean | 주요한 | ||
| "주요한"이라는 말은 ""핵심적인""이라는 의미 외에도 "무리의 대표자"라는 뜻으로도 사용될 수 있습니다. | |||
| Mongolian | дарга | ||
| The title "darga" is etymologically related to the Sanskrit term "dharma" and also means "law" or "truth" in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အကြီးအကဲ | ||
Chief in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kepala | ||
| The Indonesian word 'kepala' originates from the Sanskrit word 'kapala' meaning 'skull' | |||
| Javanese | pangarsa | ||
| The word "pangarsa" is likely derived from Sanskrit, where "pra" means "forward" and "ngarsa" means "front". | |||
| Khmer | ប្រធាន | ||
| The word "ប្រធាន" (chief) is derived from the Sanskrit word "pra-dhāna", which means "to place in front" or "to appoint as leader." | |||
| Lao | ຫົວຫນ້າ | ||
| In Khmer language the word for 'chief' ("ហ្វេង") has the same etymology and can take the same meanings and roles in the language as in Lao | |||
| Malay | ketua | ||
| The word "ketua" can also mean "chairperson" or "head" in the context of an organization or group. | |||
| Thai | หัวหน้า | ||
| The word "หัวหน้า" can also refer to the head of a household or a group of people. | |||
| Vietnamese | trưởng phòng | ||
| The Vietnamese word trưởng phòng, which literally translates to 'room head', also has the meaning of 'manager' or 'supervisor' in an office setting. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | hepe | ||
Chief in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | rəis | ||
| The word "rəis" is derived from the Arabic word "ra'īs", meaning "leader" or "head". | |||
| Kazakh | бастық | ||
| The word «бастық» likely has Turkic and Mongolian origins, as well as meanings related to «head» or a «leading element». | |||
| Kyrgyz | башкы | ||
| The word “башкы” can also mean “brain” or “head” in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | саркор | ||
| The word "саркор" ("chief") in Tajik also means "ringleader" or "head of a group". | |||
| Turkmen | başlygy | ||
| Uzbek | boshliq | ||
| The word "boshliq" can also mean "head" or "leader" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | باشلىق | ||
Chief in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | aliʻi | ||
| Aliʻi can also refer to ancestors, gods, or a noble class of individuals. | |||
| Maori | rangatira | ||
| Rangatira (chief) derives from the Proto-Polynesian word *laqatira, meaning "to stand" or "to be upright." | |||
| Samoan | aliʻi | ||
| The term aliʻi also carries connotations of respect, nobility, and sacredness in the Samoan language and culture. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | hepe | ||
| In some contexts, "hepe" can also refer to a respected elder or a leader in a community. | |||
Chief in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | k'uk'u | ||
| Guarani | mburuvucha | ||
Chief in International Languages
| Esperanto | estro | ||
| "estro" comes from an earlier form of "mastro", which comes from Latin "magister" (magistrate, master), from the root "mag" meaning "great" | |||
| Latin | summum | ||
| In addition to its meaning of "the highest point," "summum" also refers to the topmost part of a tree and to the highest pitch of the human voice. | |||
Chief in Others Languages
| Greek | αρχηγός | ||
| "The term comes from the Greek: ἄρχω/árkhō, meaning to "have power" or "begin," and ἡγέομαι/hēgéomai, meaning "to lead." | |||
| Hmong | thawj | ||
| Thawj is also a term for a male family member or a person of respect. | |||
| Kurdish | serok | ||
| The name Serok is also a common Kurdish name used by both men and women. | |||
| Turkish | şef | ||
| The word "şef" can also mean "boss" or "master" in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | inkosi | ||
| "Inkósi" literally means "great person" in Xhosa, but it can also refer to a king, a chief, or a person of high rank. | |||
| Yiddish | הויפּט | ||
| In the Yiddish word "הויפּט" (hoipt), the "h" is silent and the "o" is pronounced like the "u" in "put". | |||
| Zulu | induna | ||
| The word "induna" is also used to refer to a military commander or a leader of a group of people. | |||
| Assamese | প্ৰধান | ||
| Aymara | k'uk'u | ||
| Bhojpuri | मुख्य | ||
| Dhivehi | ޗީފް | ||
| Dogri | मकद्दम | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | hepe | ||
| Guarani | mburuvucha | ||
| Ilocano | tsip | ||
| Krio | chif | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | سەرۆک | ||
| Maithili | मुखिया | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯀꯣꯛ | ||
| Mizo | hotu | ||
| Oromo | geggeessaa olaanaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ମୁଖିଆ | ||
| Quechua | kamachiq | ||
| Sanskrit | मुख्य | ||
| Tatar | начальнигы | ||
| Tigrinya | ሓለቓ | ||
| Tsonga | hosi | ||