Hero in Different Languages
Discover 'Hero' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'hero' holds a significant place in our hearts and minds, embodying courage, strength, and selflessness. From ancient mythology to modern literature, heroes have been celebrated across cultures for their unwavering determination and valor. The concept of a 'hero' transcends time and place, resonating with people worldwide.
Understanding the translation of 'hero' in different languages not only enriches our vocabulary but also offers a glimpse into the cultural nuances that shape our perception of this timeless archetype. For instance, the German word 'Held' reflects the hero's battle-hardened prowess, while the Chinese translation, '英雄 (Yīngxióng),' highlights the hero's virtuous nature.
Moreover, exploring the word 'hero' in various languages can be a fun and fascinating journey, uncovering historical contexts and unique cultural interpretations. Join us as we delve into the translations of 'hero' in over 50 languages, from Arabic to Zulu, and discover the rich tapestry of heroism that connects us all.
Hero
Hero in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | held | ||
| The Afrikaans word 'held' has the double meaning of hero and strong, and derives from the Proto-West Germanic *hald, which referred to a slope or incline. | |||
| Amharic | ጀግና | ||
| "ጀግና" (hero) comes from "ጀግነ" (to be brave, strong, or valiant). | |||
| Hausa | gwarzo | ||
| The word "gwarzo" can also mean "giant" or "leader" in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | dike | ||
| Igbo has an unrelated word 'dike' describing an elephant that makes loud noises | |||
| Malagasy | reharehany | ||
| REHAREHANY may also mean a "person who helps others" | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | ngwazi | ||
| In Nyanja, "ngwazi" also means a legendary creature that protects the village from enemies. | |||
| Shona | gamba | ||
| "Gamba" can also be used to mean "chief's praise singer" or "messenger" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | geesi | ||
| "Geesi" can be broken down into "gee", meaning a shield, and "si", meaning a sword or spear. | |||
| Sesotho | mohale | ||
| Swahili | shujaa | ||
| "Shujaa" derives from the Arabic word "shajaa" meaning "courage" and is also related to the Swahili word "shujaa" meaning "warrior". | |||
| Xhosa | iqhawe | ||
| In Zulu, the word 'iqhawe' also means 'lion,' which signifies courage and bravery. | |||
| Yoruba | akoni | ||
| In Yoruba, "akoni" can also mean "warrior" or "skilled person". | |||
| Zulu | iqhawe | ||
| The word "iqhawe" in Zulu can also mean "warrior" or "champion. | |||
| Bambara | jatigɛwalekɛla | ||
| Ewe | kalẽtɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | intwari | ||
| Lingala | elombe | ||
| Luganda | omuzira | ||
| Sepedi | mogale | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ɔkokodurufo | ||
Hero in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | بطل | ||
| The word "بطل" in Arabic also means "invalid" or "null". | |||
| Hebrew | גיבור | ||
| The word "גיבור" can also refer to a skilled person or a mighty warrior. | |||
| Pashto | اتل | ||
| اتـل/Atal in Pashto, also means 'eagle,' referring to its majestic and valiant qualities. | |||
| Arabic | بطل | ||
| The word "بطل" in Arabic also means "invalid" or "null". | |||
Hero in Western European Languages
| Albanian | heroi | ||
| "Heroi" in Albanian comes from the Greek word "hērōs", meaning "hero, demigod, or notable figure." | |||
| Basque | heroia | ||
| The masculine Basque word for hero, heroia, is related to heriotza, death, and to hil, to kill. | |||
| Catalan | heroi | ||
| The Catalan word "heroi" comes from the Greek word "ἥρως" (hḗrōs), which originally meant "protector" or "defender". | |||
| Croatian | junak | ||
| The word "junak" also means "giant" in the context of fairytales and Slavic mythology. | |||
| Danish | helt | ||
| The Danish word "helt" not only means "hero", but also "completely" or "whole". | |||
| Dutch | held | ||
| In Dutch, "held" means "hero", but it also has other meanings such as "slope" or "inclined plane". | |||
| English | hero | ||
| The word 'hero' stems from the Greek term 'heros', denoting a demi-god or one who exhibits remarkable bravery and strength. | |||
| French | héros | ||
| Héros can also mean "lover" or "main character" in certain contexts. | |||
| Frisian | held | ||
| Frisian "held" also means "steep" or "slope" and originates from Old Frisian "helde" (slope). | |||
| Galician | heroe | ||
| The Galician word 'heroe' is a false Galicianism derived from the Castilian word 'héroe' but can also mean 'heroic' or 'heroic poem'. | |||
| German | held | ||
| The word "Held" in German originally meant "one who is held in high esteem" or "a protector". | |||
| Icelandic | hetja | ||
| The word "hetja" in Icelandic is related to the Old Norse word "hetja," meaning "to incite" or "to encourage." | |||
| Irish | laoch | ||
| The word 'laoch' can also refer to a 'champion,' 'warrior,' or 'youth'. | |||
| Italian | eroe | ||
| "Eroe" comes from the Greek word "ἥρως" (heros), used in the sense of hero, demigod, or mortal of superhuman strength and courage. | |||
| Luxembourgish | held | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Held" can also refer to a large or bulky person. | |||
| Maltese | eroj | ||
| The Maltese word "eroj" is derived from the French word "héros" and also retains an alternate meaning of "owner" or "lord". | |||
| Norwegian | helt | ||
| The Old Norse word "helt" meant "man" but later came to imply a brave man, or "hero." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | herói | ||
| Portuguese «herói» derives from Greek «heros», but in Portuguese it can also refer to a fictional character without heroic qualities. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | ghaisgeach | ||
| The word 'ghaisgeach' is derived from an Old Irish term which meant warrior, and was originally applied exclusively to those of aristocratic birth. | |||
| Spanish | héroe | ||
| The word "héroe" comes from the Greek word "heros", meaning "demigod" or "great warrior". | |||
| Swedish | hjälte | ||
| Hjälte's original meaning in Old Norse was 'warrior' | |||
| Welsh | arwr | ||
| The Welsh word "arwr" (hero) is derived from the Proto-Celtic word "*ar-wiro" (man-warrior), and is cognate with the Irish "air". It can also refer to a "champion", "heroic figure" or a "male figure of great stature". | |||
Hero in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | герой | ||
| The word "герой" in Belarusian can also refer to the protagonist of a literary work or a person who has performed a heroic deed. | |||
| Bosnian | heroj | ||
| The word 'heroj' (hero) in Bosnian also means 'heroic', 'brave', and 'valiant'. | |||
| Bulgarian | герой | ||
| The word "герой" can also refer to a character in a literary or cinematic work, or an individual who is highly respected or admired for their achievements or actions. | |||
| Czech | hrdina | ||
| The word "hrdina" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *gordъ, meaning "proud" or "strong". It can also mean "champion" or "leader". | |||
| Estonian | kangelane | ||
| The word "kangelane" is derived from the Old Norse "kegna" meaning "to be able, to be skilled." | |||
| Finnish | sankari | ||
| The word 'sankari' in Finnish is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *senk-, meaning 'to gain, conquer, win'. | |||
| Hungarian | hős | ||
| The Hungarian word "hős" also means "dead warrior" and is related to the word "halál" meaning "death". | |||
| Latvian | varonis | ||
| The word "varonis" shares its root with the word "vārds," which means "name" or "reputation". | |||
| Lithuanian | herojus | ||
| The word "herojus" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰéros, meaning "protector" or "keeper". | |||
| Macedonian | херој | ||
| The Macedonian word "херој" ultimately derives from the Greek word "ἥρως" (hērōs), which originally meant "protector" or "defender". | |||
| Polish | bohater | ||
| The word "bohater" originates from the Proto-Slavic word meaning "fighter" or "warrior", and is related to the word "bój" (battle). | |||
| Romanian | erou | ||
| The Romanian word "erou" ultimately derives from the Greek "heros" and originally referred to demigods, half-human and half-divine beings. | |||
| Russian | герой | ||
| The word | |||
| Serbian | јунак | ||
| The word "јунак" is derived from the Turkish word "yigit", meaning "brave warrior" | |||
| Slovak | hrdina | ||
| The Slovak word "hrdina" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*gordinъ", meaning "proud" or "haughty". | |||
| Slovenian | junak | ||
| The word "junak" also means "young man" or "soldier" in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | герой | ||
| The word "герой" derives from the Greek "ἥρως" (hērōs) and was originally used to describe a demigod or a man with extraordinary strength and courage. | |||
Hero in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | নায়ক | ||
| The word "নায়ক" is related to the Sanskrit word "नायक" (nāyaka), which also means "leading role" or "hero". | |||
| Gujarati | હીરો | ||
| The word "હીરો" in Gujarati is derived from the Middle Persian word "hrwd" meaning "strong" or "valiant". | |||
| Hindi | नायक | ||
| The word "नायक" in Hindi derives from the Sanskrit word "नाटक" meaning "drama," and originally referred to the protagonist of a play. | |||
| Kannada | ನಾಯಕ | ||
| The Kannada word "ನಾಯಕ" (nāyaka) also refers to a headman or leader, and is derived from the Sanskrit word "nayaka," meaning "leader." | |||
| Malayalam | കഥാനായകന് | ||
| The word | |||
| Marathi | नायक | ||
| The word "नायक" (nayaka) in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word "नायक" (nāyaka), which means "leader" or "chief." | |||
| Nepali | नायक | ||
| "नायक" is also used to refer to the chief of a drama, a person who leads a group, or a male dancer. | |||
| Punjabi | ਹੀਰੋ | ||
| In Punjabi, "ਹੀਰੋ" (hero) also refers to a legendary figure of intense courage and virtue. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | වීරයා | ||
| The word 'වීරයා' can also refer to a male member of the 'Vaisya' caste, one of the four main castes in ancient Indian society. | |||
| Tamil | ஹீரோ | ||
| The word 'ஹீரோ' ('hero') in Tamil can also refer to a demigod or a deity. | |||
| Telugu | హీరో | ||
| In Sanskrit, 'hero' translates to 'वीर' pronounced as 'veera', likely the source of 'hero' in Telugu (హీరో) pronounced as 'heero'. | |||
| Urdu | ہیرو | ||
| The word 'ہیرو' is derived from the Greek word 'ἥρως' (hērōs), which originally meant 'protector' or 'chieftain'. | |||
Hero in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 英雄 | ||
| The word "英雄" in Chinese can also refer to a "great man" or a "heroic figure". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 英雄 | ||
| 英雄 ('hero') is composed of the characters 英 ('outstanding') and 雄 ('man'), originally referring to an outstanding and brave man, regardless of gender. | |||
| Japanese | ヒーロー | ||
| ヒーロー (hero) in Japanese can also refer to main protagonists in films or other works of fiction. | |||
| Korean | 영웅 | ||
| The word "영웅" (yeoung-ung) in Korean literally means "a person with a brave heart". | |||
| Mongolian | баатар | ||
| The word “баатар” also means an epic hero in Mongolian literature. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သူရဲကောင်း | ||
Hero in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pahlawan | ||
| The term 'pahlawan' can also refer to characters from folklore and mythology. | |||
| Javanese | pahlawan | ||
| The word | |||
| Khmer | វីរបុរស | ||
| Lao | ພະເອກ | ||
| The word "ພະເອກ" in Lao can also refer to the protagonist in a story or drama, or more specifically, the male lead role. | |||
| Malay | wira | ||
| "Wira" is a Sanskrit word which also means "man", "warrior", or "champion". | |||
| Thai | ฮีโร่ | ||
| In Thai, the word "ฮีโร่" (hero) can also refer to a "heroic act". | |||
| Vietnamese | anh hùng | ||
| The word "anh hùng" (hero) is derived from Chinese "英雄" (yīngxióng), which can also mean "outstanding talent". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | bayani | ||
Hero in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | qəhrəman | ||
| "Qəhrəman" is a Turkic word that originally meant "a strong and brave man". | |||
| Kazakh | батыр | ||
| The word "батыр" derives from an old Turkic word meaning "brave" or "strong" and is also related to the Chinese word "batou" meaning "a warlike horse." | |||
| Kyrgyz | баатыр | ||
| In Kyrgyz, 'баатыр' ('hero') can also mean 'a brave warrior' or 'a legendary figure' | |||
| Tajik | қаҳрамон | ||
| The word "қаҳрамон" also means "a strong and brave person" in Tajik, and is used to refer to someone who has performed a heroic act. | |||
| Turkmen | gahryman | ||
| Uzbek | qahramon | ||
| In Uzbek, the word "qahramon" has additional meanings such as "brave" and "warrior", highlighting the broader concept of heroism in the Uzbek language. | |||
| Uyghur | قەھرىمان | ||
Hero in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | meʻe | ||
| The Hawaiian word "meʻe" can also refer to a skilled worker or expert in a particular field, not necessarily a hero in battle. | |||
| Maori | hero | ||
| In Maori, "hero" also means a carved figure placed atop a wharenui, a type of meeting house. | |||
| Samoan | toa | ||
| In Tokelauan and Niuean, the cognate word 'toa' means 'warrior' or 'chief'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | bayani | ||
| The word "bayani" in Tagalog can also refer to a historical figure or an ordinary person who has done something extraordinary. | |||
Hero in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | heroe ukham uñt’atawa | ||
| Guarani | héroe | ||
Hero in International Languages
| Esperanto | heroo | ||
| Heroo (Esperanto for "hero") comes from the Greek word "hērōs" (ἥρως), which originally referred to a demigod or mythical figure. | |||
| Latin | heros | ||
| The Latin word "heros" is derived from the Greek word "ἥρως" (heros), which originally referred to a demigod or a person of divine ancestry. | |||
Hero in Others Languages
| Greek | ήρωας | ||
| The word 'ήρωας' can also refer to a demigod or a divine ancestor in Greek mythology. | |||
| Hmong | phab ej | ||
| This word means, "to help in carrying someone across a stream when fishing by spearfishing; an act of bravery". Another name for a phabej is a phaj niam - a strong warrior who fought and died during a war. | |||
| Kurdish | qehreman | ||
| The word "qehreman" in Kurdish is derived from the Persian word "qahr", meaning "force" or "power". | |||
| Turkish | kahraman | ||
| The word "kahraman" is derived from the Persian word "qahramān", which means "warrior" or "hero". | |||
| Xhosa | iqhawe | ||
| In Zulu, the word 'iqhawe' also means 'lion,' which signifies courage and bravery. | |||
| Yiddish | העלד | ||
| In Yiddish, "held" can also refer to a "giant", "warrior", or "champion". | |||
| Zulu | iqhawe | ||
| The word "iqhawe" in Zulu can also mean "warrior" or "champion. | |||
| Assamese | নায়ক | ||
| Aymara | heroe ukham uñt’atawa | ||
| Bhojpuri | हीरो के नाम से जानल जाला | ||
| Dhivehi | ބަޠަލެއް | ||
| Dogri | हीरो | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | bayani | ||
| Guarani | héroe | ||
| Ilocano | bannuar | ||
| Krio | hiro | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | پاڵەوان | ||
| Maithili | नायक | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯍꯤꯔꯣ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | hero a ni | ||
| Oromo | goota | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ହିରୋ | ||
| Quechua | hero | ||
| Sanskrit | नायकः | ||
| Tatar | герой | ||
| Tigrinya | ጅግና | ||
| Tsonga | nhenha | ||