Hunting in Different Languages
Discover 'Hunting' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Hunting is a significant and culturally important activity, steeped in history and tradition. It has been practiced for millennia, providing sustenance, protection, and recreation for people around the world. The art of hunting has evolved over time, from a means of survival to a popular pastime and competitive sport.
Understanding the translation of hunting in different languages can offer valuable insights into the cultural significance of this practice across various societies. For instance, in German, hunting is translated as 'Jagd,' while in Spanish, it becomes 'caza.' In French, the term used is 'chasse,' and in Japanese, it is '狩り' (kari).
Moreover, learning the translations of hunting in different languages can be a fun and engaging way to expand your vocabulary and connect with people from diverse backgrounds. It can also be useful for travelers, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts who wish to explore and appreciate the cultural nuances of hunting in various parts of the world.
Hunting
Hunting in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | jag | ||
| The Afrikaans word "jag" has the connotation of stalking and ambushing rather than just hunting and may also refer to a "gangster" (from English usage through Yiddish). | |||
| Amharic | ማደን | ||
| "ማደን/hunting" has other meanings such as "to search", "to pursue" & "to track". | |||
| Hausa | farauta | ||
| Hausa 'farauta' is often used only in reference to the hunting of big game. | |||
| Igbo | ịchụ nta | ||
| 'Ịchụ nta' also means 'to pursue' or 'to look for' something actively in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | mihaza | ||
| The word "mihaza" in Malagasy also means "to hunt" or "to chase". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kusaka | ||
| The word kusaka has other meanings like 'to go after' or 'to track'. | |||
| Shona | kuvhima | ||
| The Shona word "kuvhima" also means "to follow someone's movements secretly". | |||
| Somali | ugaarsi | ||
| The word 'ugaarsi' can also refer to a type of traditional Somali dance. | |||
| Sesotho | ho tsoma | ||
| The word "ho tsoma" can also mean "searching" or "looking for something". | |||
| Swahili | uwindaji | ||
| The word "uwindaji" can also mean "a place where animals are hunted" or "the act of hunting for food" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | ukuzingela | ||
| Hunting is also referred to as "ukuzingela" in the Xhosa language, which means "to stalk" or "to pursue". | |||
| Yoruba | sode | ||
| The word "sode" in Yoruba can also refer to the act of searching or looking for something. | |||
| Zulu | ukuzingela | ||
| 'Ukuzingela' shares Proto-Bantu roots with verbs meaning 'to surround' and 'to block the way' | |||
| Bambara | sogo ɲinini | ||
| Ewe | adedada | ||
| Kinyarwanda | guhiga | ||
| Lingala | kobundisa banyama | ||
| Luganda | okuyigga | ||
| Sepedi | go tsoma | ||
| Twi (Akan) | abɔmmɔ | ||
Hunting in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الصيد | ||
| Hunting in Arabic is called "الصيد" which also means "catching". | |||
| Hebrew | ציד | ||
| "ציד" (hunting) is also an acronym for "צבא הגנה לישראל" (Israel Defense Forces). | |||
| Pashto | ښکار | ||
| The Pashto word "ښکار" can also refer to "prey" or the "target of a hunt." | |||
| Arabic | الصيد | ||
| Hunting in Arabic is called "الصيد" which also means "catching". | |||
Hunting in Western European Languages
| Albanian | gjuetia | ||
| Gjuetia can also mean “watching a film” when used with the object film. | |||
| Basque | ehiza | ||
| The word "ehiza" can also mean "game" or "prey" in Basque. | |||
| Catalan | cacera | ||
| The word "cacera" in Catalan can also refer to a water channel or ditch for irrigation purposes. | |||
| Croatian | lov | ||
| "Lov" is also a colloquial term for "theft" or "robbery". | |||
| Danish | jagt | ||
| The word "jagt" can also refer to a specific type of hunting dog, typically used for hunting hare or deer. | |||
| Dutch | jacht- | ||
| Although Dutch _jacht_ primarily means _hunting_, it is thought to originally denote a 'following' in the sense of pursuing a prey, so also 'race,' hence _yacht_. | |||
| English | hunting | ||
| The term 'hunting' originates from the Old English word 'huntian,' which can also refer to pursuing, seeking, or looking for something actively. | |||
| French | chasse | ||
| In addition to its meaning of "hunting," "chasse" can also refer to a dance step or a type of automobile. | |||
| Frisian | jacht | ||
| The Frisian word "jacht" is cognate with the Dutch word "jacht" meaning "yacht", but is not related to the English word "yacht" meaning "a large sailing vessel for pleasure". | |||
| Galician | cazar | ||
| The word "cazar" in Galician can also refer to the action of capturing or apprehending, similar to the English verb "to catch". | |||
| German | jagd | ||
| In Middle High German, "Jagd" also meant "a place of hunting activity" and later "a hunting party or entourage." | |||
| Icelandic | veiða | ||
| The word "veiða" is cognate with the Old Norse word "veiðr," meaning "game, prey, or catch." | |||
| Irish | fiach | ||
| Fiach may also mean a raven, or a "hunting party" of ravens. | |||
| Italian | a caccia | ||
| "A caccia" can also mean "in search of" or "looking for". | |||
| Luxembourgish | juegd | ||
| The word "Juegd" is derived from Old High German "jagen", meaning "to hunt or pursue", and has been used in the Luxembourgish language for centuries | |||
| Maltese | kaċċa | ||
| The word "kaċċa" in Maltese is derived from the Arabic word "qayd" meaning "leading" or "directing". | |||
| Norwegian | jakt | ||
| The Norwegian word "jakt" is related to the English "hunt" and the German "jagen", which all derive from the Proto-Germanic word "*kanōn" meaning "to pursue". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | caçando | ||
| The word "Caçando" can also mean "stalking" or "pursuing". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | sealg | ||
| The word "sealg" in Scots Gaelic also means "possession". | |||
| Spanish | caza | ||
| The Spanish word "caza" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *k̑es-, meaning "to kill". | |||
| Swedish | jakt | ||
| "Jakt" (hunting) in Swedish originates from the Old Norse word "jaktr," which also referred to seeking, pursuing, or pursuing something." | |||
| Welsh | hela | ||
| The word 'hela' also means 'to search' and 'to seek' in Welsh. | |||
Hunting in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | паляванне | ||
| The word "паляванне" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *lovъ, which also means "fishing". | |||
| Bosnian | lov | ||
| "Lov" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *lovъ, which also meant "hunting". It is related to the word "loviti", which means "to catch" or "to fish". | |||
| Bulgarian | на лов | ||
| The Bulgarian word "на лов" (hunting) is derived from the Old Slavic "loviti", meaning "to catch" or "to trap". | |||
| Czech | lov | ||
| The Czech word "lov" also means "a catch" or "a prey". | |||
| Estonian | jahindus | ||
| "Jahindus" has an alternate meaning of "the process of learning (something)" as in "teadmiste jahindus" meaning "pursuit of knowledge". | |||
| Finnish | metsästys | ||
| The word "metsästys" derives from the Proto-Finnic word "*metsä" meaning "forest", and originally meant "traveling in the forest". | |||
| Hungarian | vadászat | ||
| "Vadászat" is also used colloquially in Hungarian to describe a frantic search, scramble or chase. | |||
| Latvian | medības | ||
| The Latvian word ''medības'' derives from the Old Slavic verb ''medъ'', which also translates as ''sweet''. | |||
| Lithuanian | medžioklė | ||
| The word "medžioklė" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*medʰ-," meaning "to hunt" or "to pursue." | |||
| Macedonian | лов | ||
| The word "лов" in Macedonian also means "catch" or "harvest". | |||
| Polish | polowanie | ||
| The word "polowanie" likely derives from the word "pole," which means "field," and suggests hunting in open areas. | |||
| Romanian | vânătoare | ||
| The Romanian word "vânătoare" derives from the Latin "venatio," meaning "hunting." It shares its linguistic root with the Spanish word "cazar" and the Catalan word "caçar," both meaning "to hunt." | |||
| Russian | охота | ||
| The word "охота" in Russian not only means "hunting," but also "desire" or "eagerness". | |||
| Serbian | лов | ||
| "Лов" also means "fishing" and is related to the word "ловити" (to catch). | |||
| Slovak | lov | ||
| The word 'lov' in Slovak also signifies 'capture' or 'catch' in the context of hunting. | |||
| Slovenian | lov | ||
| The word "lov" in Slovenian also refers to a religious ritual involving the pursuit and capture of a sacred animal. | |||
| Ukrainian | полювання | ||
| The Ukrainian word "полювання" also refers to a yearning or desire | |||
Hunting in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | শিকার | ||
| Bengali "শিকার" is cognate with Sanskrit "kshara" meaning "water". Hence, its original meaning was "water-hunting" i.e. "fishing". | |||
| Gujarati | શિકાર | ||
| Gujarati "શિકાર" is thought to be an origin of the Persian word "shikar" meaning "prey". | |||
| Hindi | शिकार करना | ||
| The word "शिकार करना" also means "to pursue" or "to seek out" in Hindi. | |||
| Kannada | ಬೇಟೆ | ||
| 'ಬೇಟೆ' primarily means 'hunting,' but it can also refer to 'a raid,' 'siege,' or 'plundering.' | |||
| Malayalam | വേട്ടയാടൽ | ||
| Marathi | शिकार | ||
| The word "शिकार" in Marathi also means "pursuit" or "endeavor". | |||
| Nepali | शिकार | ||
| In Nepali, “शिकार” also denotes a wild animal, a trap, and the prey caught while hunting. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸ਼ਿਕਾਰ | ||
| The word 'shikar' ('hunting' in Punjabi) is derived from the Persian word 'shikar', which has the same meaning. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | දඞයම | ||
| The word "දඞයම" is also used to refer to the act of searching for or pursuing something | |||
| Tamil | வேட்டை | ||
| "வேட்டை" is a common word for hunting, but it can also refer to searching, exploring, or seeking knowledge. | |||
| Telugu | వేటాడు | ||
| The etymology of the Telugu word "వేటాడు" is uncertain, but some scholars suggest it is related to the Sanskrit words "वेनः" (arrow), "विद" (to know) or the verb "वेतृधातुः," which means "going" in Vedic literature. | |||
| Urdu | شکار کرنا | ||
| The word "شکار کرنا" can also mean "to conquer" or "to subdue". | |||
Hunting in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 狩猎 | ||
| While "狩猎" generally means "hunting" in Chinese, it can also refer to "headhunting" in the business context. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 狩獵 | ||
| 狩獵 also means "to recruit" as an intransitive verb, and "to solicit" as a transitive verb. | |||
| Japanese | 狩猟 | ||
| 狩猟 (shuryō) also refers to the practice of gathering and foraging, known as "採取" (saishu). | |||
| Korean | 수렵 | ||
| In Korean, '수렵' can also refer to fishing or catching (specifically with a gun or bow) animals for scientific purposes | |||
| Mongolian | ан агнах | ||
| The Mongolian word "ан агнах" ("hunting") is derived from the verb "анхлах" ("to hunt") and the noun "агаар" ("air"), referring to the practice of hunting animals in the open air. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အမဲလိုက် | ||
Hunting in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | berburu | ||
| The word "berburu" also means "to seek or pursue something actively" in Indonesian. | |||
| Javanese | moro | ||
| The word "moro" can also refer to the search for a wife or husband in Javanese culture. | |||
| Khmer | បរបាញ់ | ||
| Lao | ການລ່າສັດ | ||
| The Lao word for "hunting," "ການລ່າສັດ," comes from the verb "ລ່າ," meaning "to chase." This verb is also used to describe the act of pursuing someone or something, such as a goal or a dream. | |||
| Malay | memburu | ||
| The Malay word "memburu" also has the extended meanings of "to chase" or "to pursue". | |||
| Thai | การล่าสัตว์ | ||
| The Thai word "การล่าสัตว์" can also refer to the traditional Thai martial art "Muay Boran", known for its incorporation of hunting techniques. | |||
| Vietnamese | săn bắn | ||
| The word "săn bắn" can also refer to "trapping" animals, not just hunting them. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pangangaso | ||
Hunting in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | ovçuluq | ||
| The word "ovçuluq" in Azerbaijani has Indo-European roots and is related to the words for "to catch" and "to gather" in other languages. | |||
| Kazakh | аңшылық | ||
| The Kazakh word "аңшылық" is derived from the verb "аңдау", meaning "to hunt", and the suffix "-лық", indicating "activity" or "occupation". | |||
| Kyrgyz | мергенчилик | ||
| The word "мергенчилик" in Kyrgyz also refers to the art of falconry, as well as the skill of marksmanship. | |||
| Tajik | шикор | ||
| The word "шикор" in Tajik can also refer to a hunting trip or a hunting party. | |||
| Turkmen | aw | ||
| Uzbek | ov qilish | ||
| "Ov qilish" or "Ov" in Uzbek also means "prey" or "quarry". | |||
| Uyghur | ئوۋچىلىق | ||
Hunting in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻimi holoholona | ||
| Though the word ʻimi holoholona is commonly taken to mean hunting, it can also refer to collecting. | |||
| Maori | hopu | ||
| The word "hopu" can also mean "to desire" or "to wish for" in Maori. | |||
| Samoan | tulimanu | ||
| In Samoan, the word 'tulimanu' also refers to the traditional practice of hunting birds, using traps and decoys. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | pangangaso | ||
| The word "pangangaso" is derived from the root word "pangaso" which means "search" or "track". | |||
Hunting in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | uywa katuña | ||
| Guarani | caza rehegua | ||
Hunting in International Languages
| Esperanto | ĉasado | ||
| The Esperanto word por hunting in Esperanto, “ĉasado,” is related to both “ĉasa | |||
| Latin | venandi | ||
| Venandi may also mean "to acquire" or "to conquer" in Latin. | |||
Hunting in Others Languages
| Greek | κυνήγι | ||
| The word 'κυνήγι' also means 'quarry' or 'game' in Greek | |||
| Hmong | kev yos hav zoov | ||
| Kev yos hav zoov is also a slang term for 'having fun' in the Hmong language. | |||
| Kurdish | nêçîr | ||
| In Sorani Kurdish, "nêçîr" can also refer to game animals or wild animals in general. | |||
| Turkish | avcılık | ||
| The word "avcılık" in Turkish originates from the Persian word "av" meaning "hunting" or "prey". | |||
| Xhosa | ukuzingela | ||
| Hunting is also referred to as "ukuzingela" in the Xhosa language, which means "to stalk" or "to pursue". | |||
| Yiddish | גייעג | ||
| "גייעג" (hunting) also means "longing" or "intense desire" in Yiddish, potentially referring to the act of tracking down one's deepest yearnings. | |||
| Zulu | ukuzingela | ||
| 'Ukuzingela' shares Proto-Bantu roots with verbs meaning 'to surround' and 'to block the way' | |||
| Assamese | চিকাৰ কৰা | ||
| Aymara | uywa katuña | ||
| Bhojpuri | शिकार के काम करेला | ||
| Dhivehi | ޝިކާރަކުރުން | ||
| Dogri | शिकार करना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pangangaso | ||
| Guarani | caza rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | panaganup | ||
| Krio | fɔ fɛn animal dɛn | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ڕاوکردن | ||
| Maithili | शिकार करब | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯂꯝ ꯂꯧꯁꯤꯅꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | ramsa man | ||
| Oromo | adamsuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଶିକାର | ||
| Quechua | caza | ||
| Sanskrit | मृगया | ||
| Tatar | ау | ||
| Tigrinya | ሃድን ምዃኑ’ዩ። | ||
| Tsonga | ku hlota | ||