Hip in Different Languages
Discover 'Hip' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'hip' has had a fascinating journey through the annals of language and culture. Originally used to describe something fashionable or in the know, its significance has evolved over time, coming to signify a certain level of coolness or trendiness. From its roots in African American Vernacular English, 'hip' has become a global phenomenon, a term that transcends borders and unites us in our shared pursuit of the latest trends.
But what does 'hip' mean in other languages? Understanding the translation of this word can offer us a unique window into different cultures and their values. For example, in Spanish, 'hip' is 'chabacano,' while in German, it's 'hipp.' In French, the word for 'hip' is 'branché,' which literally means 'plugged in' or 'connected' - a fitting translation for a word that's all about staying current and in the know.
So why should you care about the translation of 'hip' in different languages? Simply put, understanding this word in a global context can help you better connect with people from all walks of life, allowing you to appreciate the richness and diversity of human culture.
Hip
Hip in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | heup | ||
| The Afrikaans word "heup" is derived from the Dutch word "heup" and has the same meaning but is also occasionally used to refer to the thigh. | |||
| Amharic | ሂፕ | ||
| "Hips" in Amharic can mean either the body part or a traditional woven garment. | |||
| Hausa | kwatangwalo | ||
| The word 'kwatangwalo' in Hausa also means 'the side of something'. | |||
| Igbo | hip | ||
| The Igbo word "hip" is derived from the Proto-Niger-Congo root *kɔŋɔŋ, meaning "to carry on the back" or "to support". | |||
| Malagasy | valahana | ||
| "Valahana" is also the term for the side or flank of an animal, an axe handle, or a piece of wood that is split. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mchiuno | ||
| The word "mchiuno" can also refer to a person who is very thin or skinny. | |||
| Shona | hudyu | ||
| The word 'hudyu' can also mean 'hip joint' or 'thigh' in Shona. | |||
| Somali | sinta | ||
| In some dialects, "sinta" can also mean "thigh" or "leg." | |||
| Sesotho | letheka | ||
| The word "letheka" in Sesotho can also refer to the area between the waist and the thigh. | |||
| Swahili | nyonga | ||
| The word "nyonga" in Swahili can also mean "thing" or "matter", and is derived from the Proto-Bantu root "-nyongó" meaning "to be large". | |||
| Xhosa | isinqe | ||
| The word isinqe ('hip') in Xhosa also means the 'middle piece of the backrest of a chair' and is a derivative of the word 'isihlalo' which means 'chair or seat'. | |||
| Yoruba | ibadi | ||
| Ìbàdì can also mean "a trap for catching an animal". | |||
| Zulu | inqulu | ||
| In traditional Zulu culture, "inqulu" can also refer to a sacred object or totem associated with a particular clan or family. | |||
| Bambara | tɔ̀gɔ | ||
| Ewe | aklito | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ikibuno | ||
| Lingala | lipeka | ||
| Luganda | kikugunyu | ||
| Sepedi | noka | ||
| Twi (Akan) | pa | ||
Hip in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | ورك او نتوء | ||
| The word "ورك او نتوء" also refers to the side of the thigh in human anatomy. | |||
| Hebrew | ירך | ||
| The Hebrew word 'ירך' ('hip') can also refer to the thigh. | |||
| Pashto | هپ | ||
| The Pashto word "هپ" (hip) comes from the Persian word "hip" meaning "joint", and can also refer to the hip joint or the fleshy part surrounding it. | |||
| Arabic | ورك او نتوء | ||
| The word "ورك او نتوء" also refers to the side of the thigh in human anatomy. | |||
Hip in Western European Languages
| Albanian | ije | ||
| The Albanian word "ije" not only means "hip" but also refers to a type of traditional Albanian shoe. | |||
| Basque | aldaka | ||
| Aldaka, besides of "hip" in Basque, also means "slope" and "side of a hill". | |||
| Catalan | maluc | ||
| In Catalan, the word "maluc" also refers to the part of a garment that fits or covers the hips, or specifically the hips of a dress, skirt, etc | |||
| Croatian | kuka | ||
| The word 'kuka' in Croatian also means 'a hook' and is etymologically related to the word 'kuk' meaning 'a hook' or 'a nail'. | |||
| Danish | hofte | ||
| The Danish word "hofte" is cognate with the English word "hip" and the German word "Hüfte". | |||
| Dutch | heup | ||
| The word "heup" in Dutch can also refer to the fruit of the rose plant, known as rose hips in English. | |||
| English | hip | ||
| The word 'hip' derives from Middle English 'hype,' possibly from Old Norse 'hýpa' ('to leap') | |||
| French | hanche | ||
| The word 'hanche' is derived from the Late Latin 'anca,' meaning 'thigh'. | |||
| Frisian | heup | ||
| The Frisian word "heup" can also refer to the hipbone or the hip socket. | |||
| Galician | cadeira | ||
| The Galician word "cadeira" comes from the Greek "kathedra" (seat), and is also used to refer to a chair. | |||
| German | hüfte | ||
| The word 'Hüfte' is also used to refer to the 'waist', indicating that the two body parts are perceived as closely related. | |||
| Icelandic | mjöðm | ||
| Stemming from Proto-Norse *muðja-, "mjöðm" also can refer to "pelvis" or "stomach". | |||
| Irish | cromáin | ||
| "Cromáin" can also refer to "a ridge" or "a boundary" in Irish. | |||
| Italian | anca | ||
| "Anca" also refers to the bend of an elbow or an angle." | |||
| Luxembourgish | hip | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Hip" can also refer to a "jump". | |||
| Maltese | ġenbejn | ||
| The word "ġenbejn" is derived from the Semitic root "jnb" meaning "side" or "flank". | |||
| Norwegian | hofte | ||
| The word hofte, meaning hip, derives from norse, 'hofthi', or thigh. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | quadril | ||
| The word "quadril" derives from the Latin "quadrus", meaning "four", referring to the four muscles of the hip. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | hip | ||
| The word "hip" in Scots Gaelic also means "a berry" or "a berry bush". | |||
| Spanish | cadera | ||
| The word "cadera" derives from the Latin word "cathedra", originally meaning "chair" and figuratively "position" or "place". As a Spanish noun, it is also used to refer to a chair. | |||
| Swedish | höft | ||
| The word höft is also used figuratively to refer to the upper hand in a negotiation or power play. | |||
| Welsh | clun | ||
| In some contexts, "clun" can also refer to a hill or a rounded hilltop. | |||
Hip in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | сцягно | ||
| The word "сцягно" is also used figuratively in Belarusian to refer to someone's "thigh", "leg", or "foot." | |||
| Bosnian | hip | ||
| The Bosnian word "kuk" also means "hip", and comes from the Proto-Slavic word *kukъ, meaning "hip" or "thigh". | |||
| Bulgarian | хип | ||
| In the Bulgarian slang, the word "хип" means "aware of current trends, stylish, or fashionable." | |||
| Czech | boky | ||
| In Czech, "boky" can also refer to the side of something, like a building or a piece of furniture. | |||
| Estonian | puusa | ||
| In Estonian, the word "puusa" also means "waist" and is related to the Finnish word "pusa" meaning "bush" or "undergrowth." | |||
| Finnish | lonkan | ||
| The word “lonkan” originally meant “side” or “edge” and it can still be used in this sense in some contexts, despite it now being most commonly known as the body part. | |||
| Hungarian | csípő | ||
| The verb form of "csípő" means "to pinch" in Hungarian. | |||
| Latvian | gurns | ||
| The Latvian word "gurns" (hip), is cognate with the English "girn", referring to an open mouth. | |||
| Lithuanian | klubas | ||
| "Klubas" is a borrowing from German "klub" which derives from Middle French "club" meaning "stick, cudgel". | |||
| Macedonian | колк | ||
| The term "колк" can also refer to a type of hip pain or an insect bite, further exploring its meanings. | |||
| Polish | cześć p | ||
| In Polish, 'cześć p' is a slang term for a 'buddy' or 'friend' derived from the phrase 'cześć, panie' ('hello, sir'). | |||
| Romanian | şold | ||
| Şold comes from Latin "coxae" meaning "hips" and is cognated with French "cuisse" and Italian "coscia", both meaning "thigh". | |||
| Russian | бедро | ||
| The word "бедро" (hip) also means "thigh" and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *bedro, ultimately from the Indo-European root *bʰed- (to split). | |||
| Serbian | кука | ||
| The word "кука" can also refer to a kind of corncob pipe or a wooden peg used to attach roof tiles. | |||
| Slovak | bedro | ||
| *Bedro* in Slovak is a common and informal diminutive of *bedrová kosť* meaning "hip bone". | |||
| Slovenian | kolk | ||
| The word "kolk" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *kolko, meaning "wheel" or "circle". | |||
| Ukrainian | стегно | ||
| The Ukrainian word "стегно" is also used to refer to the thigh or the upper leg of an animal. | |||
Hip in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | নিতম্ব | ||
| Gujarati | હિપ | ||
| The word 'હિપ' ('hip') in Gujarati can also mean 'waist' or 'loin'. | |||
| Hindi | कमर | ||
| The word "कमर" (hip) in Hindi also has an alternate meaning as "waist". | |||
| Kannada | ಸೊಂಟ | ||
| The word "ಸೊಂಟ" also means "thin" or "slender" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | ഹിപ് | ||
| In Malayalam, 'ഹിപ്' ('hip') means 'waist,' but it can also refer to an expression of approval or coolness | |||
| Marathi | हिप | ||
| The Marathi word “hip” is originally the same word as the English “ship.” | |||
| Nepali | हिप | ||
| The word "hip" has another meaning in Nepali: a type of traditional liquor that is typically made from millet or corn. | |||
| Punjabi | ਕਮਰ | ||
| The term "ਕਮਰ" ("hip") in Punjabi can also refer to the waist or the middle part of the body. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | උකුල | ||
| The word "උකුල" can also refer to the hip joint or the thigh in Sinhala. | |||
| Tamil | இடுப்பு | ||
| "இடுப்பு" can mean "waist" in addition to "hip". The word is derived from the Proto-Dravidian word *iḍu-pu-, meaning "waist" or "girdle". | |||
| Telugu | హిప్ | ||
| The Telugu word "హిప్" (hip) has its origins in the Sanskrit word "कटि" (kati) meaning "hip, waist". | |||
| Urdu | ہپ | ||
| The Urdu word "ہپ" can also refer to the fruit of the jujube tree, known in English as a "Chinese date". | |||
Hip in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 臀部 | ||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 臀部 | ||
| Japanese | ヒップ | ||
| The word "hip" in Japanese can also mean "stylish" or "fashionable." | |||
| Korean | 잘 알고 있기 | ||
| The Korean word "잘 알고 있기" has a literal meaning of "to know well" and is used in the context of expertise or proficiency in a particular subject. | |||
| Mongolian | хип | ||
| The Mongolian word "хип" can also mean "good" or "very good". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | တင်ပါး | ||
Hip in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | panggul | ||
| "Panggul" also refers to the shoulders in Indonesian, highlighting the body’s skeletal symmetry. | |||
| Javanese | pinggul | ||
| "Pinggul" also means "backbone" or "spine" in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | ត្រគាក | ||
| "ត្រគាក" can also refer to the top two corners of a Cambodian chek (scarf). | |||
| Lao | ສະໂພກ | ||
| The word 'sapoak', which means hip, is likely a cognate of the Thai and Burmese words that mean thigh. | |||
| Malay | pinggul | ||
| The word "pinggul" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word *pəŋgul, which also meant "thigh". | |||
| Thai | สะโพก | ||
| Vietnamese | hông | ||
| "Hông" also means a large flat metal piece that cooks food by pressing it between two surfaces | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | balakang | ||
Hip in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | kalça | ||
| The word | |||
| Kazakh | жамбас | ||
| The Kazakh word "жамбас" also has alternate meanings, including "thigh", "leg" and "buttock". It originates from the Proto-Turkic word "*čaŋbaš". | |||
| Kyrgyz | жамбаш | ||
| The word "жамбаш" in Kyrgyz literally means "horse knee" and its alternate meaning "hip" comes from the traditional practice of tying horses to a post by their front legs, leaving their hips exposed. | |||
| Tajik | хуч | ||
| The etymology of хуч ('hip') is unclear, and it is debated whether it is related to the Persian word كوچه ('alley'). | |||
| Turkmen | bagryň | ||
| Uzbek | kestirib | ||
| The Uzbek word "kestirib" is thought to be derived from the Persian word "kamar" (meaning "waist" or "hip"). | |||
| Uyghur | يانپاش | ||
Hip in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pūhaka | ||
| Pūhaka originated from the word 'pu' which relates to the 'source' and 'origin' of 'haka', a hip-shaking dance. | |||
| Maori | hope | ||
| In Maori, the word "hope" can also refer to a traditional dance or a type of woven mat. | |||
| Samoan | suilapalapa | ||
| In Samoan mythology, Suilapalapa is a giant who was tricked by the demigod Maui to reveal the secret of fire. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | balakang | ||
| The Tagalog word "balakang" can also refer to the rear, back, or backside of something. | |||
Hip in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ch'illa | ||
| Guarani | ku'a | ||
Hip in International Languages
| Esperanto | kokso | ||
| "Koksi" also translates colloquially as "a bad or unfortunate person" in Esperanto. | |||
| Latin | coxae | ||
| "Coxae" is a Latin word that shares a similar root with "coxa," meaning "hip joint" or "thigh." It can also refer to the hips as a whole, the pelvis, or even the buttocks. | |||
Hip in Others Languages
| Greek | ισχίο | ||
| "Ισχίο" has an alternate meaning of "fig" in Cyprus. | |||
| Hmong | ntsag | ||
| In Miao, "ntsag" can also refer to the back of the body, like in "lub ntsag" (lower back). | |||
| Kurdish | kûlîmek | ||
| The word 'kûlîmek' in Kurdish is derived from the Persian word 'kûleh' meaning 'cap' or 'hat', and has the alternate meaning of 'the lower part of the leg extending from the knee to the ankle' in some Kurdish dialects. | |||
| Turkish | kalça | ||
| In Turkish, the term 'kalça' can also refer to a kind of dough prepared with molasses. | |||
| Xhosa | isinqe | ||
| The word isinqe ('hip') in Xhosa also means the 'middle piece of the backrest of a chair' and is a derivative of the word 'isihlalo' which means 'chair or seat'. | |||
| Yiddish | לענד | ||
| The Yiddish word לענד ("hip") also means "loin" in the Bible, deriving from the Hebrew לעד , meaning "to abide" or "to endure." | |||
| Zulu | inqulu | ||
| In traditional Zulu culture, "inqulu" can also refer to a sacred object or totem associated with a particular clan or family. | |||
| Assamese | কঁকাল | ||
| Aymara | ch'illa | ||
| Bhojpuri | कूल्हा | ||
| Dhivehi | އުނަގަނޑު | ||
| Dogri | गुफ्फी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | balakang | ||
| Guarani | ku'a | ||
| Ilocano | pading-pading | ||
| Krio | wesbon | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ڕان | ||
| Maithili | पोन | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯈ꯭ꯋꯥꯡ | ||
| Mizo | bawp | ||
| Oromo | luqqeettuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବାଣ୍ଡ | ||
| Quechua | chaka tullu | ||
| Sanskrit | नितंब | ||
| Tatar | итәк | ||
| Tigrinya | ሽንጢ | ||
| Tsonga | nyonga | ||