Hair in different languages

Hair in Different Languages

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

Updated on March 6, 2024

Hair is a significant part of our identity and culture. It can express our personality, style, and even our beliefs. From flowing locks to close-cropped cuts, the way we style our hair can communicate a wealth of information about ourselves. But did you know that the word for hair can vary greatly across different languages, reflecting unique cultural attitudes and traditions?

For example, in Spanish, hair is cabello, while in French it's cheveux. In Mandarin Chinese, hair is translated as (fā), and in Japanese, it's (kami). These translations not only help us communicate in different languages, but they also offer a glimpse into the cultural significance of hair in different parts of the world.

So why might someone want to know the translation of hair in different languages? Whether you're traveling, studying a new language, or simply interested in language and culture, understanding these translations can enrich your understanding of the world and its diverse peoples.

Below, you'll find a list of translations of the word hair in 20 different languages. Explore, learn, and enjoy!

Hair


Hair in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaanshare
The Afrikaans word "hare" (pronounced "hah-ruh") does not only mean "hair", but can also refer to a rabbit or hare.
Amharicፀጉር
The word "ፀጉር" (hair) is derived from the Semitic root *śʿr, meaning "to grow".
Hausagashi
The Hausa word "gashi" can also refer to "fur" or "wool" depending on the context.
Igbontutu
"Ntutu" in Igbo derives from the root word "ntù" meaning "to grow out".
Malagasydia singam-bolo
"Dia singam-bolo" in Malagasy derives from the verb "singa" (to tear); "bolo" (feathers) was later substituted for "bolo" (to be round), the original word.
Nyanja (Chichewa)tsitsi
In Nyanja, "tsitsi" can also refer to a woman's hairstyle
Shonabvudzi
In some African cultures, "bvudzi" is also used to refer to fur, wool, feathers, or other body coverings on animals or birds.
Somalitimaha
"Timaha" can also be used to figuratively refer to one's lineage, ancestry or family history.
Sesothomoriri
It can be used for grass or vegetation that covers the land
Swahilinywele
The word "nywele" in Swahili also refers to the hair of animals, fibres, or plant filaments.
Xhosaiinwele
'Iinwele' can also refer to the mane of a horse or a lion and feathers on a bird.
Yorubairun
Irun is also the Yoruba word for 'thought'
Zuluizinwele
Zulu word izinwele meaning 'hair' is related to isiZulu word isinwele meaning hair of an animal such as a cow or a goat.
Bambarakunsigi
Eweɖa
Kinyarwandaumusatsi
Lingalansuki
Lugandaenviiri
Sepedimoriri
Twi (Akan)nwi

Hair in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicشعر
The word "شعر" in Arabic also means "poetry" or "verse".
Hebrewשיער
In the Talmud, "שיער" also referred to wool as a "covering over the skin".
Pashtoويښتان
The word "ويښتان" in Pashto, in addition to its primary meaning of "hair," can also refer to fur, wool, or other similar fibrous materials covering the bodies of animals and plants.
Arabicشعر
The word "شعر" in Arabic also means "poetry" or "verse".

Hair in Western European Languages

Albanianflokët
Flokët comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *wl̥kʷ- meaning 'to tear, pull', also found in fletë 'bark' and flok 'wool'
Basqueilea
"Ilea" also means "thread, rope" in the sense of something slender, flexible, and capable of binding.
Catalancabell
In some cases, cabell can refer to a single strand of hair, while in others it refers to the entire head of hair.
Croatiandlaka
"Dlaka" also means "sliver" in Croatian, which is a thin metal strip used for decorative purposes.
Danishhår
In Old Norse, the word "hår" also referred to the fur or feathers of animals and birds.
Dutchhaar-
The word "haar" in Dutch is also used to refer to a fine misty rain.
Englishhair
The Old English word 'hær' meant both 'hair' and 'garment made of hair', and 'herr' was the name given to coarse undyed wool.
Frenchcheveux
"Cheveux" comes from Latin *capillus* (hair on head) or *capillata*(hairy).
Frisianhier
Hier can also mean 'hay' or 'flax' in Frisian.
Galicianpelo
The word "pelo" can also refer to "fur" or "plumage" in Galician.
Germanhaar
In some cases, "Haar" can refer to a "group" of things or a "collection" of animals.
Icelandichár
In some old texts, "hár" can refer to any part of a horse's mane or tail, especially if it is long and flowing.
Irishgruaig
The word "gruaig" has roots in the Proto-Celtic word for "tree" and is likely related to the Sanskrit word "jangha" meaning "foreleg".
Italiancapelli
In Italian, "capelli" not only refers to hair on the head, but also to the bristles of a brush or broom.
Luxembourgishhoer
Etymology unknown, but possibly connected to the Middle Frankish loanword "hāra" (meaning "grey") and the Old High German word "hār" (meaning "grey hair").
Maltesexagħar
The word "xagħar" derives from the Arabic word "sha'r," and it can also refer to wool or fur in Maltese.
Norwegianhår
The word "hår" is cognate with the English word "hair" and the German word "Haar", all derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰers-.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)cabelo
The word "cabelo" originates from the Latin word "capillus" and can also refer to bristles, feathers, or horsehair.
Scots Gaelicfalt
“Falt” is also used as shorthand for “wig” and “head of hair”.
Spanishpelo
Besides "hair", in Spanish "pelo" also refers to a nap on fabrics, the fuzz on plants, or anything hairy.
Swedishhår
Hår, in Old Norse "hár", meaning "grey, old", also referred to flax fibers or horsehair used for sewing or rope-making.
Welshgwallt
Welsh "gwallt" is cognate with Irish "folt" (hair) and possibly with Latin "vellus" (fleece).

Hair in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianваласы
The word "валасы" in Belarusian comes from the Proto-Slavic word *vlasъ, meaning "wool" or "hair."
Bosniankosa
Kosa can also mean 'braid'
Bulgarianкоса
The word "коса" also means "braid" in Bulgarian.
Czechvlasy
"Vlasy" comes from an Old Slavic word that originally meant "wool", and is related to words like "volna" (wool) in Russian, "wełna" (wool) in Polish, and "wolle" (wool) in German.
Estonianjuuksed
The word "juuksed" is likely derived from the Proto-Finnic word "*jukka" meaning "feather" or "fur", indicating that hair was seen as a type of covering similar to feathers or fur.
Finnishhiukset
The word "hiukset" is also used in Finnish to refer to the bristles on a brush or the fur on an animal.
Hungarianhaj
The word "haj" in Hungarian can also refer to a sprout, shoot, or bud on a plant.
Latvianmatiem
The word "matiem" can also refer to a type of fabric or a small piece of land.
Lithuanianplaukai
In Lithuanian the word plaukai means "hair" however it also carries a secondary sense of "feathers" as in the case of the phrase "pauðððio plunksna ("peacock feather").
Macedonianкоса
The word "коса" means "braid" in Russian, while in Bulgarian it refers to a "sickle".
Polishwłosy
The word "włosy" in Polish is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "vlasъ", meaning "hair" or "fur".
Romanianpăr
The Romanian word "păr" comes from the Latin word "pilus", meaning "hair", but it can also refer to a wig or a feather.
Russianволосы
The word "волосы" originated from the Proto-Slavic word *vъlna, meaning "wool" or "sheepskin".
Serbianкоса
In Serbian, the word "коса" can also refer to a scythe or a geographical braid of land
Slovakvlasy
"Vlasy" is derived from Proto-Slavic "*volsъ" "wool" but also meant "long horsehair"
Slovenianlasje
The word 'las' can also refer to the string of a musical instrument or the fibers of certain plants.
Ukrainianволосся
The word "волосся" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*volsa", meaning "wool" or "hair". It is cognate with the Russian word "волосы" ("hair") and the Polish word "włosy" ("hair").

Hair in South Asian Languages

Bengaliচুল
The Bengali word চুল also refers to the thread of a loom.
Gujaratiવાળ
The word "વાળ" also means "a turn, bend, or loop" in Gujarati.
Hindiबाल
In Hinduism, the term 'bal' also refers to the sacrifice of hair, symbolizing a renunciation of worldly attachments.
Kannadaಕೂದಲು
ಕೂದಲು also means 'to be born', possibly due to the ancient association between hair and the beginning of life.
Malayalamമുടി
The word 'മുടി' can also mean "the crown of a tree" in Sanskrit.
Marathiकेस
The word "केस" in Marathi can also refer to a "case" in a legal context or a "matter" or "issue" that needs to be addressed.
Nepaliकपाल
In Sanskrit, **कपाल** refers to a skull or forehead but not to hair, while in Nepali it means hair.
Punjabiਵਾਲ
The Punjabi word "ਵਾਲ" (hair) is derived from the Sanskrit word "वाला" (tail).
Sinhala (Sinhalese)හිසකෙස්
The word "හිසකෙස්" is derived from the Sanskrit word "केशः" (keśaḥ), meaning "hair" or "a lock of hair".
Tamilமுடி
The word 'முடி' ('hair') in Tamil also means 'an end' or 'completion'.
Teluguజుట్టు
In Telugu, the word 'జుట్టు' can also refer to 'locks of hair' or 'braids'.
Urduبال
The feminine Urdu word "بال" (hair) derived from Persian and Arabic meaning either "wing", "feather or "highest"

Hair in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)头发
头发's first character, "发", can also mean "to grow."
Chinese (Traditional)頭髮
頭髮 can also mean 'thread' (of cloth) or 'wire' (in electricity).
Japaneseヘア
The word ヘア (he'a) can also refer to the fur of animals or the bristles of a brush.
Korean머리
The word "머리" can also refer to the head of a person or animal
Mongolianүс
"Үс" is a common Turkic word meaning "hair" or "wool", and is related to the Mongolian word "üs" meaning "sheep".
Myanmar (Burmese)ဆံပင်
While the word 'ဆံပင်' (sampiN) primarily means 'hair' in Burmese, it can also refer to 'wool', 'fur', or 'thread-like structures'.

Hair in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianrambut
The word “rambut” in Indonesian originates from the Proto-Austronesian word * rambut which also means "leaves on the stem of palm".
Javaneserambut
In Javanese, the word "rambut" can also refer to the fur or hair of animals and plants.
Khmerសក់
The word "សក់" can also refer to "mane" or "wool".
Laoຜົມ
The word ຜົມ also refers to eyebrows and eyelashes in colloquial Lao.
Malayrambut
{"text": "The word "rambut" is cognate with "rambulu" in Sanskrit and means "forest, hair or foliage."}
Thaiผม
"ผม" also means "l" or "I" in Thai, as it is a homophone that sounds like "phom".
Vietnamesetóc
The word 'tóc' also refers to the threads in fabrics and the fibers in materials.
Filipino (Tagalog)buhok

Hair in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanisaç
"Saç" also means "thin tree branch" in Azerbaijani.
Kazakhшаш
"Шаш" in Kazakh, besides "hair," can also mean "a handful of cut grass used as fodder" or "a thin rope tied from horsehair."
Kyrgyzчач
"Чач" can also refer to the root system of plants in the Kyrgyz language.
Tajikмӯй
"Мӯй" can also refer to a thin thread or fiber.
Turkmensaç
Uzbeksoch
This word also means “wool” or “nap” in Uzbek.
Uyghurچاچ

Hair in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianlauoho
Lāuoho literally means 'sun (or daylight) on the head'
Maorimakawe
The Māori word for "hair" "makawe" shares its root word "kawe" with the word for "carry".
Samoanlauulu
The word 'lauulu' can also refer to the leaves of a tree or leaves used for thatching a roof.
Tagalog (Filipino)buhok
"Buhok" in Tagalog can also refer to the fibers of plants or the bristles of animals.

Hair in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarañik'uta
Guaraniáva

Hair in International Languages

Esperantoharoj
An old spelling of
Latincapillum
Capillum, which means 'hair' in Latin, also shares a root word with capillary tubes used in electrophoresis.

Hair in Others Languages

Greekμαλλιά
The Greek word “μαλλιά” also means “wool,” deriving from the Proto-Indo-European root *welh₁n, meaning “to twist, turn”.
Hmongplaub hau
The word "plaub hau" can also refer to the hair of animals or feathers of birds.
Kurdishpor
The word "por" can also refer to a type of grass or a kind of fabric.
Turkishsaç
"Saç" refers to both "hair" and "scatter" in Turkish and is thought to derive from the root word "saçmak," meaning "to scatter."
Xhosaiinwele
'Iinwele' can also refer to the mane of a horse or a lion and feathers on a bird.
Yiddishהאָר
The Yiddish word 'האָר' ('haar') likely derives from the Old High German word 'hār' ('hair'), which is cognate with the English word 'hair'.
Zuluizinwele
Zulu word izinwele meaning 'hair' is related to isiZulu word isinwele meaning hair of an animal such as a cow or a goat.
Assameseচুলি
Aymarañik'uta
Bhojpuriबार
Dhivehiއިސްތަށިގަނޑު
Dogriबाल
Filipino (Tagalog)buhok
Guaraniáva
Ilocanobuok
Krioia
Kurdish (Sorani)قژ
Maithiliकेस
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯁꯝ
Mizosam
Oromorifeensa
Odia (Oriya)କେଶ
Quechuachukcha
Sanskritकेशः
Tatarчәч
Tigrinyaፀጉሪ
Tsongansisi

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