Ethnic in Different Languages
Discover 'Ethnic' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'ethnic' has a rich and complex history, rooted in the cultural and social contexts of various communities around the world. At its core, 'ethnic' refers to the shared cultural characteristics that distinguish one group of people from another, including their language, religion, heritage, and traditions. Understanding the nuances of this word is essential for anyone seeking to appreciate the rich diversity of human cultures and the ways in which they intersect and interact.
Moreover, the word 'ethnic' has taken on different meanings and connotations in different languages, reflecting the unique perspectives and experiences of each linguistic community. For example, in Spanish, 'étnico' can refer to someone who is a member of an indigenous or minority group, while in German, 'ethnisch' is more commonly used to describe the scientific study of different human populations and their characteristics.
Below, you will find a list of translations of the word 'ethnic' in a variety of languages, from Arabic to Zulu. Whether you are a student of linguistics, a cultural enthusiast, or simply someone looking to expand your vocabulary, this list is sure to provide valuable insights into the many facets of this fascinating word.
Ethnic
Ethnic in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | etnies | ||
| In Afrikaans, "etnies" can also refer to a group of people sharing a common culture or language. | |||
| Amharic | ጎሳዊ | ||
| The Amharic word 'ጎሳዊ' ('ethnic') is derived from the verb 'ተጋየ' ('to divide'). | |||
| Hausa | kabila | ||
| The word "kabila" in Hausa can also refer to a group of people who share a common ancestor or a tribe. | |||
| Igbo | agbụrụ | ||
| Agburu is also the Igbo word for "tribe" and "clan". | |||
| Malagasy | ara-poko | ||
| The word "ara-poko" in Malagasy also means "a person who has a different culture or origin, a foreigner." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mafuko | ||
| The Nyanja term "mafuko" also refers to the traditional tattoos adorned by women of the Chewa and Ngoni communities. | |||
| Shona | dzinza | ||
| Somali | qowmiyadeed | ||
| The term "qowmiyadeed" may also refer to the sense of belonging to a particular group or community | |||
| Sesotho | morabe | ||
| Morabe can refer not only to ethnicity but also to culture, language, and nationality in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | kabila | ||
| "Kabila" also means "clan" or "lineage" in Swahili, and is a Bantu term common also to other languages such as Luba. | |||
| Xhosa | ubuhlanga | ||
| The word "ubuhlanga" in Xhosa originally meant "clan" or "tribe" and is still used in this sense today. | |||
| Yoruba | eya | ||
| The word 'eya' in yoruba can also mean a taboo or a curse. | |||
| Zulu | ubuhlanga | ||
| "Ubuhlanga" is also used to refer to the color of one's skin, and can be used in a positive or negative way depending on the context. | |||
| Bambara | siyako | ||
| Ewe | to vovovo me tɔwo | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ubwoko | ||
| Lingala | bato ya ekólo | ||
| Luganda | amawanga | ||
| Sepedi | morafe | ||
| Twi (Akan) | mmusuakuw mu | ||
Ethnic in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | عرقي | ||
| The word "عرقي" in Arabic can also mean "alcoholic" or "pertaining to alcohol." | |||
| Hebrew | אתני | ||
| The term אתני also translates to "authentic", and as such is often used to refer to authentic food dishes that are not influenced by other cultures. | |||
| Pashto | قومي | ||
| The Pashto word "قومي" (ethnic) literally means "of the tribe" or "of the people". | |||
| Arabic | عرقي | ||
| The word "عرقي" in Arabic can also mean "alcoholic" or "pertaining to alcohol." | |||
Ethnic in Western European Languages
| Albanian | etnike | ||
| The Albanian word "etnike" is derived from the Turkish word "etnik", which itself is borrowed from French "ethnique" and ultimately from Greek "ethnikos", meaning "of the nation". | |||
| Basque | etnikoa | ||
| The Basque word “etnikoa” can also refer to “people” or “folk.” | |||
| Catalan | ètnic | ||
| The word "ètnic" in Catalan can also mean "foreign" or "exotic". | |||
| Croatian | etnički | ||
| The word "etnički" is a Croatian adjective that can also mean "ethnographic". | |||
| Danish | etnisk | ||
| In Danish, "etnisk" can also refer to the concept of belonging to or being part of a particular cultural or linguistic group. | |||
| Dutch | etnisch | ||
| The word "etnisch" in Dutch can also refer to a specific ethnic group, such as a "Volk" (people). | |||
| English | ethnic | ||
| Ethnic derives from Greek ethnos, "people" or "nation", so has both cultural and political connotations. | |||
| French | ethnique | ||
| In French, the word "ethnique" can have a more general sense than "ethnic" in English, referring to anything related to a particular country or culture. | |||
| Frisian | etnysk | ||
| The word "etnysk" in Frisian comes from the Greek word "ethnos," which means "nation" or "people." | |||
| Galician | étnico | ||
| German | ethnisch | ||
| German "ethnisch" derives from Greek "ethnos" and has the alternate meaning "foreign". | |||
| Icelandic | þjóðerni | ||
| The word þjóðerni is used to refer to the ethnicity of a person or group, and is cognate with the Old English word `þēod` meaning "people". | |||
| Irish | eitneach | ||
| The word "eitneach" can also refer to a pagan or non-Christian person. | |||
| Italian | etnico | ||
| The Italian word "etnico" can also refer to pagan religious practices, customs, and beliefs. | |||
| Luxembourgish | ethnesch | ||
| (Et)hnesch is a Luxembourgish word that refers to anything foreign or strange, and is also used to describe people of other ethnicities. | |||
| Maltese | etniku | ||
| The Maltese word "etniku" can also mean "pagan" or "heathen" in certain contexts, and is derived from the Latin word "ethnos," meaning "nation" or "people." | |||
| Norwegian | etnisk | ||
| In Norwegian, "etnisk" can also refer to the "ethnic" or "cultural" background of a group of people. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | étnico | ||
| The Portuguese word "étnico" can also refer to something related to a particular ethnic group or culture. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | cinneachail | ||
| The word "cinneachail" in Scots Gaelic can also mean "clan" or "kindred".} | |||
| Spanish | étnico | ||
| In Spanish, "étnico" can also refer to a person's "nationality" or "origin." | |||
| Swedish | etnisk | ||
| The word "etnisk" can refer to either ethnicity or origin in Swedish. | |||
| Welsh | ethnig | ||
| Ethnig also means 'heathen' in Welsh and is derived from the word 'adain' meaning 'foreigner'. | |||
Ethnic in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | этнічны | ||
| The word "этнічны" in Belarusian has the additional meaning of "pertaining to an ethnos," a term referring to a historically distinct cultural group. | |||
| Bosnian | etnički | ||
| The term 'etnički' is also used colloquially to refer to racial characteristics of an individual | |||
| Bulgarian | етнически | ||
| The Bulgarian word "етнически", in addition to its meaning of "ethnic", can also refer to concepts like "folkloric", "traditional", or "cultural". | |||
| Czech | etnický | ||
| "Etnický" pochází z řečtiny a znamená "pohanské" či "cizí". | |||
| Estonian | etniline | ||
| "Etni" in "etniline" is derived from the Greek word "ethnos", which refers to a group of people united by cultural, linguistic, or racial ties. Hence, the term "etniline" implies a shared cultural or national identity. | |||
| Finnish | etninen | ||
| The Finnish word "etninen" is derived from the Greek word "ethnos," which originally referred to a group of people descended from a common ancestor but came to refer to any cultural or linguistic group in the 19th century. | |||
| Hungarian | etnikai | ||
| In Hungarian "etnika" can refer not only to ethnic groups, but also to the science or knowledge of ethnic groups. | |||
| Latvian | etniskā | ||
| The word "etniskā" is derived from the Latin word "ethnos", meaning "people" or "nation". | |||
| Lithuanian | etninis | ||
| Lithuanian word "etninis" can also mean "anthropological". | |||
| Macedonian | етнички | ||
| The word 'етнички' can also refer to ethnic clothing or garments characteristic of a particular group. | |||
| Polish | etniczny | ||
| In Polish, the word "etniczny" can also refer to a "racial minority" or a "minority group" | |||
| Romanian | etnic | ||
| In Romanian, the word "etnic" also means "foreign" or "exotic". | |||
| Russian | этнический | ||
| In Russian, "этнический" means not only "ethnic" but also "racist". | |||
| Serbian | етнички | ||
| "етнички" has alternate meanings such as 'ethnical' and 'national' in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | etnický | ||
| V češtine sa „etnický“ používa aj na označenie príslušníkov národností, v slovenčine nie. | |||
| Slovenian | etničen | ||
| The word 'etničen' can also mean 'national' or 'tribal' in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | етнічна | ||
| The Russian word “этнический” (“ethnic”) derives from the Greek adjective “ἐθνικός” (“of a nation” or “foreign”), whose basic meaning is “nation.” | |||
Ethnic in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | জাতিগত | ||
| The word "জাতিগত" also means "racial" or "pertaining to a particular race or group of people". | |||
| Gujarati | વંશીય | ||
| Hindi | संजाति विषयक | ||
| The word "संजाति विषयक" in Hindi derives from the root "संजाति" meaning "birth" or "lineage". | |||
| Kannada | ಜನಾಂಗೀಯ | ||
| Malayalam | വംശീയ | ||
| The word "വംശീയ" can also refer to a lineage or dynasty in Malayalam. | |||
| Marathi | वांशिक | ||
| वांशिक is an adjective which not only means ethnic in Marathi, but also means that of bamboo. | |||
| Nepali | जातीय | ||
| The word "जातीय" in Nepali can also refer to "national, tribal, belonging to or constituting a tribe". | |||
| Punjabi | ਨਸਲੀ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | වාර්ගික | ||
| It comes from Pali 'vaga' meaning group or tribe, or from Tamil 'varigam' meaning kind or division. | |||
| Tamil | இன | ||
| In Tamil, "இன" also refers to "type" or "category", highlighting its broader semantic range beyond mere ethnicity. | |||
| Telugu | జాతి | ||
| The word "జాతి" ("ethnic") comes from the Sanskrit word "जाति" ("caste"), and originally referred to a group of people sharing the same caste. | |||
| Urdu | نسلی | ||
| The Urdu word "نسلی" can also refer to "lineage" or "ancestral".} | |||
Ethnic in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 民族 | ||
| The Chinese word "民族" (minzu) refers to both "nation" and "ethnic group," and was coined in the late 19th century as a translation of the Japanese word "minzoku." | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 民族 | ||
| 民族 in modern Chinese is a translation of the German Volk coined by Yan Fu, in contrast to its original usage in ancient China referring to a specific race or people. | |||
| Japanese | エスニック | ||
| The word "エスニック" was originally coined in Japanese to refer to the spices and seasonings used in Southeast Asian cuisine, but has since expanded to include a wider range of non-Japanese cuisines. | |||
| Korean | 민족 | ||
| The word "민족" in Korean can also mean "nation" or "race", and was originally derived from the Chinese character "民族". | |||
| Mongolian | угсаатны | ||
| The word "угсаатны" can also refer to "race" or "nationality". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | တိုင်းရင်းသား | ||
Ethnic in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | etnis | ||
| "Etnis" is derived from the Greek word "ethnos" meaning "nation" or "people", and refers to a group of people who share a common cultural identity. | |||
| Javanese | etnis | ||
| In Javanese, "etnis" can also mean "skin color" or "caste." | |||
| Khmer | ជនជាតិ | ||
| The word "ជនជាតិ" (ethnic) in Khmer is also used to refer to a nation, race, or tribe. | |||
| Lao | ຊົນເຜົ່າ | ||
| Malay | etnik | ||
| Ethnic (etnik) can also refer to a non-Malay minority group in Malaysia, especially Chinese and Indians. | |||
| Thai | ชาติพันธุ์ | ||
| In Thai, the word "ชาติพันธุ์" can also be used to refer to a group of people who share a common culture or language. | |||
| Vietnamese | dân tộc | ||
| "Dân tộc" is derived from "dân" (people) and "tộc" (clan), meaning "a group of people who share a common origin, culture, and language." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | etniko | ||
Ethnic in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | etnik | ||
| In Azerbaijani, "etnik" can also refer to a person's social or cultural group. | |||
| Kazakh | этникалық | ||
| In Kazakh "этникалық" is derived from the Greek word "ethnos" which means both a "tribe" and "people." | |||
| Kyrgyz | этникалык | ||
| The term also refers to traditional cultural customs and practices. | |||
| Tajik | қавмӣ | ||
| The word “қавмӣ” in Tajik can also mean “tribal” and “national” and is derived from the Arabic word “qawm” which means “people” or “nation”. | |||
| Turkmen | etnik | ||
| Uzbek | etnik | ||
| In Uzbek, "etnik" can also mean "national or cultural group". | |||
| Uyghur | مىللەت | ||
Ethnic in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | lāhui | ||
| Lāhui, meaning "nation" or "people" in Hawaiian, is also used to denote ethnic or cultural identity. | |||
| Maori | iwi | ||
| In Maori, "iwi" refers to a tribe or ethnic group, and its alternate meanings include "bone" and "root". | |||
| Samoan | ituaiga | ||
| The word 'ituaiga' can also be used to refer to a person's extended family or clan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | etnikong | ||
| The Tagalog term "etnikong" ultimately derives from the Greek word "ethnos," meaning "nation," but can also refer to any distinctive social or cultural group. | |||
Ethnic in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | étnico ukat juk’ampinaka | ||
| Guarani | etnia rehegua | ||
Ethnic in International Languages
| Esperanto | etna | ||
| The word "etna" can also refer to a type of volcano or a mountain range in Sicily. | |||
| Latin | ethnic | ||
| The Latin word "ethnicus" originally referred to pagans, non-Christians, or non-Greeks. | |||
Ethnic in Others Languages
| Greek | εθνικός | ||
| The Greek word εθνικός (ethnikos) originally meant "heathen" or "pagan" and was used to refer to non-Christians. | |||
| Hmong | haiv neeg | ||
| The word "haiv neeg" can also mean "clan" or "tribe" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | etnîkî | ||
| The Kurdish word "etnîkî" can also refer to "foreign", "pagan", or "infidel". | |||
| Turkish | etnik | ||
| In Turkish, the word "etnik" can also refer to "folkloric" or "traditional." | |||
| Xhosa | ubuhlanga | ||
| The word "ubuhlanga" in Xhosa originally meant "clan" or "tribe" and is still used in this sense today. | |||
| Yiddish | עטניש | ||
| עטניש sometimes means someone who is Jewish | |||
| Zulu | ubuhlanga | ||
| "Ubuhlanga" is also used to refer to the color of one's skin, and can be used in a positive or negative way depending on the context. | |||
| Assamese | জাতিগত | ||
| Aymara | étnico ukat juk’ampinaka | ||
| Bhojpuri | जातीय के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ނަސްލީ ގޮތުންނެވެ | ||
| Dogri | जातीय | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | etniko | ||
| Guarani | etnia rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | etniko nga puli | ||
| Krio | etnik grup we dɛn kɔmɔt | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ئیتنیکی | ||
| Maithili | जातीय | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯏꯊꯅꯤꯛ ꯑꯣꯏꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | hnam hrang hrang | ||
| Oromo | sabaa fi sablammoota | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଜାତି | ||
| Quechua | etnia nisqa | ||
| Sanskrit | जातीय | ||
| Tatar | этник | ||
| Tigrinya | ብሄራዊ ምዃኑ ይፍለጥ | ||
| Tsonga | rixaka | ||