Image in different languages

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

Afrikaansbeeld
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".
Amharicምስል
"ምስል" can mean either an image for religious veneration or an image in the optical sense in Amharic.
Hausahoto
The Hausa word "hoto" not only means "image" but also "ghost" or "spirit".
Igbooyiyi
In the Igbo language, 'oyiyi' can also refer to a person's appearance, character, or reputation.
Malagasysary
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.
Shonamufananidzo
'Mufananidzo' can also mean 'an example' or 'a type.
Somalisawir
Sawir can also mean 'vision', 'view' or 'understanding' in Somali.
Sesothosetšoantšo
Swahilipicha
The word 'picha' in Swahili is derived from the Arabic word for 'picture', and can also refer to a photograph or film.
Xhosaumfanekiso
In Xhosa, "umfanekiso" is often used to refer to both physical and metaphorical representations.
Yorubaaworan
In some contexts, “aworan” also means “likeness” or “portrait” depending on the context.
Zuluisithombe
The word "isithombe" can also refer to a shadow or a reflection in Zulu.
Bambaraja
Ewenɔnɔmetata
Kinyarwandaishusho
Lingalafoto
Lugandaekifaananyi
Sepediseswantšho
Twi (Akan)mfoni

Image in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicصورة
In Arabic, the word **صورة** (ṣūra) has additional meanings beyond "image", such as "photograph" or even "an idea formed in the mind's eye."
Hebrewתמונה
The Hebrew word "תמונה" can also refer to a photograph or a representation of something.
Pashtoانځور
The Pashto word "انځور" is derived from the Persian word "نگاره", meaning "picture" or "painting".
Arabicصورة
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

Albanianimazhi
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".
Basqueirudia
The Basque word "irudia" also means "representation" or "figure."
Catalanimatge
The word "imatge" in Catalan has its roots in the Latin "imago" and also means "icon" or "representation".
Croatianslika
The word 'slika' also means 'picture' or 'painting' and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'slikati' meaning 'to draw'.
Danishbillede
Billede derives from an Old Norse word "bilæti" meaning "picture, likeness, or image of a person".
Dutchbeeld
In Dutch, "beeld" not only means "image," but also "statue," "idol," or "representation."
Englishimage
The word "image" derives from the Latin word "imago," meaning "likeness" or "imitation."
Frenchimage
"Image" can also mean "a representation or perception of something, esp. one that results from hallucination, dream, or memory".
Frisianbyld
The Frisian word "byld" is cognate with the English word "bild" and the German word "Bild", all meaning "image".
Galicianimaxe
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.
Germanbild
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'.
Icelandicmynd
The word also means "mind" and is possibly related to Proto-Germanic *minþą "thought, remembrance."
Irishíomha
The Irish word "íomha" has been connected with the Latin "imago" and the Greek "εικών" (icon).
Italianimmagine
The Italian word "Immagine" ultimately derives from the Latin word "Imitatio," meaning "imitation"}
Luxembourgishbild
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.
Malteseimmaġni
The word 'immaġni' in Maltese derives from the Latin word 'imago', meaning 'imitation' or 'likeness'.
Norwegianbilde
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 Gaelicìomhaigh
'Ìomhaigh' can also mean 'likeness', 'imitation', 'representation', 'picture', 'effigy', or 'idol' in Scots Gaelic.
Spanishimagen
The Spanish word "imagen" originates from the Latin word "imago", meaning "likeness" or "representation".
Swedishbild
The Swedish word "bild" also means "car".
Welshdelwedd
The Welsh word 'delwedd' also means 'form' or 'appearance'.

Image in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianвыява
In Belarusian, “выява” may also refer to a “hallucination, daydream, vision, or dream”.
Bosnianslika
In ancient Slavic languages, the word "slika" also meant "idol".
Bulgarianобраз
The Bulgarian word "образ" (image) also means "shape", "form", or "figure".
Czechobraz
The word "obraz" derives from the Proto-Slavic root *jьbrъ "figure, face" and is cognate with words like image, icon, iconography, and idol.
Estonianpilt
The word "pilt" is derived from the Proto-Uralic word "*pilte" which also means "dream" in Estonian, Finnish, and Mari.
Finnishkuva
The word "kuva" is a cognate of "cube" and "cupboard" in English, and also means "mold" or "die" in metalworking.
Hungariankép
The word "kép" can also refer to a facial expression or a mental image.
Latvianattēls
"Attēls" is derived from "at" (to) and "tēls" (form, image), suggesting a visual representation of something.
Lithuanianvaizdas
The Lithuanian word "vaizdas" comes from the root "veiz", which means "to look". Its derivatives include "vyzdys" (pupil) and "vaizduotė" (imagination).
Macedonianслика
The Old Church Slavonic word for "image" is "сълика" (sŭlika), from which the Macedonian word "слика" (slika) is derived.
Polishwizerunek
The Polish word 'wizerunek' derives from the German 'wîsunge', meaning 'guidance' or 'instruction'.
Romanianimagine
The Romanian word for "image," imagine, is derived from the Latin "imaginari" and also carries connotations of imagination and creation.
Russianобраз
In Russian, "образ" can also mean "shape", "form", "appearance", "manner", "character" or "aspect".
Serbianслика
The word "слика" can also mean "painting" or "portrait" in Serbian.
Slovakobrázok
The word "obrázok" derives from the Old Slavic word "obraz" meaning "face" or "figure."}
Slovenianslike
The word 'slike' is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'sъlika', which also meant 'shape' or 'appearance'.
Ukrainianзображення
The word "зображення" also means "appearance", "representation", "figure", or "picture" in Ukrainian.

Image in South Asian Languages

Bengaliচিত্র
The word "চিত্র" can also refer to a picture, drawing, or painting.
Gujaratiછબી
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').
Hindiछवि
The Hindi word "छवि" is derived from the Sanskrit word "छाया" , and also means "shadow" or "reflection" in Hindi.
Kannadaಚಿತ್ರ
The word "चित्र" (image) in Kannada also means "a drawing", "a painting", or "a picture".
Malayalamചിത്രം
The word "ചിത്രം" (image) can also refer to a drawing or a photograph.
Marathiप्रतिमा
"प्रतिमा" ('image' in Marathi) comes from Sanskrit and also means 'statue' or 'idol'
Nepaliछवि
छवि can also refer to a reflection, or to the reputation or character of a person
Punjabiਚਿੱਤਰ
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."
Tamilபடம்
The word 'படம்' not only means 'image' but also refers to movies or paintings
Teluguచిత్రం
The Telugu word "చిత్రం" also refers to a type of folk art or theatrical performance.
Urduتصویر
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.
Korean영상
In Korean, the word "영상" (image) also refers to "film" or "movie" and is derived from the Chinese character 影 (yěng "shadow").
Mongolianдүрс
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

Indonesiangambar
Gambar is used to refer to shadows, images, figures, portraits, depictions, and more.
Javanesegambar
Javanese 'gambar' shares a root with Sanskrit 'gamaya', 'making go' or 'making visible'.
Khmerរូបភាព
The Khmer word "រូបភាព" can also mean "picture" or "photograph".
Laoຮູບພາບ
Malaygambar
In addition to "image" or "picture," "gambar" can also refer to a shadow, projection, or silhouette.
Thaiภาพ
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.
Vietnamesehình ảnh
"Hình ảnh" also means "figure" or "form" in Vietnamese.
Filipino (Tagalog)larawan

Image in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanişəkil
"Şəkil" also means "photo" and could have originated from the Arabic word "shakl" (form, shape).
Kazakhсурет
In Kazakh, "сурет" is derived from the Persian word "surat" and also refers to handwriting, a drawing, or a portrait.
Kyrgyzсүрөт
In Kyrgyz, "сүрөт" derives from the Persian "surat" meaning "shape, form, image, picture, painting."
Tajikтасвир
Originally borrowed from Persian تَصْوِير (taşvīr) 'picture, image', ultimately from Arabic تَصْوِير (taṣwīr) 'picture, image, figure'.
Turkmenşekil
Uzbekrasm
In Uzbek, "rasm" not only means "image" but also refers to a traditional painting or drawing technique.
Uyghurimage

Image in Pacific Languages

Hawaiiankiʻi
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.
Maoriwhakapakoko
Whakapakoko can also refer to a "reflection" in a body of water or a "shadow" cast by an object.
Samoanata
"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

Aymarajamuqa
Guaranita'ãnga

Image in International Languages

Esperantobildo
The word "bildo" in Esperanto is derived from the German word "Bild" and can also mean "movie" or "film".
Latinimagini
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

Greekεικόνα
The word "εικόνα" in Greek can also mean "representation" or "likeness".
Hmongduab
The Hmong word "duab" can also refer to a reflection or a picture.
Kurdishwêne
The Kurdish word "wêne" has a broader meaning than just "image", encompassing concepts of "representation" and "reflection".
Turkishgörüntü
Görüntü, "görünüş" anlamından türemiş bir sözcüktür ve "görünüm" anlamını da taşır.
Xhosaumfanekiso
In Xhosa, "umfanekiso" is often used to refer to both physical and metaphorical representations.
Yiddishבילד
The Yiddish word 'בילד' ('bild') also means 'building' or 'structure' in German.
Zuluisithombe
The word "isithombe" can also refer to a shadow or a reflection in Zulu.
Assameseছৱি
Aymarajamuqa
Bhojpuriछवि
Dhivehiފޮޓޯ
Dogriबिंब
Filipino (Tagalog)larawan
Guaranita'ãnga
Ilocanoladawan
Krioaydul
Kurdish (Sorani)وێنە
Maithiliछवि
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯝꯃꯤ
Mizothlalak
Oromobifa
Odia (Oriya)ପ୍ରତିଛବି |
Quechuarikchay
Sanskritछवि
Tatarобраз
Tigrinyaስእሊ
Tsongaxivumbeko

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