Fence in Different Languages
Discover 'Fence' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
A fence is more than just a barrier - it's a symbol of protection, boundary, and even cultural identity. From the iconic white picket fences of American suburbia to the majestic stone fences of the English countryside, fences have played a significant role in shaping our landscapes and defining our spaces. But have you ever wondered how the word 'fence' translates in different languages?
Understanding the translation of 'fence' in various languages can provide fascinating insights into different cultures and their relationship with boundaries. For instance, in German, a fence is called 'Zaun', which also means 'enclosure' or 'park'. Meanwhile, in Spanish, 'cerca' means 'fence' but can also refer to 'nearby' or 'close by', reflecting the idea of a fence as a nearby boundary. In Japanese, 'hei' is the term for 'fence', which is written with the same character as 'boundary'.
Exploring the word 'fence' in different languages can open up a world of cultural and historical contexts. So, let's delve into the translations of 'fence' in various languages and discover the beauty and diversity of linguistic and cultural expressions.
Fence
Fence in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | heining | ||
| The word "heining" in Afrikaans may derive from the Dutch "haag" or the Low German "hegen", both meaning "fence or hedge" | |||
| Amharic | አጥር | ||
| The word "አጥር" (fence) also means "protection" or "defense" in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | shinge | ||
| The word "shinge" can also mean "boundary" or "limitation" in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | ngere | ||
| "Ngere" also translates to "hedge" or "enclosure" in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | fefy | ||
| The word "fefy" is related to the word "fehy" which means "to guard, protect". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mpanda | ||
| Although 'mpanda' also means 'fence', it can be used figuratively to refer to any obstacle or impediment. | |||
| Shona | fence | ||
| In Shona, 'fence' can also mean 'wall', 'boundary', or 'obstacle'. | |||
| Somali | deyrka | ||
| The word "deyrka" is also related to the Somali word "deyr," which means "rainy season." | |||
| Sesotho | terata | ||
| The word "terata" can also mean "boundary" or "border" in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | uzio | ||
| "Uzio" can also mean "prison" or "captivity" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | ucingo | ||
| The word "ucingo" in Xhosa can also refer to the verb "to surround". | |||
| Yoruba | odi | ||
| 'Odi' also means 'to hide' or 'to conceal' in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | uthango | ||
| Uthango also means "protection" which is why it can be used to describe a stockade or defense line. | |||
| Bambara | sinsan | ||
| Ewe | kpɔtɔtɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | uruzitiro | ||
| Lingala | lopango | ||
| Luganda | ekikomera | ||
| Sepedi | legora | ||
| Twi (Akan) | fasuo | ||
Fence in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | سور | ||
| The word "سور" (fence) in Arabic can also mean "wall", "rampart", or "city wall", and is related to the word "سوار" (rider), suggesting a defensive structure meant to keep people or animals in or out. | |||
| Hebrew | גָדֵר | ||
| The word "גָדֵר" can also refer to a "hedge" or an enclosed area. | |||
| Pashto | کټۍ | ||
| In Pashto, the word "کټۍ" not only means "fence," but also "enclosure" or "pen" for animals. | |||
| Arabic | سور | ||
| The word "سور" (fence) in Arabic can also mean "wall", "rampart", or "city wall", and is related to the word "سوار" (rider), suggesting a defensive structure meant to keep people or animals in or out. | |||
Fence in Western European Languages
| Albanian | gardh | ||
| The word "gardh" in Albanian shares a common origin with the Indo-European root "gher" meaning "to enclose" or "to protect". | |||
| Basque | hesia | ||
| The word "hesia" in Basque can also mean "limit, border, or edge." | |||
| Catalan | tanca | ||
| "Tanca" derives from "tancar," a verb meaning "to close" or "to enclose," hence its usage in the context of fencing or boundaries. | |||
| Croatian | ograda | ||
| The Croatian word "ograda" derives from the Latin word "claustra," meaning "enclosure" or "barricade." | |||
| Danish | hegn | ||
| The word "hegn" in Danish has its roots in the Old Norse word "hagna," meaning "to cut or chop," and is related to the English word "hedge" | |||
| Dutch | hek | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning as "fence", "hek" can also refer to a "gate" or "hedge" in Dutch. | |||
| English | fence | ||
| The word "fence" derives from the Old English term "fensan," meaning "to defend" or "to enclose." | |||
| French | clôture | ||
| Clôture derives from the Latin 'clausura', meaning 'something closed', and has also been used to refer to the closure of a debate or financial period. | |||
| Frisian | stek | ||
| The word 'stek' can also refer to a piece of land. | |||
| Galician | valado | ||
| The word "valado" comes from the Latin "vallatum", which means "fortified with a fence or rampart". | |||
| German | zaun | ||
| The German word "Zaun" (fence) is related to the Old English word "tun" (enclosure) and probably ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *dheu- (to bind). | |||
| Icelandic | girðing | ||
| "Girðing" is also the word for loins in old Icelandic, referring to the loin's role in supporting the spine. | |||
| Irish | fál | ||
| Fál is cognate with Latin vallus (wall or rampart) and Old Irish faille (wall). | |||
| Italian | recinzione | ||
| The word "recinzione" originally comes from the Latin word "recingere", meaning "to surround" or "to enclose". | |||
| Luxembourgish | zonk | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Zonk" can also refer to a wooden or metal barrier, a protective wall, or even a prison. | |||
| Maltese | ċint | ||
| The Maltese word "ċint" is cognate with the Spanish word "cinta" (meaning "ribbon"), and was originally used to describe a type of low fence made of wood or reeds. | |||
| Norwegian | gjerde | ||
| The word 'gjerde' derives from the early Norwegian word 'gjörði', which originates from the Old Norse word 'gjard' meaning 'enclosure' or 'protective structure'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | cerca | ||
| The word "cerca" in Portuguese can also mean "enclosure" or "surroundings". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | feansa | ||
| The word "feansa" can also mean "protection" or "defence" in Scots Gaelic. | |||
| Spanish | cerca | ||
| In Spanish, "cerca" not only means "fence" but also "near," derived from the Latin "circa," meaning "around." | |||
| Swedish | staket | ||
| "Staket" in Swedish is a derivative of "staka" which means "pole" and is also related to the English word "stake" | |||
| Welsh | ffens | ||
| The Welsh word "ffens" not only means "fence", but also "defence" and "protection". | |||
Fence in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | плот | ||
| The word "плот" in Belarusian also has the meaning of "raft" or "float". | |||
| Bosnian | ograda | ||
| The word 'ograda' comes from the Turkish word 'oğurdan', which means 'to prevent, to keep away'. | |||
| Bulgarian | ограда | ||
| "Ограда" also means "boundary", "limit", or "restriction". | |||
| Czech | plot | ||
| In Czech language the word plot has the original meaning of "flat ground" or "meadow", and also means "small garden". | |||
| Estonian | tara | ||
| The Estonian word "tara" also has the alternate meaning of "tarpaulin" or "canvas covering". | |||
| Finnish | aita | ||
| The word "aita" is also the name for a protective enclosure around a building or yard, which is likely derived from the same root as "aitaus" (enclosure). | |||
| Hungarian | kerítés | ||
| "Kerítés" originates from the Slavic word "krita", which means "enclosure made of sticks". | |||
| Latvian | žogs | ||
| In Latvian, "žogs" also refers to obstacles or barriers, figuratively or literally. | |||
| Lithuanian | tvora | ||
| "Tvora" is derived from Proto-Balto-Slavic *tvorъ meaning "enclosure", and is cognate with Russian забор (zabor) and Polish płot. | |||
| Macedonian | ограда | ||
| The word "ограда" (fence) in Macedonian shares a root with the word "градина" (garden), indicating their interconnected historical relationship. | |||
| Polish | płot | ||
| In Polish, "plot" is also used figuratively, for example, to describe an obstacle or obstacle, such as a lack of understanding or a moral dilemma | |||
| Romanian | gard | ||
| The word "gard" in Romanian is derived from the Slavic word "gord" meaning "town", but it can also refer to a fence or enclosure. | |||
| Russian | забор | ||
| The word "забор" also means "opinion" in Russian, possibly stemming from the idea of separating and protecting something | |||
| Serbian | ограда | ||
| In Russian, "ограда" (ograda) comes from the verb "городить" (gorodit), which means "to enclose". Therefore, "ограда" can also refer to any type of enclosure or barrier, such as a railing or palisade. | |||
| Slovak | plot | ||
| The word "plot" in Slovak has a secondary meaning of "a piece of land for construction", akin to its meaning in English or German. | |||
| Slovenian | ograjo | ||
| The word 'ograjo' also means 'enclosure' or 'encompassment' in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | паркан | ||
| The Ukrainian word "паркан" can also refer to a type of defensive fortification, similar to a palisade fence. | |||
Fence in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বেড়া | ||
| "বেড়া" originally comes from "বেল" meaning to cover something as the purpose of a fence. | |||
| Gujarati | વાડ | ||
| "વાડ" is also used in Gujarati to refer to a group of people or a community, likely derived from its original meaning of an enclosure or boundary. | |||
| Hindi | बाड़ | ||
| बाड़ (baड़) likely traces its origins to the Sanskrit 'परिधि' (paridhi), meaning circumference or boundary, and later became 'बाड़' (baड़) in Prakrit. | |||
| Kannada | ಬೇಲಿ | ||
| The word "ಬೇಲಿ" can also mean "partition" or "boundary". | |||
| Malayalam | വേലി | ||
| The word "വേലി" can also refer to a boundary or a barrier, both physical and metaphorical. | |||
| Marathi | कुंपण | ||
| The word "कुंपण" comes from the Sanskrit word "कुम्भ" meaning "pot," and originally referred to a fence made of earthen pots. | |||
| Nepali | बार | ||
| Nepali word "बार" ("fence") also means "time" as in "एक बार" (one time). | |||
| Punjabi | ਵਾੜ | ||
| The word "ਵਾੜ" can also refer to a group of people or animals that have been separated from the rest of the population, similar to the English word "enclosure." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | වැට | ||
| The word "වැට" (väṭa) in Sinhala is derived from the Sanskrit word "वट" (vaṭa), which originally meant "circle" or "enclosure". | |||
| Tamil | வேலி | ||
| வேலி also means 'limit', 'boundary', and 'hedge' in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | కంచె | ||
| In medieval Telugu literature, 'కంచె' was also used to refer to a type of wooden shield used by soldiers. | |||
| Urdu | باڑ | ||
| The word "باڑ" ("baṛ") can also mean "border", "boundary", or "enclosure" in Urdu, highlighting its wider significance beyond physical fencing. | |||
Fence in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 围栏 | ||
| The character 栏 in "围栏" also refers to a "pen" (as for animals), or a "category" (as in a classification). | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 圍欄 | ||
| "圍" (wéi) originally meant "to encircle" and "欄" (lán) originally meant "rails". | |||
| Japanese | フェンス | ||
| The word "フェンス" is borrowed from the English word "fence", and also refers to a wooden pole used for fencing in sumo wrestling. | |||
| Korean | 울타리 | ||
| The word "울타리" (fence) can also refer to a border between two countries or a boundary between different social groups. | |||
| Mongolian | хашаа | ||
| The word "хашаа" (fence) can also refer to a line of people or animals. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ခြံစည်းရိုး | ||
Fence in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pagar | ||
| The word 'pagar' can also refer to a payment or debt, derived from the Sanskrit word 'bhagara' which means 'a share or portion'. | |||
| Javanese | pager | ||
| In Javanese, "pager" means more than just a "fence", it also refers to a "yard" or "courtyard" that is enclosed by a fence or wall. | |||
| Khmer | របង | ||
| របង is a general loanword which has acquired a variety of meanings beyond its original meaning of 'fence'. | |||
| Lao | ຮົ້ວ | ||
| The word "ຮົ້ວ" can also refer to a hedge or a wall. | |||
| Malay | pagar | ||
| In Malay, "pagar" also refers to a protective barrier, such as a shield or a charm against evil spirits. | |||
| Thai | รั้ว | ||
| In Thai, the word "รั้ว" can also refer to a boundary or limitation, similar to its meaning in the English phrase "to hedge one's bets". | |||
| Vietnamese | hàng rào | ||
| "Hàng rào" can also mean "row of plants", "barrier", "obstruction", "limitation", or "constraint". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | bakod | ||
Fence in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | hasar | ||
| 'Hasar' means 'loss, damage' in Persian, and 'fence' in Turkish. | |||
| Kazakh | қоршау | ||
| The Kazakh word "қоршау" also has the alternate meaning of "to surround" or "to enclose" in a protective manner, similar to the English word "enclose". | |||
| Kyrgyz | тосмо | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "тосмо" derives from the Mongolian word "тосму", meaning "protection" or "covering". | |||
| Tajik | девор | ||
| The word "девор" in Tajik derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *dʰewer- meaning "door", and also denotes a "threshold" or "gate". | |||
| Turkmen | diwar | ||
| Uzbek | panjara | ||
| In Uzbek, "panjara" can also mean "cage" or "prison". | |||
| Uyghur | رىشاتكا | ||
Fence in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pa | ||
| In Hawaiian, the word "pa" can also refer to a place of refuge or a stronghold. | |||
| Maori | taiapa | ||
| This word can also mean “warrior” or “a person who can weave, plait and construct.” | |||
| Samoan | pa | ||
| In Samoan, the word "pa" also refers to a walled fortress or village enclosure. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | bakod | ||
| "Bakod" also means "to protect" or "to defend" in Tagalog. | |||
Fence in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jak'a | ||
| Guarani | kora | ||
Fence in International Languages
| Esperanto | barilo | ||
| Barilo derives from the Russian word "palka," meaning "stick." | |||
| Latin | praetendere saepem | ||
| In Latin, “praetendere saepem” translates to “fence”, but it also means “to put up a barrier” or “to block off”. | |||
Fence in Others Languages
| Greek | φράκτης | ||
| The word φράκτης, meaning 'fence,' derives from the verb φράσσω, 'to block' or 'to close,' and is cognate with the English word 'phragm,' meaning 'partition' or 'diaphragm'. | |||
| Hmong | laj kab | ||
| In the Hmong Daw dialect, laj kab can also refer to a type of traditional Hmong musical instrument. | |||
| Kurdish | bend | ||
| The word "bend" in Kurdish also means "dam" or "obstacle across a river". | |||
| Turkish | çit | ||
| "Çit", in Turkish, can also refer to a type of traditional Turkish folk music and dance. | |||
| Xhosa | ucingo | ||
| The word "ucingo" in Xhosa can also refer to the verb "to surround". | |||
| Yiddish | פּלויט | ||
| The word "פּלויט" ("fence") in Yiddish can also refer to a type of fabric used in upholstery. | |||
| Zulu | uthango | ||
| Uthango also means "protection" which is why it can be used to describe a stockade or defense line. | |||
| Assamese | বেৰা | ||
| Aymara | jak'a | ||
| Bhojpuri | बाड़ | ||
| Dhivehi | ފެންސް | ||
| Dogri | तार | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | bakod | ||
| Guarani | kora | ||
| Ilocano | alad | ||
| Krio | fɛns | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | پەرژین | ||
| Maithili | किनार | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯝꯕꯜ | ||
| Mizo | pal | ||
| Oromo | dallaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବାଡ଼ | ||
| Quechua | kancha | ||
| Sanskrit | वृति | ||
| Tatar | койма | ||
| Tigrinya | ሓጹር | ||
| Tsonga | darata | ||