Flesh in different languages

Flesh in Different Languages

Discover 'Flesh' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'flesh' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, often referring to the soft, vulnerable parts of our body. It's a term that transcends simple anatomical description, often used metaphorically to convey concepts of human frailty, mortality, and sensuality. Its cultural importance is evident in art, literature, and religious texts worldwide.

For instance, in the Christian Bible, 'flesh' is used to describe human nature and our susceptibility to sin. In literature, authors like Shakespeare have used the term to explore the human condition's physical and emotional aspects. In the realm of art, 'flesh' is a favorite subject of painters, sculptors, and photographers, highlighting the beauty and vulnerability of the human form.

Given its profound implications, one might wonder how 'flesh' is translated in different languages. After all, understanding these translations can provide valuable insights into how different cultures perceive this fundamental aspect of human existence.

Here are a few examples:

  • Spanish: 'carne'
  • French: 'chair'
  • German: 'Fleisch'
  • Mandarin: '肉' ('rou')
  • Japanese: '肉' ('niku')

Flesh


Flesh in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansvlees
"Vlees" is cognate with the Dutch word "vlees" and the German word "Fleisch."
Amharicሥጋ
In Amharic, the word "ሥጋ" also means "the physical body" or "the material world".
Hausanama
The Hausa word "nama" can also refer to the meat of sacrificial animals or the dried flesh of a corpse.
Igboanụ ahụ
The Igbo word "anụ ahụ" also encompasses spiritual qualities and the essence of a being.
Malagasynofo
The Malagasy word "nofo" can also mean "person" or "human being".
Nyanja (Chichewa)thupi
"Thupi" also means "body" in Nyanja.
Shonanyama
The word "nyama" in Shona not only signifies "flesh," but also symbolizes the essence of a person, their well-being, and their vulnerability.
Somalihilib
The Somali word "hilib" can also refer to the meat of an animal or the human body, emphasizing its physicality or material substance.
Sesothonama
The word 'nama' originates from Khoisan, where it refers to an edible plant.
Swahilimwili
In Swahili, 'mwili' not only means 'flesh', but also 'body', 'substance', and 'essence'.
Xhosainyama
'Inyama' is occasionally also metaphorically used to refer to the material or physical assets of a community or a nation.
Yorubaẹran ara
Ẹran ara is derived from the Proto-Yoruboid *ran, meaning "body" or "substance".
Zuluinyama
The Zulu word 'inyama' can also refer to meat or food.
Bambarafarisogo
Eweŋutilã
Kinyarwandainyama
Lingalamosuni
Lugandaomubiri
Sepedinama
Twi (Akan)nam

Flesh in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicلحم
The word "لحم" is derived from the Semitic root "L-H-M", meaning "to be moist" or "to be tender", and can also refer to the edible portions of meat in Arabic culinary traditions.
Hebrewבשר
בשר can also refer to humans or animals in a general sense, similar to the English word "creature".
Pashtoغوښه
In Pashto, "غوښه" also refers to the meat of animals, particularly when cooked and consumed as food.
Arabicلحم
The word "لحم" is derived from the Semitic root "L-H-M", meaning "to be moist" or "to be tender", and can also refer to the edible portions of meat in Arabic culinary traditions.

Flesh in Western European Languages

Albanianmish
In Albanian, "mish" can also refer to "meat" or "a cooked meat dish".
Basqueharagia
The Basque word "haragia" is also used figuratively to refer to "meat" or "flesh of a person."
Catalancarn
The word "carn" in Catalan comes from the Latin "caro" and can also refer to meat or the human body.
Croatianmeso
Meso also means 'village', 'hamlet' or 'settlement'.
Danishkød
The Danish word "kød" is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "*keti-**, meaning meat or flesh, and is related to the English word "cattle".
Dutchvlees
The Dutch word "vlees" derives from the Proto-West Germanic root "*flaisk" and can also refer to the meat of animals.
Englishflesh
The Old English word 'flǣsc' is related to the word 'flake', referring to skin that is shed.
Frenchla chair
The French word 'la chair' originally denoted the living parts of an animal, with the specific meaning of 'flesh' being a more recent application.
Frisianfleis
In Frisian, "fleis" also refers to the soft and fleshy parts of fruit and vegetables.
Galiciancarne
In Galician, "carne" can also mean "meat" or "flesh of a fruit."
Germanfleisch
The word "Fleisch" is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "*flaisk" which also meant "meat".
Icelandichold
In Icelandic, "hold" also means "to hold, to keep, to grasp" and "to prevent from moving".
Irishflesh
The Irish word "feoil" (pronounced "flay-ol") is derived from the Proto-Celtic word "*wlesno-," meaning "flesh" or "meat."
Italiancarne
"Carne" can also refer to the meat of animals used for food, in which case it is usually preceded by an article (e.g. la carne, la bistecca).
Luxembourgishfleesch
The Luxembourgish word "Fleesch" is derived from the Old High German word "fleisk" and is related to the English word "flesh".
Malteselaħam
The word "laħam" is derived from Semitic roots meaning "food" or "meat".
Norwegiankjøtt
The word "kjøtt" in Norwegian, meaning "flesh," is derived from the Old Norse "kjötr," which also meant "meat" or "food."
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)carne
The word "carne" in Portuguese can also refer to meat or the edible part of an animal.
Scots Gaelicfeòil
The word "feòil" can also mean "holiday" or "festival" in Scots Gaelic.
Spanishcarne
The Spanish word "carne" is derived from the Late Latin word "carnis" or "carnem," which itself originated from the Proto-Indo-European word "*k̂r̥ós," meaning "flesh" or "blood".
Swedishkött
Cognate with the English word "meat," and like the English word, "kött" can also refer to the edible part of a plant, such as the fleshy part of a fruit.
Welshcnawd
The Middle Breton root *knaod may have given rise to the Welsh word cnawd.

Flesh in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianмякаць
Мякаць is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *męso, which also meant "meat" or "flesh".
Bosnianmeso
It also means "the side" in mathematics, like in "mesoscale," or "mesothelioma."
Bulgarianплът
The Old Church Slavonic word "плътъ" (plĭtŭ) also means "the people," from Proto-Slavic *plьtь "body, life, family"
Czechmaso
The Czech word "maso" also refers to the meat consumed as food.
Estonianliha
Liha also refers to the 'body of an animal' and, figuratively, to 'relatives' or 'comrades'.
Finnishliha
The word "liha" can also refer to the soft, inner part of fruits or vegetables.
Hungarianhús
The word "hús" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱwe-ws- "to swell", and is cognate with the English word "flesh".
Latvianmiesa
In Latvian, "miesa" also refers to the inner part of a fruit or to the pulp of a berry.
Lithuaniankūnas
In Sanskrit, the word 'kūnas' means 'body' or 'embodiment'.
Macedonianмесо
The word "месо" can also mean "meat" in Macedonian.
Polishciało
The Polish word 'ciało' can also refer to the body of water or the thickness of a liquid.
Romaniancarne
The Romanian word "carne" is derived from the Latin "caro" and can also refer to meat from hunted animals.
Russianплоть
The Proto-Slavic root "*pьlьtъ" meant "full" and "thick".
Serbianмесо
The word 'месо' can also refer to 'meat' and is the root of the word 'месара' which means 'butcher'.
Slovakmäso
The term 'mäso' can also refer to a type of Slovak meat soup.
Slovenianmeso
The word meso is also used in Slovenian to describe the middle section of something.
Ukrainianплоть
“Плоть” (flesh) derives from the Proto-Indo-European root “*pleḱ-“ (to fold, to plait), akin to “плести” (to weave) and “пласт” (layer).

Flesh in South Asian Languages

Bengaliমাংস
The word "মাংস" in Bengali is derived from the Sanskrit word "मांस" (māṃsa), which also means "flesh". In some contexts, it can also refer to "meat" or "animal tissue".
Gujaratiમાંસ
The word "માંસ" (flesh) in Gujarati also has the alternate meaning of "body".
Hindiमोटापा
"मोटापा" (flesh) refers to "the fleshy substance of an animal," "fleshiness" or "abundance," "a large piece," or "corpulence," related to "mass" or "weight."
Kannadaಮಾಂಸ
The word 'ಮಾಂಸ' (flesh) in Kannada also refers to the 'pulp' of fruits and vegetables.
Malayalamമാംസം
The word "മാംസം" is derived from the Sanskrit word "मांसम्" (māṃsam), which also means "flesh". In Malayalam, the word can also be used to refer to the body, especially the human body.
Marathiदेह
In Marathi, "देह" not only denotes "flesh" but also encompasses one's "body" and "self."
Nepaliमासु
In the context of Tantric Buddhism, the term "मासु" can also refer to the physical body of a practitioner.
Punjabiਮਾਸ
The word "ਮਾਸ" can also mean "meat", "substance", or "body".
Sinhala (Sinhalese)මස්
The word “මස්” in Sinhala can also refer to the soft edible portion of a fruit.
Tamilசதை
The word "சதை" (flesh) in Tamil also refers to the muscular or fleshy part of a fruit or vegetable.
Teluguమాంసం
The word "మాంసం" can also refer to a kind of meat or fish that is sold in markets.
Urduگوشت
The word 'گوشت' (flesh) in Urdu originates from the Persian word 'گوشت' and is also used in Hindi to refer to 'meat or flesh'. In Sanskrit, the word 'गौषम्' translates to 'cow-flesh' and is related to 'गो' (cow).

Flesh in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)
In Chinese, "肉" can also mean "meat", "flesh and blood", or "relatives"
Chinese (Traditional)
In some contexts, the Chinese character 肉 (pronounced "rou") can also refer to plants, animals, and even people.
Japanese
The '肉' (niku) character's alternate meaning is 'meat', but also can refer to the flesh of fruits and vegetables.
Korean육체
육체 also refers to the physical body of a living being as opposed to their spiritual or emotional side.
Mongolianмахан бие
The Mongolian word "махан бие" can also mean "body" or "substance".
Myanmar (Burmese)ဇာတိပကတိ

Flesh in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiandaging
In Javanese, "daging" can also refer to the fruit of the jackfruit tree.
Javanesedaging
The Javanese word "daging" not only means "flesh" but also refers to meat from animals that are commonly eaten, such as chicken, fish, or beef.
Khmerសាច់
This Khmer word, which literally means 'flesh', is the same word used to define the 'meat' on a fruit.
Laoເນື້ອຫນັງ
Malaydaging
"Daging" in Malay derives from the Proto-Austronesian word *dadiɲ, meaning "body" or "person".
Thaiเนื้อ
"เนื้อ" also means "pulp", "meat", or "content" in Thai.
Vietnamesethịt
The word 'thịt' (flesh) in Vietnamese has a similar root to 'thit' (body) and 'thit' (meat) in Old Khmer, indicating a relation to the concept of the physical body.
Filipino (Tagalog)laman

Flesh in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijaniət
The Azerbaijani word "ət" is also used to refer to other body parts, such as muscle and organs.
Kazakhет
The word "ет" also means "meat" and is related to the word "едік" (food).
Kyrgyzэт
The word "эт" can also mean "body" or "self" in Kyrgyz.
Tajikгӯшт
The word "гӯшт" in Tajik can also refer to the part of an animal suitable for human consumption.
Turkmenet
Uzbekgo'sht
The word "go'sht" is also used to refer to a specific type of Uzbek dish, typically consisting of braised or stewed meat with vegetables.
Uyghurگۆش

Flesh in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianʻiʻo
'Iʻo' can also refer to an area covered in volcanic lava.
Maorikikokiko
Maori word 'kikokiko' means 'flesh,' 'bone,' 'body,' and 'relative'
Samoanaano
The Proto-Polynesian word for 'aano' is 'aano', meaning the substance of the body
Tagalog (Filipino)laman
The word 'laman' also means 'inside' or 'content', highlighting the connection between flesh and the inner essence of a person or thing.

Flesh in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaraaycha
Guaraniso'o

Flesh in International Languages

Esperantokarno
The Esperanto word 'karno', meaning 'flesh or meat', originates from the Indo-European root '*k̑r̥so', which also appears in Germanic words like 'corpse' or 'carcass'.
Latincarnes
The word 'carnes' relates to 'caro,' also 'flesh,' and 'carduus,' 'thistle.'

Flesh in Others Languages

Greekσάρκα
In Greek mythology, `σάρκα` also means the personification of flesh and a daughter of Erebus and Nyx
Hmongnqaij
The word "nqaij" in Hmong is derived from the Proto-Hmong-Mien word "*n̥gaj" and the Proto-Tai word "*ŋaːj"}
Kurdishgoşt
The Kurdish word "goşt" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*ǵʰews-," meaning "to pour, flow," likely referring to the flowing blood of a slaughtered animal.
Turkishet
The word "et" can also mean "substance, material, essence," or "meat" in Turkish, and is cognate with the Indo-European root *ed- "to eat."
Xhosainyama
'Inyama' is occasionally also metaphorically used to refer to the material or physical assets of a community or a nation.
Yiddishפלייש
In Yiddish, "פלייש" also means "meat" and is related to the German word "Fleisch".
Zuluinyama
The Zulu word 'inyama' can also refer to meat or food.
Assameseমাংস
Aymaraaycha
Bhojpuriगूदा
Dhivehiމަސް
Dogriगेश्त
Filipino (Tagalog)laman
Guaraniso'o
Ilocanolasag
Kriobɔdi
Kurdish (Sorani)گۆشتی مرۆڤ
Maithiliमॉस
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯎꯅꯁꯥ
Mizotisa
Oromofoon
Odia (Oriya)ମାଂସ
Quechuaaycha
Sanskritमांस
Tatarит
Tigrinyaስጋ
Tsonganyama

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