Honor in Different Languages
Discover 'Honor' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Honor is a powerful word that holds great significance in many cultures and languages around the world. At its core, honor represents a strong sense of integrity, respect, and ethical conduct. It is a concept that is deeply ingrained in our social and cultural norms, and is often associated with values such as loyalty, courage, and dignity.
Throughout history, honor has played a crucial role in shaping societies and influencing human behavior. From the samurai code of bushido in Japan, to the chivalric code of knights in medieval Europe, honor has been a guiding principle that has helped to define cultural identities and promote social cohesion.
Given the importance of honor in different cultures, it's not surprising that the word has been translated into many languages, each with its own unique nuances and connotations. For example, in Spanish, honor is translated as 'honor', while in French, it is translated as 'honneur'. In German, the word for honor is 'Ehre', and in Russian, it is 'честь' (chast').
In this article, we will explore the many translations of honor in different languages, shedding light on the cultural significance of this important word and providing insights into the rich and diverse linguistic landscape of our world.
Honor
Honor in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | eer | ||
| "Eer" is cognate with "ear" (grain spikelet) in several Germanic languages (Dutch, Danish, Swedish), as well as the Latin root of cereal (grain). | |||
| Amharic | ክብር | ||
| "ክብር" in Amharic can both mean "honor" and "weight", with the root "ክብ" meaning "heavy" | |||
| Hausa | girmamawa | ||
| The word 'girmamawa' also means 'dignity' in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | nsọpụrụ | ||
| The Igbo word nsọpụrụ, 'respect,' may derive from 'nsọ,' 'spirit,' and 'pụ,' 'emerge,' perhaps connoting the respect paid to something that makes a person or group extraordinary. | |||
| Malagasy | manomeza voninahitra | ||
| The word Manomeza voninahitra in Malagasy can also refer to a person or object that deserves respect and veneration, similar to the word honor in English. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | ulemu | ||
| Ulemu is used in Nyanja to refer to different forms of respect, depending on whether it precedes or follows a noun. | |||
| Shona | rukudzo | ||
| The word "rukudzo" shares its root with the word "kudza," meaning "to come" or "to be present." | |||
| Somali | sharaf | ||
| Somali word "sharaf" (honor) derives from the root meaning "to be raised up" (sharaf) in Arabic, and is also used to refer to the high status or esteem accorded to someone or something. | |||
| Sesotho | tlotla | ||
| Sesotho "tlotla" also means "respectful attitude towards one's superiors." | |||
| Swahili | heshima | ||
| In Swahili, "heshima" also means "respect" or "esteem", and is closely related to the term "heshimu", meaning "to respect". | |||
| Xhosa | imbeko | ||
| In addition to "honor," "imbeko" can also refer to the "strength" or "respect" associated with honor. | |||
| Yoruba | ọlá | ||
| "Ọlá" can also mean "lineage" or "family" in Yoruba, highlighting the interconnectedness of honor, ancestry, and community. | |||
| Zulu | udumo | ||
| Udumo originates from the Bantu root "*dum-/*dom" meaning "to praise" and is cognate with "dumiso" (praise). | |||
| Bambara | bonya | ||
| Ewe | bubu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | icyubahiro | ||
| Lingala | lokumu | ||
| Luganda | okussaamu ekitiibwa | ||
| Sepedi | hlompha | ||
| Twi (Akan) | animuonyamhyɛ | ||
Honor in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | شرف | ||
| The word "شرف" can also refer to a high position or status in society. | |||
| Hebrew | כָּבוֹד | ||
| "כָּבוֹד" derives from the root כב"ד meaning heavy and also refers to reputation and glory, hence its connotation as honor. | |||
| Pashto | ویاړ | ||
| The word 'ویاړ' is also used to describe a code of conduct that emphasizes bravery, loyalty, and hospitality. | |||
| Arabic | شرف | ||
| The word "شرف" can also refer to a high position or status in society. | |||
Honor in Western European Languages
| Albanian | nder | ||
| The word "nder" originates from the Proto-Indo-European root *ned- (*praise, extol), and is shared with Germanic languages (such as English "honor") and Balto-Slavic languages (such as Russian "награда" (nagrada, "reward")). | |||
| Basque | ohorea | ||
| Ohorea derives from proto-Basque *oren 'fame', with a similar root to Latin honor | |||
| Catalan | honor | ||
| The word honors (in Catalan, l’honor) comes from Latin ‘honor’, which is also reflected in the English ‘honor’. | |||
| Croatian | čast | ||
| Čast is related to the words 'chest' and 'chaste' due to the idea of protecting something of value. | |||
| Danish | ære | ||
| The Danish word "Ære" originally meant "reverence for the gods" but has evolved to encompass the concepts of reputation and esteem. | |||
| Dutch | eer | ||
| The word "eer" in Dutch can also mean "ore", as in the mineral. | |||
| English | honor | ||
| The word 'honor' derives from the Latin word 'honor', which referred to respect, esteem, and public recognition. | |||
| French | honneur | ||
| The French word "honneur" (honor) derives from the Latin word "honor", which also meant "dignity, respect, and esteem". | |||
| Frisian | eare | ||
| The Frisian word "eare" also means "reputation" or "fame." | |||
| Galician | honra | ||
| Galician "honra" comes from Latin "*honores" and has alternate meanings like "integrity", "respect", "good reputation", and "decency". | |||
| German | ehre | ||
| The original meaning of "Ehre" was more like "good reputation" and it still means "good name" in legal matters. | |||
| Icelandic | heiður | ||
| The Icelandic word "heiður" originally meant "dignity," but later took on the meaning of "honor." | |||
| Irish | onóir | ||
| The word "onóir" in Irish can also mean "respect" or "esteem". | |||
| Italian | onore | ||
| The word "onore" also means "burden" in Italian | |||
| Luxembourgish | éier | ||
| The word "Éier" (honor) has Germanic roots and is related to words for iron and ore in other Germanic languages. | |||
| Maltese | unur | ||
| The word "unur" in Maltese comes from the Latin "honor" and also means "respect". | |||
| Norwegian | ære | ||
| The word "ære" in Norwegian can also mean "respect" or "esteem". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | honra | ||
| In Portuguese, "honra" can also refer to honesty, integrity, good reputation, or chastity. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | urram | ||
| In Irish Gaelic, 'urram' also refers to a 'tribute' or 'present' paid in respect. | |||
| Spanish | honor | ||
| In Spanish, "honor" can also refer to a fee paid to a public official. | |||
| Swedish | ära | ||
| Ära is also the Swedish word for "scar" or "blemish". | |||
| Welsh | anrhydedd | ||
| The word "anrhydedd" (honor) in Welsh comes from the Proto-Celtic root *an- "to win, gain, obtain". | |||
Honor in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | гонар | ||
| The Belarusian word "гонар" meaning "honor" is derived from the Old Church Slavonic "гънъ", cognate with the Latin "honos" and English "honor". | |||
| Bosnian | čast | ||
| The Croatian word "čast" can also mean "portion" or "meal", which is an etymological link to the ancient Slavic word "čaьstь", meaning "part" or "share". | |||
| Bulgarian | чест | ||
| The word "чест" (honor) in Bulgarian can also refer to "conscience". | |||
| Czech | čest | ||
| The word "čest" also has the alternate meaning of "treat", as in "treating someone to a meal". | |||
| Estonian | au | ||
| The word "au" in Estonian also means "steam" and is related to the Finnish word "aho", meaning "field" or "meadow". | |||
| Finnish | kunnia | ||
| The Finnish word for honor, "kunnia," derives from an ancient Indo-European root also found in the Latin "genus" and the English "kin," and carries connotations of kinship and reputation within the community. | |||
| Hungarian | becsület | ||
| The word "becsület" also means "honest, loyal, and upright," and originates from the obsolete word "bekes" meaning "peace," and the Hungarian suffix "-ség" meaning "state, quality, or condition." | |||
| Latvian | gods | ||
| The Latvian word “dievi” initially meant “heavenly beings, gods”, but its meaning has shifted to “honor, glory” over time. | |||
| Lithuanian | garbė | ||
| The origin of the Lithuanian word "garbė" is traced back to the Indo-European root *gerbʰ- meaning "to grab" or "to seize." | |||
| Macedonian | чест | ||
| The word "чест" (honor) in Macedonian shares a common etymological root with the Latin word "honestus" (honorable), highlighting a shared cultural value for integrity and decency | |||
| Polish | honor | ||
| Honor traces its roots to the Latin word "honos" and has meanings in Polish that include glory, respect, and reputation. | |||
| Romanian | onora | ||
| The Romanian word "onora" likely derives from the Latin word "honora" meaning "honor, respect, esteem". | |||
| Russian | честь | ||
| The word "честь" can also mean "conscience" or "reputation". | |||
| Serbian | част | ||
| In Old Church Slavonic, it also meant "portion" or "part". | |||
| Slovak | česť | ||
| The Slovak word "česť" has different semantic equivalents in English depending on whether it is used with a verb or noun. | |||
| Slovenian | čast | ||
| The word "čast" in Slovenian can also mean "treat" or "invitation". | |||
| Ukrainian | честь | ||
| The word "честь" in Ukrainian also has the meaning of "good reputation" or "renown". | |||
Honor in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | সম্মান | ||
| 'সম্মান' comes from the Sanskrit 'samman' which also means 'respect' and 'esteem' | |||
| Gujarati | સન્માન | ||
| The Gujarati word 'સન્માન' also refers to a ceremonial reception given to a distinguished guest, often involving a gift of garlands and a shawl. | |||
| Hindi | आदर | ||
| The word "आदर" in Hindi finds its origin in the Sanskrit root "आदर" meaning "to respect" or "to show respect for". | |||
| Kannada | ಗೌರವ | ||
| The word "ಗೌರವ" ("honor") also has the alternate meaning of "respect" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | ബഹുമാനം | ||
| The word "ബഹുമാനം" in Malayalam can also mean "respect" or "esteem" for someone or something. | |||
| Marathi | सन्मान | ||
| "सन्मान" is derived from Sanskrit "मान" meaning respect and can also refer to a reception or a welcome. | |||
| Nepali | सम्मान | ||
| The word "सम्मान" derives from the Sanskrit root "man" (to honor or think highly of) and is cognate with similar terms in other Indo-European languages, such as the Latin "honor". | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਨਮਾਨ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ගෞරවය | ||
| The word "ගෞරවය" can also mean "respectful treatment" and "esteem" in Sinhala. | |||
| Tamil | மரியாதை | ||
| "மரியாதை" also refers to "respect", and "deference" shown towards someone. | |||
| Telugu | గౌరవం | ||
| "గౌరవం" is also used in Telugu for respect shown by rising, or for respect paid to elders and betters, reverence. | |||
| Urdu | عزت | ||
| In Persian, the word عزت has a more political connotation, as in it is often used in the context of national glory or sovereignty. | |||
Honor in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 荣誉 | ||
| 荣誉 in Chinese can also mean 'fame' or 'prestige', and is etymologically related to 'glory' in English. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 榮譽 | ||
| "榮" in 榮譽 means "to flourish" or "to bloom", and "譽" means "good reputation" or "praise." | |||
| Japanese | 名誉 | ||
| 名誉 (meiyo) is cognate with 名 (mei), meaning "name," and 与 (yo), meaning "to give". | |||
| Korean | 명예 | ||
| "명예" (honor) comes from the Chinese characters "명" (bright, clear) and "예" (face, appearance), denoting a reputation for virtue and social standing. | |||
| Mongolian | нэр төр | ||
| In Mongolian, the word for honor, нэр төр, also means "character" or "reputation." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဂုဏ်ယူပါတယ် | ||
Honor in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kehormatan | ||
| The word "kehormatan" also has a separate meaning, "chastity" or "purity." | |||
| Javanese | pakurmatan | ||
| The word Pakurmatan in Javanese can also refer to respect or esteem given to someone or something worthy of it. | |||
| Khmer | កិត្តិយស | ||
| Lao | ກຽດຕິຍົດ | ||
| Malay | penghormatan | ||
| The root word 'hormat' can also mean 'bow' or 'salute' in Malay | |||
| Thai | เกียรติยศ | ||
| "เกียรติยศ" is related to the Khmer term "kréyaḥ", meaning "power, glory". | |||
| Vietnamese | tôn kính | ||
| Tôn kính, "respect," also carries connotations of religious awe; the Chinese honorific term 尊 "honored one" is cognate with tôn "honorable." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | karangalan | ||
Honor in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | şərəf | ||
| "Şərəf" also means "pride" and is derived from the Persian word "şaraf". | |||
| Kazakh | құрмет | ||
| Құрмет is thought to stem from the Persian | |||
| Kyrgyz | намыс | ||
| The word "намыс" in Kyrgyz can refer to both one's sense of honor and one's reputation. | |||
| Tajik | шараф | ||
| The word шарав can also mean the face or forehead in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | hormat | ||
| Uzbek | sharaf | ||
| In Uzbek language, | |||
| Uyghur | شەرەپ | ||
Honor in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hanohano | ||
| In Hawaiian, 'hanohano' can also mean 'to be celebrated', 'to be praised', or 'to be respected' | |||
| Maori | honore | ||
| In Māori, the word "honore" can also mean "esteem" or "respect." | |||
| Samoan | mamalu | ||
| Derived from the Polynesian word `malu`, meaning "to protect" or "to cover," the term `mamalu` reflects the Samoan cultural emphasis on preserving one's reputation and honor. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | karangalan | ||
| The word "karangalan" in Tagalog (Filipino) is derived from the root word "dangal," which means "esteem" or "respect." | |||
Honor in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | unura | ||
| Guarani | terakuãguasu | ||
Honor in International Languages
| Esperanto | honoro | ||
| The word "honori" comes from the Latin word "honor", which means "respect" or "esteem". | |||
| Latin | honoris | ||
| Honoris in Latin can also refer to honor or respect shown to someone. | |||
Honor in Others Languages
| Greek | τιμή | ||
| The word τιμή, besides its main meaning of "respect" or "esteem," can also signify "value" or "price," in either a literal or a figurative sense. | |||
| Hmong | hwm | ||
| In Hmong, 'hwm' signifies 'respect' rather than the broader 'honor,' and is often used as a term of address for elders as a formal sign of deference. | |||
| Kurdish | namûs | ||
| In Ottoman Turkish, namûs also meant 'protection, reputation, or good name'. | |||
| Turkish | onur | ||
| The name Onur can be traced back to the Old Turkic word "onğ" which means "right, front, east" and is also the origin of the word "ön" (front) in modern Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | imbeko | ||
| In addition to "honor," "imbeko" can also refer to the "strength" or "respect" associated with honor. | |||
| Yiddish | כּבֿוד | ||
| The Yiddish word for "honor," כּבֿוד, can also refer to weight or the honorific "Mr." | |||
| Zulu | udumo | ||
| Udumo originates from the Bantu root "*dum-/*dom" meaning "to praise" and is cognate with "dumiso" (praise). | |||
| Assamese | সন্মান | ||
| Aymara | unura | ||
| Bhojpuri | सम्मान | ||
| Dhivehi | ޝަރަފު | ||
| Dogri | सनमान | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | karangalan | ||
| Guarani | terakuãguasu | ||
| Ilocano | dayaw | ||
| Krio | ɔnɔ | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | شەرەف | ||
| Maithili | इज्जत | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯏꯀꯥꯏ ꯈꯨꯝꯅꯕ | ||
| Mizo | zahawmna | ||
| Oromo | kabaja | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସମ୍ମାନ | ||
| Quechua | honor | ||
| Sanskrit | सम्मान | ||
| Tatar | хөрмәт | ||
| Tigrinya | ኽብሪ | ||
| Tsonga | losa | ||