Image in Different Languages
Discover 'Image' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
An 'image' is a powerful tool for communication and expression, often conveying a thousand words in a single glance. Its significance spans across cultures, making it a universal language that transcends geographical boundaries. From ancient cave paintings to modern-day digital art, the cultural importance of images remains relevant and continues to evolve.
Delving into the word 'image' in different languages unveils fascinating insights into how various cultures perceive and interact with this concept. For instance, the German word for image, 'Bild', also refers to a picture or a photo, while the Italian 'immagine' stems from the Latin 'imago', meaning 'likeness, representation, or portrait'. In Japanese, 'image' is translated as 'IMAGE' (イメージ) in Katakana script, which is often used to represent foreign words.
Understanding the translation of 'image' in different languages can enrich one's cultural awareness and broaden their perspective. Explore the list below to discover how this universal concept is interpreted across the globe.
Image
Image in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | beeld | ||
| The word "beeld" in Afrikaans is derived from the Dutch word "beeld" meaning "picture" or "statue" and can also refer to a "vision" or "mental image". | |||
| Amharic | ምስል | ||
| "ምስል" can mean either an image for religious veneration or an image in the optical sense in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | hoto | ||
| The Hausa word "hoto" not only means "image" but also "ghost" or "spirit". | |||
| Igbo | oyiyi | ||
| In the Igbo language, 'oyiyi' can also refer to a person's appearance, character, or reputation. | |||
| Malagasy | sary | ||
| In the Malagasy language, the word "sary" originates from the Indonesian word "gambar" and also means "picture". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chithunzi | ||
| The word "chithunzi" can also refer to a reflection or a photograph in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | mufananidzo | ||
| 'Mufananidzo' can also mean 'an example' or 'a type. | |||
| Somali | sawir | ||
| Sawir can also mean 'vision', 'view' or 'understanding' in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | setšoantšo | ||
| Swahili | picha | ||
| The word 'picha' in Swahili is derived from the Arabic word for 'picture', and can also refer to a photograph or film. | |||
| Xhosa | umfanekiso | ||
| In Xhosa, "umfanekiso" is often used to refer to both physical and metaphorical representations. | |||
| Yoruba | aworan | ||
| In some contexts, “aworan” also means “likeness” or “portrait” depending on the context. | |||
| Zulu | isithombe | ||
| The word "isithombe" can also refer to a shadow or a reflection in Zulu. | |||
| Bambara | ja | ||
| Ewe | nɔnɔmetata | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ishusho | ||
| Lingala | foto | ||
| Luganda | ekifaananyi | ||
| Sepedi | seswantšho | ||
| Twi (Akan) | mfoni | ||
Image in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | صورة | ||
| In Arabic, the word **صورة** (ṣūra) has additional meanings beyond "image", such as "photograph" or even "an idea formed in the mind's eye." | |||
| Hebrew | תמונה | ||
| The Hebrew word "תמונה" can also refer to a photograph or a representation of something. | |||
| Pashto | انځور | ||
| The Pashto word "انځور" is derived from the Persian word "نگاره", meaning "picture" or "painting". | |||
| Arabic | صورة | ||
| In Arabic, the word **صورة** (ṣūra) has additional meanings beyond "image", such as "photograph" or even "an idea formed in the mind's eye." | |||
Image in Western European Languages
| Albanian | imazhi | ||
| The Albanian word "imazhi" derives from the Old Albanian "imaž", of Byzantine Greek origin, and is cognate with the Italian "immagine" and the Romanian "imagine". | |||
| Basque | irudia | ||
| The Basque word "irudia" also means "representation" or "figure." | |||
| Catalan | imatge | ||
| The word "imatge" in Catalan has its roots in the Latin "imago" and also means "icon" or "representation". | |||
| Croatian | slika | ||
| The word 'slika' also means 'picture' or 'painting' and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'slikati' meaning 'to draw'. | |||
| Danish | billede | ||
| Billede derives from an Old Norse word "bilæti" meaning "picture, likeness, or image of a person". | |||
| Dutch | beeld | ||
| In Dutch, "beeld" not only means "image," but also "statue," "idol," or "representation." | |||
| English | image | ||
| The word "image" derives from the Latin word "imago," meaning "likeness" or "imitation." | |||
| French | image | ||
| "Image" can also mean "a representation or perception of something, esp. one that results from hallucination, dream, or memory". | |||
| Frisian | byld | ||
| The Frisian word "byld" is cognate with the English word "bild" and the German word "Bild", all meaning "image". | |||
| Galician | imaxe | ||
| In Galician, "imaxe" can also refer to the image carved into a holy stone or the reflection created in water, a mirror, or a dream. | |||
| German | bild | ||
| In English, the word 'picture' is derived from the Latin 'pictura', while 'Bild' in German is derived from the Old High German 'bilidi', meaning 'idol' or 'figure'. | |||
| Icelandic | mynd | ||
| The word also means "mind" and is possibly related to Proto-Germanic *minþą "thought, remembrance." | |||
| Irish | íomha | ||
| The Irish word "íomha" has been connected with the Latin "imago" and the Greek "εικών" (icon). | |||
| Italian | immagine | ||
| The Italian word "Immagine" ultimately derives from the Latin word "Imitatio," meaning "imitation"} | |||
| Luxembourgish | bild | ||
| In Luxembourgish, 'Bild' can refer to a photograph or an illustrated story in a newspaper, and is derived from the German word 'Bild' with the same meaning. | |||
| Maltese | immaġni | ||
| The word 'immaġni' in Maltese derives from the Latin word 'imago', meaning 'imitation' or 'likeness'. | |||
| Norwegian | bilde | ||
| In Old Norse, "bilde" meant "idol" or "statue". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | imagem | ||
| In Portuguese, "imagem" can also refer to a person's reputation or social standing, or to a mental or inner picture of a person or thing. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | ìomhaigh | ||
| 'Ìomhaigh' can also mean 'likeness', 'imitation', 'representation', 'picture', 'effigy', or 'idol' in Scots Gaelic. | |||
| Spanish | imagen | ||
| The Spanish word "imagen" originates from the Latin word "imago", meaning "likeness" or "representation". | |||
| Swedish | bild | ||
| The Swedish word "bild" also means "car". | |||
| Welsh | delwedd | ||
| The Welsh word 'delwedd' also means 'form' or 'appearance'. | |||
Image in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | выява | ||
| In Belarusian, “выява” may also refer to a “hallucination, daydream, vision, or dream”. | |||
| Bosnian | slika | ||
| In ancient Slavic languages, the word "slika" also meant "idol". | |||
| Bulgarian | образ | ||
| The Bulgarian word "образ" (image) also means "shape", "form", or "figure". | |||
| Czech | obraz | ||
| The word "obraz" derives from the Proto-Slavic root *jьbrъ "figure, face" and is cognate with words like image, icon, iconography, and idol. | |||
| Estonian | pilt | ||
| The word "pilt" is derived from the Proto-Uralic word "*pilte" which also means "dream" in Estonian, Finnish, and Mari. | |||
| Finnish | kuva | ||
| The word "kuva" is a cognate of "cube" and "cupboard" in English, and also means "mold" or "die" in metalworking. | |||
| Hungarian | kép | ||
| The word "kép" can also refer to a facial expression or a mental image. | |||
| Latvian | attēls | ||
| "Attēls" is derived from "at" (to) and "tēls" (form, image), suggesting a visual representation of something. | |||
| Lithuanian | vaizdas | ||
| The Lithuanian word "vaizdas" comes from the root "veiz", which means "to look". Its derivatives include "vyzdys" (pupil) and "vaizduotė" (imagination). | |||
| Macedonian | слика | ||
| The Old Church Slavonic word for "image" is "сълика" (sŭlika), from which the Macedonian word "слика" (slika) is derived. | |||
| Polish | wizerunek | ||
| The Polish word 'wizerunek' derives from the German 'wîsunge', meaning 'guidance' or 'instruction'. | |||
| Romanian | imagine | ||
| The Romanian word for "image," imagine, is derived from the Latin "imaginari" and also carries connotations of imagination and creation. | |||
| Russian | образ | ||
| In Russian, "образ" can also mean "shape", "form", "appearance", "manner", "character" or "aspect". | |||
| Serbian | слика | ||
| The word "слика" can also mean "painting" or "portrait" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | obrázok | ||
| The word "obrázok" derives from the Old Slavic word "obraz" meaning "face" or "figure."} | |||
| Slovenian | slike | ||
| The word 'slike' is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'sъlika', which also meant 'shape' or 'appearance'. | |||
| Ukrainian | зображення | ||
| The word "зображення" also means "appearance", "representation", "figure", or "picture" in Ukrainian. | |||
Image in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | চিত্র | ||
| The word "চিত্র" can also refer to a picture, drawing, or painting. | |||
| Gujarati | છબી | ||
| છબી' also can refer to a 'reflection' in Gujarati (as it does in Sanskrit), which may be why 'selfie' photos taken on a phone are informally called 'છબી' even though the formal word might be 'સ્વા-ચિત્ર' (swachitra - 'self-picture'). | |||
| Hindi | छवि | ||
| The Hindi word "छवि" is derived from the Sanskrit word "छाया" , and also means "shadow" or "reflection" in Hindi. | |||
| Kannada | ಚಿತ್ರ | ||
| The word "चित्र" (image) in Kannada also means "a drawing", "a painting", or "a picture". | |||
| Malayalam | ചിത്രം | ||
| The word "ചിത്രം" (image) can also refer to a drawing or a photograph. | |||
| Marathi | प्रतिमा | ||
| "प्रतिमा" ('image' in Marathi) comes from Sanskrit and also means 'statue' or 'idol' | |||
| Nepali | छवि | ||
| छवि can also refer to a reflection, or to the reputation or character of a person | |||
| Punjabi | ਚਿੱਤਰ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | රූප | ||
| "රූප" is a Pali loanword found in various forms (rūpa, rupa) across South and Southeast Asian languages, meaning "form", "appearance", "image", or "figure." | |||
| Tamil | படம் | ||
| The word 'படம்' not only means 'image' but also refers to movies or paintings | |||
| Telugu | చిత్రం | ||
| The Telugu word "చిత్రం" also refers to a type of folk art or theatrical performance. | |||
| Urdu | تصویر | ||
| The word "تصویر" entered Urdu via Persian, ultimately deriving from the Arabic word "صُورَة" (sura), meaning "shape, form, or appearance." | |||
Image in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 图片 | ||
| Though it means "image", "图片" (tùpiàn) literally means "painted roll" in Chinese. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 圖片 | ||
| "圖片" derives from a term coined by Chinese scholar and diplomat Wang Tao, meaning a "copied drawing or painting," now widely used throughout Sinosphere. | |||
| Japanese | 画像 | ||
| "画像", derived from "画" (draw) and "象" (likeness), can also refer to painted portraits in traditional Japanese painting. | |||
| Korean | 영상 | ||
| In Korean, the word "영상" (image) also refers to "film" or "movie" and is derived from the Chinese character 影 (yěng "shadow"). | |||
| Mongolian | дүрс | ||
| The Mongolian word "дүрс" can also mean "appearance", "form", or "shape". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပုံ | ||
| The word "ပုံ" (image) in Myanmar (Burmese) may also refer to a mold, model, or pattern. | |||
Image in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | gambar | ||
| Gambar is used to refer to shadows, images, figures, portraits, depictions, and more. | |||
| Javanese | gambar | ||
| Javanese 'gambar' shares a root with Sanskrit 'gamaya', 'making go' or 'making visible'. | |||
| Khmer | រូបភាព | ||
| The Khmer word "រូបភាព" can also mean "picture" or "photograph". | |||
| Lao | ຮູບພາບ | ||
| Malay | gambar | ||
| In addition to "image" or "picture," "gambar" can also refer to a shadow, projection, or silhouette. | |||
| Thai | ภาพ | ||
| The word "ภาพ" (image) in Thai comes from the Sanskrit word "bimba", meaning "reflection" or "likeness". Additionally, the word "ภาพ" can also refer to a film or a television program. | |||
| Vietnamese | hình ảnh | ||
| "Hình ảnh" also means "figure" or "form" in Vietnamese. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | larawan | ||
Image in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | şəkil | ||
| "Şəkil" also means "photo" and could have originated from the Arabic word "shakl" (form, shape). | |||
| Kazakh | сурет | ||
| In Kazakh, "сурет" is derived from the Persian word "surat" and also refers to handwriting, a drawing, or a portrait. | |||
| Kyrgyz | сүрөт | ||
| In Kyrgyz, "сүрөт" derives from the Persian "surat" meaning "shape, form, image, picture, painting." | |||
| Tajik | тасвир | ||
| Originally borrowed from Persian تَصْوِير (taşvīr) 'picture, image', ultimately from Arabic تَصْوِير (taṣwīr) 'picture, image, figure'. | |||
| Turkmen | şekil | ||
| Uzbek | rasm | ||
| In Uzbek, "rasm" not only means "image" but also refers to a traditional painting or drawing technique. | |||
| Uyghur | image | ||
Image in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kiʻi | ||
| The word "kiʻi" also denotes a likeness or resemblance, and can be used to refer to a person or thing that is similar to another. | |||
| Maori | whakapakoko | ||
| Whakapakoko can also refer to a "reflection" in a body of water or a "shadow" cast by an object. | |||
| Samoan | ata | ||
| "Ata" also means "day" or "daily" in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | imahe | ||
| The Tagalog word "imahe" is thought to have been influenced by the Spanish "imagen", which itself comes from Latin and Greek. | |||
Image in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jamuqa | ||
| Guarani | ta'ãnga | ||
Image in International Languages
| Esperanto | bildo | ||
| The word "bildo" in Esperanto is derived from the German word "Bild" and can also mean "movie" or "film". | |||
| Latin | imagini | ||
| Imagini in Latin is also used to refer to a wax tablet upon which letters were drawn with a stylus to produce written words before the invention of paper. | |||
Image in Others Languages
| Greek | εικόνα | ||
| The word "εικόνα" in Greek can also mean "representation" or "likeness". | |||
| Hmong | duab | ||
| The Hmong word "duab" can also refer to a reflection or a picture. | |||
| Kurdish | wêne | ||
| The Kurdish word "wêne" has a broader meaning than just "image", encompassing concepts of "representation" and "reflection". | |||
| Turkish | görüntü | ||
| Görüntü, "görünüş" anlamından türemiş bir sözcüktür ve "görünüm" anlamını da taşır. | |||
| Xhosa | umfanekiso | ||
| In Xhosa, "umfanekiso" is often used to refer to both physical and metaphorical representations. | |||
| Yiddish | בילד | ||
| The Yiddish word 'בילד' ('bild') also means 'building' or 'structure' in German. | |||
| Zulu | isithombe | ||
| The word "isithombe" can also refer to a shadow or a reflection in Zulu. | |||
| Assamese | ছৱি | ||
| Aymara | jamuqa | ||
| Bhojpuri | छवि | ||
| Dhivehi | ފޮޓޯ | ||
| Dogri | बिंब | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | larawan | ||
| Guarani | ta'ãnga | ||
| Ilocano | ladawan | ||
| Krio | aydul | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | وێنە | ||
| Maithili | छवि | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯝꯃꯤ | ||
| Mizo | thlalak | ||
| Oromo | bifa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ପ୍ରତିଛବି | | ||
| Quechua | rikchay | ||
| Sanskrit | छवि | ||
| Tatar | образ | ||
| Tigrinya | ስእሊ | ||
| Tsonga | xivumbeko | ||