Honey in Different Languages
Discover 'Honey' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Honey, a sweet and viscous substance produced by bees from the nectar of flowers, has been an essential ingredient in human diets and cultures for thousands of years. Its significance extends beyond its culinary uses, as it has been used for medicinal purposes, religious ceremonies, and as a symbol of wealth and prosperity. The word 'honey' itself is derived from Old English 'hunig' and is related to German 'Honig' and Dutch 'honing'. But did you know that the word for honey in different languages can reveal fascinating insights into cultural beliefs and practices? For instance, in Greek, honey is 'meli', which is also the word for honey used in Ancient Greece, reflecting the continuity of this precious substance's importance in Greek culture. In Hindi, honey is 'shahad', which is derived from the Sanskrit word 'sharkara', meaning 'sugar'. In Swahili, honey is 'asali', which also means 'sweet'. Exploring the translations of honey in different languages is a sweet journey into the heart of global cultures and traditions.
Honey
Honey in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | skat | ||
| "Skat" can also refer to "honey bun" or "sweetie" in a romantic or endearing context. | |||
| Amharic | ማር | ||
| The word "ማር" (lit. "honey") in Amharic is etymologically related to the Hebrew word "דבש" (lit. "honey"). | |||
| Hausa | zuma | ||
| 'Zuma' derives from the Proto-Afro-Asiatic word for "sweet", indicating that sweetness played a fundamental role in the concept of honey. | |||
| Igbo | mmanụ a honeyụ | ||
| The word "mmanụ a honeyụ" in Igbo can also be used to refer to sweetness or pleasantness in a figurative sense. | |||
| Malagasy | honey | ||
| In Malagasy, the word "tantely" is the word for "honey", but it is also the name given to a small, stinging bee. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wokondedwa | ||
| In the 1601 dictionary 'A Vocabulary of the Language of Mozambique' 'vocondedva' was recorded with the meaning of 'the juice or sweetness of plants'. | |||
| Shona | uchi | ||
| The word "uchi" in Shona also means "sweetness" or "delight." | |||
| Somali | malab | ||
| The word 'malab' is also used to refer to the Milky Way galaxy in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | mahe a linotsi | ||
| The word 'mahe a linotsi' can also refer to sweet things, both literally and figuratively. | |||
| Swahili | asali | ||
| The Swahili word "asali" is derived from the Arabic word "asal," which also means "honey." | |||
| Xhosa | busi | ||
| In Xhosa, the word "busi" originally referred to wild honey found in honeycombs and can also mean "sweetness" in a metaphorical sense. | |||
| Yoruba | oyin | ||
| The word "oyin" also refers to a type of sweet drink made from fermented cornmeal. | |||
| Zulu | uju | ||
| In the Zulu language, "uju" also refers to a person who is sweet-natured. | |||
| Bambara | di | ||
| Ewe | anyitsi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ubuki | ||
| Lingala | sheri | ||
| Luganda | omubisi | ||
| Sepedi | rato | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ɛwoɔ | ||
Honey in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | عسل | ||
| The Arabic word “عسل” (honey) also means “sweetness” and can be used to describe something that is pleasurable or desirable. | |||
| Hebrew | דבש | ||
| The Hebrew word "דבש" (honey) also means "speech" or "doctrine". | |||
| Pashto | شات | ||
| "Chat" also refers to a type of berry that is the fruit of the Ziziphus jujuba tree. | |||
| Arabic | عسل | ||
| The Arabic word “عسل” (honey) also means “sweetness” and can be used to describe something that is pleasurable or desirable. | |||
Honey in Western European Languages
| Albanian | zemer | ||
| The Albanian word "zemer" is thought to derive either from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰérmos (meaning "warm") or from the Slavic word "zemlja" (meaning "earth"). | |||
| Basque | eztia | ||
| The word "eztia" in Basque is cognate with the Latin word "mel," both of which come from the Proto-Indo-European root *medhu-. | |||
| Catalan | amor | ||
| The word "amor" in Catalan has the same Latin etymology as "love" and can also refer to affection or a romantic relationship. | |||
| Croatian | med | ||
| The word "med" in Croatian also means "medicine" or "cure", reflecting its historical use as a healing substance. | |||
| Danish | honning | ||
| Honning, like its English cognate, originally referred to bees but now exclusively denotes the product of their labour and no longer the insects themselves. | |||
| Dutch | honing | ||
| In Dutch, "honing" also refers to sharpening on a whetstone, deriving from the Old Dutch word "hona," meaning "to whet". | |||
| English | honey | ||
| The word 'honey' is derived from the Middle English word 'honi' and the Old English word 'hunig,' both of which refer to the sweet, viscous substance produced by bees. | |||
| French | mon chéri | ||
| Mon chéri | |||
| Frisian | huning | ||
| Frisian "huning" is cognate with German "Honig" and English "honey", but is also used to refer to mead. | |||
| Galician | cariño | ||
| In the Galician language, "cariño" can also be used to refer to a loved one, similarly to the English term "darling". | |||
| German | honig | ||
| "Honig" is also an archaic term for "young bear" in German. | |||
| Icelandic | hunang | ||
| In Icelandic, 'hunang' may refer to honey, or honey bees, as both are referred to with the same word. | |||
| Irish | mil | ||
| The Irish word "mil" is cognate with the Latin "mel" and the Greek "meli," all meaning "honey."} | |||
| Italian | miele | ||
| The alternate meaning of "miele" in Italian is the "spleen." | |||
| Luxembourgish | hunneg | ||
| The etymology of the Luxembourgish word "Hunneg" is related to its Germanic origins, sharing a common root with the Old High German "honag". | |||
| Maltese | għasel | ||
| The word "għasel" is of Arabic origin and can also mean "sugar" or "sweetness" in Maltese. | |||
| Norwegian | honning | ||
| The Norwegian word "honning" likely derives from the Proto-Germanic word "hunang" and is cognate with the English "honey" and German "Honig". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | querida | ||
| "Querida" is a term of endearment in Portuguese, but its use differs between Portugal and Brazil. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | mil | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "mil" can also refer to "sweetness", "tenderness", or "a gentle thing". | |||
| Spanish | miel | ||
| In Spanish, "miel" also refers to a sweet, viscous substance produced by certain insects, such as aphids, called honeydew. | |||
| Swedish | honung | ||
| Honung, the Swedish word for honey, comes from the Old Norse word "hunang," meaning "a sweet food made from flowers by bees." | |||
| Welsh | mêl | ||
| The word 'mêl' is cognate with the Irish 'mil' and Latin 'mel', and is related to the Sanskrit 'madhu' and Greek 'meli' meaning 'sweet'. | |||
Honey in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | мёд | ||
| The word “мёд” originates from the Proto-Slavic word *medъ or *medvъ meaning “mead”, but it now primarily refers to honey and preserves mead’s meaning only dialectally. | |||
| Bosnian | dušo | ||
| "Dušo" can be used as a term of endearment like "love," "darling," "sweetheart," or "my dear" and it is not gender specific, as it can be used for either a male or female recipient. | |||
| Bulgarian | пчелен мед | ||
| The word "пчелен мед" (honey) is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *medъ, which is cognate with the English word "mead". | |||
| Czech | miláček | ||
| In Czech, the word "Miláček" can also be used as a term of endearment, similar to the English word "darling". | |||
| Estonian | kallis | ||
| The word "kallis" has other meanings such as "dear, precious, expensive." | |||
| Finnish | hunaja | ||
| The word "hunaja" is also used in Finnish to refer to a person who is sweet or pleasant. | |||
| Hungarian | édesem | ||
| "Édesem" is a Hungarian word for "honey", but it can also be used as a term of endearment in the sense of "my love". | |||
| Latvian | mīļā | ||
| The word "mīļā" can also be used as a term of endearment for a loved one. | |||
| Lithuanian | medus | ||
| In Lithuanian, the word "medus" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*medhu" and is cognate with the English words "mead" and "metheglin", which both refer to alcoholic beverages made with honey. | |||
| Macedonian | душо | ||
| The word "душо" can also mean "soul" or "dear" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | kochanie | ||
| "Kochanie" is also a term of endearment in Polish, meaning "my love" or "darling." | |||
| Romanian | miere | ||
| In Romanian, the word "miere" also refers to the sticky substance that is secreted by certain plants. | |||
| Russian | мед | ||
| Derived from the same source as English 'mead', 'мед' also refers to alcoholic drinks fermented from honey. | |||
| Serbian | мед | ||
| In Serbian, "мед" (honey) can also refer to something sweet or pleasant, such as a person or experience. | |||
| Slovak | med | ||
| The Slovak word "med" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "medъ", which originally meant "mead" or "honey wine." | |||
| Slovenian | draga | ||
| The Slovenian word 'draga' ('honey') is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'dorgъ', meaning 'dear'. | |||
| Ukrainian | меду | ||
| The Ukrainian word for "honey" comes from Proto-Slavic "medъ", sharing a common origin with Latin "mel" and Old English "medu". | |||
Honey in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | মধু | ||
| The Bengali word "মধু" (honey) originally referred to the honey of the forest, and later came to mean any sweet liquid. | |||
| Gujarati | મધ | ||
| The Gujarati word "મધ" (madh) is cognate with Sanskrit "madhu" and has alternate meanings of "sweetness" or "intoxicating drink". | |||
| Hindi | शहद | ||
| The word "शहद" is derived from the Sanskrit word "क्षौद्र," meaning "bee's food" or "food of the sky." | |||
| Kannada | ಜೇನು | ||
| The word 'ಜೇನು' ('honey') in Kannada is also used to refer to 'beehives' or the 'honeycomb' inside them. | |||
| Malayalam | തേന് | ||
| The word "തേന്" in Malayalam can also mean a kind of sweet liquid secreted by certain plants. | |||
| Marathi | मध | ||
| The word "मध" can also refer to sweetness or nectar. | |||
| Nepali | मह | ||
| "मह" also refers to the sweet drink toddy brewed from the sap of certain palm trees. | |||
| Punjabi | ਪਿਆਰਾ | ||
| The Punjabi word 'ਪਿਆਰਾ' is ultimately derived from the Sanskrit word 'प्रिय' ('priya'), meaning 'dear', 'beloved', or 'precious' | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මී පැණි | ||
| The Sinhalese word for honey, “මී පැණි,” originates from the Proto-Austronesian word “madu,” which also means honey. | |||
| Tamil | தேன் | ||
| "தேன்" refers to a specific type of honey collected from wild bees and has the additional meaning of "a sweet voice" in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | తేనె | ||
| The word "తేనె" has Proto-Dravidian roots and is cognate with the Tamil word "தே" (pronounced as "then". | |||
| Urdu | شہد | ||
| Cognate of Sanskrit **madhu**, Avestan **maδu**, Persian **مه** and Armenian **մեղր**, from Proto-Indo-European **médʰu** or **médʰwi** | |||
Honey in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 蜜糖 | ||
| The character "蜜" in "蜜糖" also means "sweet" or "pleasant", which extends the meaning of "honey" to other sweet or pleasant things. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 蜜糖 | ||
| 蜜糖 can also be used figuratively to describe something sweet, pleasant, or desirable. | |||
| Japanese | はちみつ | ||
| The word "はちみつ" originally referred to wild honey, while cultivated honey was called "みつ". | |||
| Korean | 꿀 | ||
| "꿀" (honey) also means "something very good" or "very well-liked." | |||
| Mongolian | зөгийн бал | ||
| The Mongolian word "зөгийн бал" translates literally to "insect honey" and can also mean "pollen" or "bee spit". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပျားရည် | ||
Honey in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | madu | ||
| "Madu" is said to come from the Proto-Austronesian root "*maḍu" which also means "intoxicating drink". In some Austronesian languages, "madu" refers to alcoholic drinks, such as the Javanese "tuak madu" which is a palm wine. | |||
| Javanese | mas | ||
| "Mas" in Javanese can also mean "older brother" or "mister." | |||
| Khmer | ទឹកឃ្មុំ | ||
| ទឹកឃ្មុំ (honey) shares etymological roots with its Indonesian cognate madu (honey), suggesting a common origin that may have spread via ancient maritime trade routes. | |||
| Lao | ນໍ້າເຜິ້ງ | ||
| Malay | sayang | ||
| The Malay word "sayang" can also mean "love", "affection", or "pity". | |||
| Thai | น้ำผึ้ง | ||
| The word "น้ำผึ้ง" (honey) in Thai shares the same root word with "น้ำ" (water) and "ผึ้ง" (bee). | |||
| Vietnamese | mật ong | ||
| Mật ong derives from the Sino-Vietnamese 蜜 (mật) "honey" and 蜂 (ong) "bee". The word is shared with many other Tai-Kadai languages, such as the Lao word ນໍ້າເຜິ້ງ (nâm phêng). | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | honey | ||
Honey in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | bal | ||
| The word "bal" in Azerbaijani also refers to a traditional Azerbaijani dish made from honey and flour. | |||
| Kazakh | бал | ||
| The word "бал" can also mean "ball" or "point" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | бал | ||
| In Kyrgyz, "бал" (honey) is cognate with "бал" (honey) in several other Turkic languages, originating from Proto-Turkic *bal. | |||
| Tajik | асал | ||
| The Tajik word "асал" not only refers to honey but also to "love" or "sweetness". | |||
| Turkmen | bal | ||
| Uzbek | asal | ||
| The word "asal" in Uzbek may also refer to a beehive, a bee colony, or a sweet substance produced by insects other than honeybees. | |||
| Uyghur | ھەسەل | ||
Honey in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | meli | ||
| "Meli" is also a short form of "melemele," or "yellow," and the name of a small yellow-flowered plant used in making lei | |||
| Maori | honi | ||
| The word 'honi' has alternate meanings of 'to kiss' and 'dear one'. | |||
| Samoan | meli | ||
| In ancient Samoa, "meli" also referred to the concept of "sweetness" or "pleasantness" beyond just the taste of honey. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | honey | ||
| In Tagalog, "honey" can also refer to "sweetheart" or "darling" | |||
Honey in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | misk'i | ||
| Guarani | kunu'ũ | ||
Honey in International Languages
| Esperanto | karulo | ||
| The word "karulo" is possibly derived from the Arabic word "karūj"} | |||
| Latin | mel | ||
| Mel also means "song" and derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*mel-," meaning "to sing, to make a sound." | |||
Honey in Others Languages
| Greek | μέλι | ||
| The word "μέλι" shares its root with "μέλλω", to intend, and is linked to the Latin "mel" and the Sanskrit "madhu". | |||
| Hmong | zib ntab | ||
| Kurdish | hûngiv | ||
| Kurdish “hûngiv” is of Indo-European root, cf. Armenian “hngem” and Persian “angabîn”; it also means “fruit” in other dialects | |||
| Turkish | bal | ||
| In Turkish, "bal" also refers to an adhesive, resinous fluid secreted by some plants, similar to the English "sap". | |||
| Xhosa | busi | ||
| In Xhosa, the word "busi" originally referred to wild honey found in honeycombs and can also mean "sweetness" in a metaphorical sense. | |||
| Yiddish | האָניק | ||
| The Yiddish word "האָניק" is derived from the Old High German "honag" and is related to the English word "honey". | |||
| Zulu | uju | ||
| In the Zulu language, "uju" also refers to a person who is sweet-natured. | |||
| Assamese | মৌ | ||
| Aymara | misk'i | ||
| Bhojpuri | मध | ||
| Dhivehi | މާމުއި | ||
| Dogri | शैहद | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | honey | ||
| Guarani | kunu'ũ | ||
| Ilocano | dungngo | ||
| Krio | ɔni | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | گیانە | ||
| Maithili | मौध | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯈꯣꯏꯍꯤ | ||
| Mizo | khawizu | ||
| Oromo | damma | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ମହୁ | ||
| Quechua | lachiwa | ||
| Sanskrit | मधु | ||
| Tatar | бал | ||
| Tigrinya | መዓር | ||
| Tsonga | murhandziwa | ||