Galaxy in Different Languages
Discover 'Galaxy' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Galaxy, a mesmerizing term that conjures up images of twinkling stars, swirling colors, and the vast expanse of the universe. This single word carries a profound significance, encapsulating the awe-inspiring nature of our cosmic home. The galaxy we inhabit, the Milky Way, is just one of the estimated two trillion galaxies in the observable universe!
The cultural importance of the galaxy is deeply rooted in our collective human fascination with the night sky. From ancient civilizations that worshipped celestial bodies to modern scientists unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos, galaxies have held a special place in our hearts and minds. Take, for instance, the Aboriginal Australians, who have been studying and mapping the night sky for over 40,000 years, or the ancient Greeks, who named our very own Milky Way 'galaxias kyklos,' meaning 'milky circle.'
Understanding the translation of 'galaxy' in different languages not only broadens our linguistic horizons but also offers a glimpse into the diverse ways in which cultures perceive and interact with the cosmos. Here are a few fascinating translations to pique your curiosity:
- Spanish: galaxia
- French: galaxie
- German: Galaxie
- Mandarin: 星系 (xīngxì)
- Japanese: 銀河 (ginga)
- Korean: 은하 (eunha)
Galaxy
Galaxy in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | sterrestelsel | ||
| The Afrikaans word "sterrestelsel" literally means "star system" and is related to the Dutch word "sterrenstelsel". | |||
| Amharic | ጋላክሲ | ||
| The term "ጋላክሲ" in Amharic is derived from the Greek word "γᾰλᾰξίας" (galaxias), which refers to a milky band of light in the night sky that we now know to be the Milky Way galaxy. | |||
| Hausa | galaxy | ||
| The Hausa word "burtaniya" is sometimes used to refer to "the United Kingdom." | |||
| Igbo | ụyọkọ kpakpando | ||
| Malagasy | vahindanitra | ||
| The Malagasy word "vahindanitra" literally means "a thousand stars". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mlalang'amba | ||
| The word `mlalang'amba` also refers to a large open plain without any houses. | |||
| Shona | renyeredzi | ||
| "Renyeredzi" in Shona is derived from the word "nyeredzi" meaning "star" and commonly refers to the Milky Way galaxy. | |||
| Somali | galaxy | ||
| The word 'galaxy' in the Somali language is 'Jidhka Dhalaal', which translates to 'body of light'. | |||
| Sesotho | sehlopha sa linaleli | ||
| The word "sehlopha sa linaleli" is derived from the root word "sehlopha" which means "cluster" and "linaleli" which means "stars", hence "cluster of stars." | |||
| Swahili | galaxy | ||
| In Swahili, 'galaxy' can also refer to a large group of people or things. | |||
| Xhosa | umnyele | ||
| In Xhosa culture, 'Umnyele' also refers to the Milky Way, a path traversed by ancestral spirits. | |||
| Yoruba | ajọọrawọ | ||
| The Yoruba word "ajọọrawọ" also means "group of stars" or "starry sky" | |||
| Zulu | umthala | ||
| The Zulu word 'Umthala' originally meant 'the Milky Way' and is also used figuratively to describe large gatherings or numbers. | |||
| Bambara | galaxie (fila-fila). | ||
| Ewe | ɣletivihatsotso | ||
| Kinyarwanda | galaxy | ||
| Lingala | galaksi ya monene | ||
| Luganda | ekibinja ky’emmunyeenye | ||
| Sepedi | molalatladi wa dinaledi | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nsoromma kuw | ||
Galaxy in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | المجرة | ||
| المجرة: مجمع الماء، أو نهر عظيم | |||
| Hebrew | גָלַקסִיָה | ||
| השם 'גָלַקסִיָה' נגזר מהמילה היוונית 'גאלקטיאס' שמשמעותה 'חלבי', בשל מראה היקום שדומה לנהר חלב. | |||
| Pashto | کهکشان | ||
| The word "کهکشان" is derived from the Arabic word "كوكبة" (kawkabah), which means "constellation". | |||
| Arabic | المجرة | ||
| المجرة: مجمع الماء، أو نهر عظيم | |||
Galaxy in Western European Languages
| Albanian | galaktikë | ||
| Galaktikë derives from the ancient Greek word | |||
| Basque | galaxia | ||
| Galaxy in Basque is “Esne Bidea” (Milky Way in English), but it also means “Milky Sea”. | |||
| Catalan | galàxia | ||
| In Greek, "galàxia" means "milky", referring to the Milky Way galaxy. | |||
| Croatian | galaksija | ||
| The word "galaksija" is derived from the Greek "galaxias", meaning "milky" or "milky way". | |||
| Danish | galakse | ||
| Galakse is derived from the Greek word kuklos, meaning "wheel" or "circle" | |||
| Dutch | heelal | ||
| In Dutch, "heelal" also refers to the "universe" or "cosmos". | |||
| English | galaxy | ||
| The word galaxy is derived from the Greek word 'galaktos', meaning 'milky' | |||
| French | galaxie | ||
| 'Galaxie' can also mean 'milky way' in French, referring to the Milky Way galaxy visible from Earth. | |||
| Frisian | stjerrestelsel | ||
| In astronomy, the term "stjerrestelsel" refers to both a galaxy or a galaxy cluster. | |||
| Galician | galaxia | ||
| In Galician, galaxia also means "milky way" and "spiral galaxy". | |||
| German | galaxis | ||
| The word 'Galaxis' is the German form of the Greek term 'galaxias', which originally referred to a milky liquid and the Milky Way. | |||
| Icelandic | vetrarbraut | ||
| "Vetrarbraut" is an Old Norse term meaning "bride of winter," referring to the Milky Way's appearance in the winter sky. | |||
| Irish | réaltra | ||
| The Irish word 'réaltra' evolved from 'realt' (star), also deriving from Latin 'stella' (star). | |||
| Italian | galassia | ||
| The word "galassia" derives from the Greek "galaxias kyklos", meaning "milky circle", referring to the Milky Way. | |||
| Luxembourgish | galaxis | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Galaxis" can also refer to a "milky way" or a "galaxy of stars. | |||
| Maltese | galaxie | ||
| Maltese 'galaxie' comes from the Greek word 'galaxias', meaning 'milky'. | |||
| Norwegian | galakse | ||
| In Norwegian, "galakse" can also refer to a whirlpool or an organized system or group | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | galáxia | ||
| A palavra "galáxia" deriva do grego "galaxías", que significa "leitoso" ou "branco como leite". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | galaxy | ||
| The Gaelic word “clach-shluaigh” (galaxy) can also mean “stone crowd” or “heap of stones,” likely referring to the Milky Way’s dusty appearance. | |||
| Spanish | galaxia | ||
| In Spanish, "galaxia" can also refer to a type of rock or a kind of marble. | |||
| Swedish | galax | ||
| "Galax" is the Swedish word for "galaxy". | |||
| Welsh | galaeth | ||
| Galaeth derives from 'caled' ('hard'), and '-aeth' (a suffix indicating an assembly or collection), so galaxy literally means a 'collection of hardness'. | |||
Galaxy in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | галактыка | ||
| Bosnian | galaksija | ||
| The word galaksija originates from Greek γαλαξίας /galaxías/, meaning „milky“, from γάλα /γάla/, meaning „milk“. | |||
| Bulgarian | галактика | ||
| “Галактика” идва от старогръцката дума γαλαξίας (galaktos), което означава „млечен път“. | |||
| Czech | galaxie | ||
| The word "galaxie" in Czech also means "Milky Way" and "universe". | |||
| Estonian | galaktika | ||
| "Galaktika" is related to the word "galaktoi" (milk) and derives from the Milky Way's appearance as a milky band across the night sky. | |||
| Finnish | galaksi | ||
| The Finnish word "galaksi" is also used to refer to the Milky Way, which is the galaxy containing our solar system. | |||
| Hungarian | galaxis | ||
| In Hungarian, "galaxis" can also refer to the Milky Way galaxy, specifically, or the galactic system as a whole, more generally. | |||
| Latvian | galaktika | ||
| The word “galaktika” ultimately comes from the Ancient Greek word “galaxías” meaning “milky”. | |||
| Lithuanian | galaktika | ||
| The Lithuanian word "galaktika" (galaxy) derives from the Greek "galaxias κύκλος" and means "milky circle" or "milky way". | |||
| Macedonian | галаксија | ||
| Polish | galaktyka | ||
| "Galaktyka" also refers to milkiness or cloudy liquid in Polish, likely due to the visual similarity of a galaxy to spilled milk. | |||
| Romanian | galaxie | ||
| The word "galaxie" in Romanian comes from the Greek "galaxias", meaning "milky", and refers to the Milky Way galaxy.} | |||
| Russian | галактика | ||
| In addition to meaning "galaxy", "галактика" also means the Milky Way galaxy and, in some dialects, the universe. | |||
| Serbian | галаксија | ||
| The word 'галаксија' (galaxy) is derived from the Greek word 'galaxias', which means 'milky way'. | |||
| Slovak | galaxia | ||
| V slovenčine je galaxia (po grécky 'mliečna cesta') nazývaná tiež mliečna dráha. | |||
| Slovenian | galaksija | ||
| The word "galaksija" in Slovenian derives from the Greek word "galaxias", meaning "milky", referring to the Milky Way galaxy. | |||
| Ukrainian | галактика | ||
| The word "галактика" comes from the Greek "galaxias", which means "milky". | |||
Galaxy in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ছায়াপথ | ||
| "ছায়াপথ" (Galaxy) literally means 'path of shadows' in Bengali, referring to its appearance as a faint, nebulous band of light in the night sky. | |||
| Gujarati | ગેલેક્સી | ||
| The Gujarati word "ગેલેક્સી" can also refer to a large group of people with a common interest or purpose. | |||
| Hindi | आकाशगंगा | ||
| The word "आकाशगंगा" is derived from the Sanskrit words "आकाश" (sky) and "गंगा" (river), and can also mean "celestial river" or "Milky Way". | |||
| Kannada | ನಕ್ಷತ್ರಪುಂಜ | ||
| Malayalam | ഗാലക്സി | ||
| The Malayalam word for 'galaxy' ('ഗാലക്സി'), may also refer to a galaxy shaped hairstyle or a kind of garland made from flowers. | |||
| Marathi | आकाशगंगा | ||
| The Sanskrit word आकाशगंगा, meaning 'Milky Way' or 'Galaxy', is also used in Marathi to denote 'Sky' | |||
| Nepali | ग्यालक्सी | ||
| Galaxy comes from the Greek word "galaxias," which means "milky," referring to the Milky Way galaxy. | |||
| Punjabi | ਗਲੈਕਸੀ | ||
| The word "ਗਲੈਕਸੀ" (galaxy) originally referred to the Milky Way as seen from Earth and is derived from the Greek word "gala" meaning "milk". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මන්දාකිණිය | ||
| The term is also used in Sinhala poetry to denote 'heavenly river'. | |||
| Tamil | விண்மீன் | ||
| While the term "விண்மீன்" literally means "star" in Tamil, it also carries the connotation of "a multitude of stars" and hence refers to a "galaxy". | |||
| Telugu | గెలాక్సీ | ||
| The word "గెలాక్సీ" (galaxy) is derived from the Greek word "galaxias", which means "milky way". | |||
| Urdu | کہکشاں | ||
| The word "کہکشاں" (kahkashan) in Urdu derives from the Persian words "kah" (straw) and "kash" (drawing), referring to the Milky Way's resemblance to a straw spread across the sky. | |||
Galaxy in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 星系 | ||
| 星系一词源自古希腊语，意为“乳状的圆盘”，因其在夜空中呈现的模糊光晕形状而得名。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 星系 | ||
| The Chinese character for galaxy, "星系", is also used to refer to a constellation. | |||
| Japanese | 銀河 | ||
| "銀河" (ginga) is also used to refer to the Milky Way, the galaxy that contains our solar system. | |||
| Korean | 은하 | ||
| "은하" originally referred to the Milky Way, but now encompasses all large, gravitationally bound systems of stars, gas, and dust in the universe. | |||
| Mongolian | галактик | ||
| The Mongolian word “галактик” also means "galactic", in the sense of relating to our galaxy, the Milky Way. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | နဂါးငွေ့တန်း | ||
Galaxy in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | galaksi | ||
| Galaksi berasal dari bahasa Yunani 'gala' (susu) dan 'kyklos' (lingkaran), merujuk pada pita cahaya putih bercahaya yang terlihat di langit. | |||
| Javanese | galaksi | ||
| The Javanese word "galaksi" can also mean "group of celestial bodies" or "a large collection of stars and planets". | |||
| Khmer | កាឡាក់ស៊ី | ||
| The word "កាឡាក់ស៊ី" (galaxy) in Khmer can also refer to a group of stars, planets, and nebulae that form a celestial system. | |||
| Lao | ກາລັກຊີ | ||
| The word ກາລັກຊີ is derived from the Sanskrit word "kakṣa," meaning "wheel" or "circle." | |||
| Malay | galaksi | ||
| The word 'galaksi' in Malay also shares the same root as the Malay word 'galak', meaning 'fierce' or 'aggressive'. | |||
| Thai | กาแล็กซี่ | ||
| The Thai word "กาแล็กซี่" (galaxy) is derived from the Greek word "γᾰλαξίας" (galaxias), meaning "milky circle", referring to the Milky Way galaxy. | |||
| Vietnamese | ngân hà | ||
| The word "ngân hà" literally means "the Milky Way" in Vietnamese, but is also often used figuratively to refer to the entire universe. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | galaxy | ||
Galaxy in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | qalaktika | ||
| The Azerbaijani word "qalaktika" originates from the Greek "galaxias" (γαλαξίας) and the Latin "galactica" and refers to the Milky Way, the name of our home galaxy. | |||
| Kazakh | галактика | ||
| In Turkic languages, the root word | |||
| Kyrgyz | галактика | ||
| The Kyrgyz word “галактика” comes from the Russian language, which in turn originated from the Greek “galaxias”, referring to the Milky Way. | |||
| Tajik | галактика | ||
| В таджикском языке | |||
| Turkmen | galaktika | ||
| Uzbek | galaktika | ||
| The word "galaktika" comes from the Greek word "galaxias" which means "milky circle". | |||
| Uyghur | galaxy | ||
Galaxy in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | galaxy | ||
| In Hawaiian, 'galaxy' translates to 'hōkū `ī, which also means 'starry heavens' or 'milky way'. | |||
| Maori | galaxy | ||
| The word "whetū" can be used to refer to both "stars" and "galaxies" | |||
| Samoan | aniva | ||
| In Samoan, "aniva" is also used with the additional meanings, "space", and "sky". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kalawakan | ||
| The word "kalawakan" in Tagalog (Filipino) originally meant "empty space" or "vast emptiness". | |||
Galaxy in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | galaxia satawa | ||
| Guarani | galaxia rehegua | ||
Galaxy in International Languages
| Esperanto | galaksio | ||
| The root of the Esperanto word "galaksio" is the Greek word "galaxias", which means "milky". | |||
| Latin | galaxy | ||
| The word “galaxy” originates from the Greek word “γᾰλαξίας” (galaxίας), meaning “milky”, referring to the Milky Way | |||
Galaxy in Others Languages
| Greek | γαλαξίας | ||
| The Greek word "γαλαξίας" (galaxy) derives from "γάλα" (milk), referring to the Milky Way's perceived milky appearance. | |||
| Hmong | galaxy | ||
| The Milky Way is called "hàv txiv nplej" in Hmong, which literally means "field of star rice". | |||
| Kurdish | galaksî | ||
| The word 'galaksî' originally meant 'milky way' in Kurdish, similar to its Greek origin 'galaxias'. | |||
| Turkish | gökada | ||
| The word "gökada" is a compound of "gök" (sky) and "ada" (island), referring to a cluster of stars in the night sky that looks like an island from afar. | |||
| Xhosa | umnyele | ||
| In Xhosa culture, 'Umnyele' also refers to the Milky Way, a path traversed by ancestral spirits. | |||
| Yiddish | גאַלאַקסי | ||
| In Yiddish, "גאַלאַקסי" can also refer to a "great tumult" or "commotion". | |||
| Zulu | umthala | ||
| The Zulu word 'Umthala' originally meant 'the Milky Way' and is also used figuratively to describe large gatherings or numbers. | |||
| Assamese | তাৰকাৰাজ্য | ||
| Aymara | galaxia satawa | ||
| Bhojpuri | आकाशगंगा के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ގެލެކްސީ އެވެ | ||
| Dogri | आकाशगंगा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | galaxy | ||
| Guarani | galaxia rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | galaksi | ||
| Krio | galaksi we dɛn kɔl galaksi | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | گەلەئەستێرە | ||
| Maithili | आकाशगंगा | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯒꯦꯂꯦꯛꯁꯤ ꯂꯩ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | galaxy a ni | ||
| Oromo | galaaksii jedhamuun beekama | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଗାଲାକ୍ସି | ||
| Quechua | galaxia nisqa | ||
| Sanskrit | आकाशगङ्गा | ||
| Tatar | галактика | ||
| Tigrinya | ጋላክሲ | ||
| Tsonga | xirimela | ||