Garlic in Different Languages
Discover 'Garlic' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Garlic
Afrikaans knoffel | ||
Albanian hudhra | ||
Amharic ነጭ ሽንኩርት | ||
Arabic ثوم | ||
Armenian սխտոր | ||
Assamese নহৰু | ||
Aymara aju | ||
Azerbaijani sarımsaq | ||
Bambara layi | ||
Basque baratxuria | ||
Belarusian часнык | ||
Bengali রসুন | ||
Bhojpuri लहसुन | ||
Bosnian bijeli luk | ||
Bulgarian чесън | ||
Catalan all | ||
Cebuano ahos | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 大蒜 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 大蒜 | ||
Corsican agliu | ||
Croatian češnjak | ||
Czech česnek | ||
Danish hvidløg | ||
Dhivehi ލޮނުމެދު | ||
Dogri थोम | ||
Dutch knoflook | ||
English garlic | ||
Esperanto ajlo | ||
Estonian küüslauk | ||
Ewe ayo | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) bawang | ||
Finnish valkosipuli | ||
French ail | ||
Frisian knyflok | ||
Galician allo | ||
Georgian ნიორი | ||
German knoblauch | ||
Greek σκόρδο | ||
Guarani áho | ||
Gujarati લસણ | ||
Haitian Creole lay | ||
Hausa tafarnuwa | ||
Hawaiian kālika | ||
Hebrew שום | ||
Hindi लहसुन | ||
Hmong qij | ||
Hungarian fokhagyma | ||
Icelandic hvítlaukur | ||
Igbo galiki | ||
Ilocano bawang | ||
Indonesian bawang putih | ||
Irish gairleog | ||
Italian aglio | ||
Japanese ニンニク | ||
Javanese papak | ||
Kannada ಬೆಳ್ಳುಳ್ಳಿ | ||
Kazakh сарымсақ | ||
Khmer ខ្ទឹមស | ||
Kinyarwanda tungurusumu | ||
Konkani लसूण | ||
Korean 마늘 | ||
Krio galik | ||
Kurdish sîr | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) سیر | ||
Kyrgyz сарымсак | ||
Lao ຜັກທຽມ | ||
Latin allium | ||
Latvian ķiploki | ||
Lingala litungulu | ||
Lithuanian česnako | ||
Luganda katungulu chumu | ||
Luxembourgish knuewelek | ||
Macedonian лук | ||
Maithili लहसुन | ||
Malagasy tongolo gasy | ||
Malay bawang putih | ||
Malayalam വെളുത്തുള്ളി | ||
Maltese tewm | ||
Maori karika | ||
Marathi लसूण | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯆꯅꯝ | ||
Mizo purunvar | ||
Mongolian сармис | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) ကြက်သွန်ဖြူ | ||
Nepali लसुन | ||
Norwegian hvitløk | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) adyo | ||
Odia (Oriya) ରସୁଣ | | ||
Oromo qullubbii adii | ||
Pashto ووږه | ||
Persian سیر | ||
Polish czosnek | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) alho | ||
Punjabi ਲਸਣ | ||
Quechua ajo | ||
Romanian usturoi | ||
Russian чеснок | ||
Samoan kaliki | ||
Sanskrit लशुन | ||
Scots Gaelic garlic | ||
Sepedi kaliki | ||
Serbian бели лук | ||
Sesotho konofole | ||
Shona garlic | ||
Sindhi ٿوم | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) සුදුළුනු | ||
Slovak cesnak | ||
Slovenian česen | ||
Somali toon | ||
Spanish ajo | ||
Sundanese bawang bodas | ||
Swahili vitunguu | ||
Swedish vitlök | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) bawang | ||
Tajik сир | ||
Tamil பூண்டு | ||
Tatar сарымсак | ||
Telugu వెల్లుల్లి | ||
Thai กระเทียม | ||
Tigrinya ጻዕዳ ሽጉርቲ | ||
Tsonga galiki | ||
Turkish sarımsak | ||
Turkmen sarymsak | ||
Twi (Akan) galeke | ||
Ukrainian часник | ||
Urdu لہسن | ||
Uyghur سامساق | ||
Uzbek sarimsoq piyoz | ||
Vietnamese tỏi | ||
Welsh garlleg | ||
Xhosa igalikhi | ||
Yiddish קנאָבל | ||
Yoruba ata ilẹ | ||
Zulu ugaliki |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | The word "knoffel" is related to "knob" and refers to the garlic bulb's shape and its cloves as "knobs". |
| Albanian | The word "hudhra" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱerd-, meaning "stinging" or "sharp," and is related to the Latin word "urtica" (nettle). |
| Arabic | The Arabic word "ثوم" (thoom) is thought to be derived from the Persian word "سیر" (sir), which also means "garlic." |
| Armenian | The Armenian word "սխտոր" for "garlic" is related to the Greek word "σκόρδον" and the Persian word "سیر". |
| Azerbaijani | In Azerbaijani, "sarımsaq" is also used to refer to a type of wild flower. |
| Basque | The word baratxuria is a neologism coined in the 19th century to replace the original term baratzazuria (which literally means 'white of the garden'). |
| Belarusian | The Belarusian word "часнык" not only means "garlic," but also refers to a person who grows or sells garlic. |
| Bengali | The word "রসুন" (roshún) in Bengali originates from the Sanskrit word "रसोन" (rasona), meaning "pungent juice." |
| Bosnian | The word 'bijeli luk' literally translates to 'white onion' and is a type of garlic commonly used in Bosnian cuisine. |
| Bulgarian | The word "чесън" in Bulgarian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "česnъ", which also meant "garlic" or "strong-smelling herb". |
| Catalan | The Catalan word "all" comes from the Latin word "alium", which means "garlic". |
| Cebuano | The etymology of "ahos" suggests a Proto-Austronesian term "*ququn" with a possible root "*quñ" for garlic. |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 大蒜 comes from an Old Chinese term that also referred to ginger. |
| Chinese (Traditional) | The word "大蒜" can also mean "large clam" in Chinese. |
| Corsican | Corsican: "agliu" is also the name of an edible wild onion and wild leeks. |
| Croatian | The word "češnjak" also means "garlic mustard" (Alliaria petiolata), a plant in the mustard family Brassicaceae, which is native to Europe and Asia. |
| Czech | The word "česnek" is also used in other Slavic languages, such as Polish, Slovak, and Russian, and is thought to be derived from the Proto-Slavic word *čьsnokъ, which may be related to the Albanian word "qëshur" and the Armenian word "sēr". |
| Danish | "Hvidløg'' comes from the Old Norse words "hvitr" (white) and " laukr" (leek), and refers to the bulb's white appearance and leek-like leaves. |
| Dutch | The Dutch "knoflook" derives its name partly from "knobbel", a "lump", referring to its shape or clumping growth habit. |
| Esperanto | Esperanto's "ajlo" derives from the Latin "alium", ultimately connected to "hale" in English and "hallr" in Old Norse for "to ward off"} |
| Estonian | The name "küüslauk" derives from an Old Germanic word that means "small onion". |
| Finnish | The word 'valkosipuli' originates from 'valko' meaning 'white' and 'sipuli' meaning 'onion', referring to the white color of garlic compared to the red onion. |
| French | In Old French, ail also meant "affliction," from the Latin "alium," a related word to "garlic," both coming from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "bitter." |
| Frisian | The word 'knyflok' is derived from the Middle Dutch word 'knoflook', which itself comes from the Old Saxon word 'knoflōk'. |
| Galician | In Galician, "allo" can also refer to the wild garlic, Allium ursinum. |
| Georgian | "ნიორი" is related to the Akkadian word "ninu" meaning "fruit" and in Old Georgian was originally used to refer to the pomegranate. |
| German | The word "Knoblauch" comes from the Old High German word "knobolouch," which means "club leek." |
| Greek | The Greek word "σκόρδο" derives from ancient Greek and likely relates to "scortum," meaning "skin". |
| Gujarati | The word 'લસણ' (garlic) in Gujarati is derived from the Sanskrit word 'लशुन' (lasuna), meaning 'to desire'. |
| Haitian Creole | In Haitian Creole, "lay" is also used to refer to the root of the garlic plant. |
| Hausa | The Hausa word 'tafarnuwa' may also refer to a plant with edible bulbs similar to garlic, called 'Allium ascalonicum'. |
| Hawaiian | The word "kālika" also refers to the color "light green" or "yellow-green" in Hawaiian. |
| Hebrew | The Hebrew word "שום" (shum) also means "nothing" or "none". |
| Hindi | In ancient Sanskrit texts, "लहसुन" also referred to other similar bulbous plants like onions and shallots. |
| Hmong | In the White Hmong dialect, "qij" is pronounced as "tsi" |
| Hungarian | "Fok" (the first half of the word) can also mean "choke", which might refer to the strong flavors that garlic releases when eaten. |
| Icelandic | The Icelandic word for 'garlic' is 'hvítlaukur', which derives from the Old Norse 'hvítur' (white) and 'laukur' (leek). |
| Igbo | Galiki, meaning "garlic" in Igbo, can also refer to the smell of garlic, especially on the breath. |
| Indonesian | The word "Bawang putih" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word "*bawaŋ", meaning "onion", and the Proto-Austronesian word "*puti", meaning "white". |
| Irish | Though it is commonly thought to mean "garlic", it actually translates to "heroic onion" or "onion of champions". |
| Italian | The word "aglio" derives from the Latin "allium", meaning "garlic" or "onion", and is related to the Sanskrit "laśuna" meaning "garlic". |
| Japanese | ニンニク (ninniku), known as "heaven's fragrant weed" in Japan, has been used for centuries as a medicinal herb. |
| Javanese | 'Papak' also means 'flat' in Javanese, referring to the shape of its cloves. |
| Khmer | The word "ខ្ទឹមស" (garlic) may be related to the Khmer word "ទឹម" (to smell), referring to its pungent odor. |
| Korean | " 마늘 " is also the name for a very small unit of measurement, so tiny as to be unnoticeable. |
| Kurdish | The word "sîr" also means "secret" in Kurdish, reflecting the belief that garlic has protective and secretive qualities. |
| Latin | The Latin word "allium" is also used to refer to other plants in the onion family, such as onions, leeks, and shallots. |
| Latvian | Etymology uncertain, may be related to Lithuanian "kilpikas" (a type of mushroom), or Latvian "cipars" (a type of herb). |
| Lithuanian | The Lithuanian word 'česnako,' meaning 'garlic', derives from the Proto-Indo-European 'kesnek-,' signifying 'to cut', referring to the garlic bulb's segmentation. |
| Luxembourgish | The Luxembourgish word for "garlic" is derived from the Germanic root "kniw-," meaning "to gnaw" or "to bite," suggesting the strong flavor of garlic. |
| Macedonian | In Macedonian, "лук" can also refer to an onion, a bow, or a bend in a river. |
| Malagasy | The word "tongolo gasy" literally means "Malagasy onion" and is used to differentiate it from the other type of onion, "tongolo mainty" (black onion). |
| Malay | Bawang putih is a compound noun that literally translates to 'white onion', but is used exclusively to refer to garlic. |
| Maltese | "Tewm" also refers to the number "eight" in Arabic (the Maltese language is derived from Arabic) and to an archaic measure of grain. |
| Maori | Karika, the Maori word for garlic, also refers to a type of small, edible fern root and the sweet-scented leaf-oil of the horopito plant. |
| Marathi | The Marathi word "लसूण" is also used to refer to the "garlic cloves". |
| Mongolian | Сармис (garlic) in Mongolian literally means 'stinking herb' |
| Nepali | The word लसुन is derived from the Sanskrit word 'lashuna' meaning 'the pungent one'. |
| Norwegian | The word “hvitløk” literally means “white leek” because of its appearance. |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | The Nyanja word 'adyo' also means 'to dig up'. |
| Pashto | In Pashto, the word "ووږه" can be used in various forms, such as a noun denoting "garlic" or as a verb to describe "sprouting". |
| Persian | The word ' سیر' in Persian can also refer to a journey, or the path of the sun. |
| Polish | From Proto-Slavic *čьsnokъ, from Proto-Indo-European *kes-no-k-, meaning "to cut, to prick". |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | The word "alho" is derived from the Arabic "al-thūm" and is also used to refer to "head" or "top" in some Portuguese dialects. |
| Punjabi | The word "ਲਸਣ" (lasan) comes from the Sanskrit word "लशुनं" (laśunaṃ), which itself is derived from the Prakrit word "लसुणं" (lasuṇaṃ). |
| Romanian | The Romanian word **usturoi** ultimately derives from Proto-Slavic *ǫstъroi̯, which also meant "garlic" and is related to Latin *ūstō" (I burn). |
| Russian | The word "чеснок" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *čьsnokъ, itself derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *kesno-ko-, meaning "to smell". This suggests that the original meaning of the word was "something that smells", and it was later applied specifically to garlic because of its strong odor. |
| Samoan | 'Kaliki' is also the name of a Samoan folk tale and a specific kind of Samoan dance. |
| Scots Gaelic | In Scots Gaelic, the word "garlic" is also used to refer to the wild garlic plant, known as "geugan garleic" or "geugan seanair". |
| Serbian | It can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂lewk- ( |
| Sesotho | The word 'konofole' may be derived from Proto-Bantu '*konofori' which also means 'bulb'. This is a shared root with the Khoekhoe word for 'garlic', '||k'onoo' |
| Shona | The Shona word "garlic" is derived from the Khoisan word "goro" |
| Sindhi | The word "ٿوم" in Sindhi can also refer to a garlic bulb, clove, or the smell of garlic. |
| Slovak | The Slovak word "cesnak" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *česnъkъ, which is ultimately derived from the Latin word "caepa" (onion). |
| Slovenian | The Slavic word "česen" (garlic) is cognate with words for onion and garlic in other Slavic languages, which ultimately derive from a Proto-Indo-European word for "pungent". Similar words exist in Baltic and Germanic languages. |
| Somali | "Toon" can also mean "small" in Somali, referring to the size of the garlic bulb. |
| Spanish | The word "ajo" originates from the Latin "allium," meaning "garlic". |
| Sundanese | "Bawang bodas" literally means "white onion" in Sundanese, although it refers to garlic. |
| Swahili | "Vitunguu" in Swahili is related to the word "ntunguu," meaning "onion." Both words ultimately derive from the Proto-Bantu root "-tungu." Historically, "vitunguu" could refer to both garlic and onions. |
| Swedish | The Swedish word "vitlök" comes from the Middle Low German "witlock" and is cognate with the English "white leek". |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | In the 16th century, 'bawang' also meant 'bulb' or 'onion' but slowly took on the specific meaning of 'garlic' in the 19th century. |
| Tajik | The word "сир" in Tajik also means "odor", "smell", or "scent." |
| Tamil | "பூண்டு" is also used to refer to the garlic plant's bulb, head, or clove. |
| Telugu | In Telugu, the word "వెల్లుల్లి" is also used to refer to a person who is very knowledgeable and experienced. |
| Thai | The word "กระเทียม" is also used as slang to refer to a transgender woman. |
| Turkish | The word "Sarımsak" in Turkish is derived from "sarı" (yellow) and "saçak" (tassel), referring to the yellow tassels that form around the garlic bulb. |
| Ukrainian | The Ukrainian word "часник" derives from the Proto-Slavic word "čьsanъ" meaning "garlic" and from the Old Church Slavonic word "česnъkъ" meaning "garlic". |
| Urdu | لہسن derives from the Sanskrit word "lasuna" and also refers to the garlic plant's flower stalk in Urdu. |
| Uzbek | "Sarimsoq piyoz" literally means "yellow onion" in Uzbek, and it is also used to refer to garlic. |
| Vietnamese | The word "tỏi" can also refer to a variety of other plants, including chives, leeks, and shallots. |
| Welsh | The Welsh word "garlleg" is derived from the Old English word "garleac" and the Latin word "allium". |
| Xhosa | The word "igalikhi" originates from the Khoisan language, where it also refers to the plant's medicinal properties, particularly its ability to cure coughs. |
| Yiddish | In Polish "konobel" refers to a garlic sausage. |
| Yoruba | The term ata ilẹ (garlic) derives from a contraction in the Yoruba language; ata meaning 'pepper' in Yoruba and ilẹ meaning 'earth, spice' in Yoruba |
| Zulu | The Zulu word "ugaliki" can also refer to a type of fermented porridge made from maize meal, known as "maize porridge" or "pap" in English. |
| English | The word "garlic" derives from the Late Latin "garlica" which means "garlic". |