Intelligence in Different Languages
Discover 'Intelligence' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Intelligence is a fascinating concept that has been explored and celebrated across cultures and languages. It refers to the ability to acquire and apply knowledge, as well as the capacity to reason, plan, solve problems, and comprehend complex ideas. This fundamental human trait is not only essential for individual success but also plays a crucial role in societal progress.
Throughout history, intelligent individuals have been revered and studied, from ancient Greek philosophers like Aristotle to modern-day neuroscientists. The significance of intelligence is further highlighted by its inclusion in various cultural narratives, myths, and legends, showcasing its universal appeal and importance.
Understanding the translation of intelligence in different languages can provide valuable insights into how various cultures perceive and value this trait. For instance, in Spanish, intelligence is called 'inteligencia,' while in French, it's 'intelligence.' In Mandarin, it's '智慧' (zhìhuì), and in Japanese, it's '知恵' (chi-e).
Delving into the nuances of these translations can reveal fascinating cultural differences and similarities, making it a worthwhile pursuit for anyone interested in language, culture, and the human mind.
Intelligence
Intelligence in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | intelligensie | ||
| The word "intelligensie" in Afrikaans comes from the Latin word "intelligentia", which means "understanding" or "knowledge". | |||
| Amharic | ብልህነት | ||
| The word 'ብልህነት' can be broken down into two parts, the verb 'בלע' ('to swallow') and the noun 'חן' ('grace') to form the meaning 'one who swallows grace'. | |||
| Hausa | hankali | ||
| "Hankali" also means "cunning" or "shrewdness". | |||
| Igbo | ọgụgụ isi | ||
| The Igbo word 'ọgụgụ isi' also means 'reading the mind', highlighting the connection between intelligence and understanding others' thoughts. | |||
| Malagasy | fahiratan-tsaina | ||
| The word "fahiratan-tsaina" can also mean "wisdom" or "cleverness". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | luntha | ||
| "Luntha" derives from the Bantu root "-lundu" meaning "to comprehend" or "to know", and the prefix "a-" forming the noun. It also denotes "understanding" and "reason". | |||
| Shona | njere | ||
| The word "njere" can also mean "sharpness" or "cleverness". | |||
| Somali | sirdoonka | ||
| Sirdoon is also a species of acacia tree found in the Horn of Africa. | |||
| Sesotho | bohlale | ||
| The word "bohlale" is cognate with the word "hlalefa" which refers to the art and skill of smelting and working iron, and also to "hloka," meaning to think or ponder. | |||
| Swahili | akili | ||
| The word "akili" in Swahili also means "clever" or "shrewd". | |||
| Xhosa | ubukrelekrele | ||
| The term 'Ubukrelekrele' may also refer to the intelligence unit in traditional Xhosa society. | |||
| Yoruba | oye | ||
| The word "oye" can also refer to "lineage" or "descent" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | ubuhlakani | ||
| The word 'ubuhlakani' also means 'wisdom' or 'cleverness' in Zulu. | |||
| Bambara | kegunya | ||
| Ewe | aɖaŋudede | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ubwenge | ||
| Lingala | mayele | ||
| Luganda | amagezi | ||
| Sepedi | bohlodi | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nyansa | ||
Intelligence in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الذكاء | ||
| "الذكاء" also means "the act of remembering" in Classical Arabic. | |||
| Hebrew | אינטליגנציה | ||
| השימוש במילה "אינטליגנציה" בעברית מיועד לרוב לתאר את יכולות שכליות, אך היא יכולה גם לתאר איכות נפשית או יכולות אחרות. | |||
| Pashto | استخبارات | ||
| The word for "intelligence" in Pashto, "استخبارات," also means "information" and "news." | |||
| Arabic | الذكاء | ||
| "الذكاء" also means "the act of remembering" in Classical Arabic. | |||
Intelligence in Western European Languages
| Albanian | inteligjencën | ||
| The Albanian word "inteligjencën" is derived from the Latin word "intelligentia," which means "understanding" or "knowledge." | |||
| Basque | adimena | ||
| The meaning "intelligence" is not original; it was borrowed from Spanish or French. | |||
| Catalan | intel·ligència | ||
| The Catalan word "intel·ligència" derives from the Latin word "intellegere", meaning "to understand", and is also used to refer to the secret services and police investigations. | |||
| Croatian | inteligencija | ||
| In Croatian, the word "inteligencija" initially denoted the educated upper class but now also refers to secret agents, or intelligence operatives. | |||
| Danish | intelligens | ||
| In Danish, "intelligens" is also used to refer to the ability to understand complex ideas or solve problems. | |||
| Dutch | intelligentie- | ||
| The Dutch word "intelligentie" also means "understanding" or "insight". | |||
| English | intelligence | ||
| The word "intelligence" derives from the Latin words "inter" (among) and "legere" (to read or gather), referring to the ability to make connections and draw conclusions. | |||
| French | intelligence | ||
| In French, « intelligence » also refers to a type of secret agent working for a government, similar to the English « intelligence ». | |||
| Frisian | yntelliginsje | ||
| The Frisian word "yntelliginsje" is derived from the Latin word "intelligentia", which means "understanding" or "comprehension". | |||
| Galician | intelixencia | ||
| The word "intelixencia" comes from the Latin word "intelligentia", meaning "understanding or reasoning" | |||
| German | intelligenz | ||
| "Intelligenz" in German also refers to the upper class social group with high education. | |||
| Icelandic | greind | ||
| Cognate with Old Norse "greind," also meaning "branch". | |||
| Irish | intleacht | ||
| In Old Irish, 'intleacht' also referred to spiritual revelation and religious understanding. | |||
| Italian | intelligenza | ||
| In Italian, "intelligenza" can also refer to understanding or sharpness, rather than just cognitive ability. | |||
| Luxembourgish | intelligenz | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Intelligenz" also refers to a narrow circle of educated people who were part of the old ruling class or the higher civil service. | |||
| Maltese | intelliġenza | ||
| The word "intelliġenza" in Maltese also has the alternate meaning "secret service" and derives from the Italian "intelligence", which in turn derives from the Latin "intelligentia" meaning "understanding". | |||
| Norwegian | intelligens | ||
| The Norwegian word intelligens, besides meaning 'intelligence', can also refer to 'a secret agent or spy', derived from Latin 'intellegens, intellegentis', meaning 'one who understands' or 'who has knowledge of'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | inteligência | ||
| In Portuguese, "inteligência" also means "news" or "information". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | inntleachd | ||
| Derived from the Gaelic 'inntinn' – 'mind' – 'inntleachd' signifies the faculty of comprehending. | |||
| Spanish | inteligencia | ||
| "Inteligencia" in Spanish can also mean "understanding", "comprehension", or "knowledge." | |||
| Swedish | intelligens | ||
| In Swedish, "intelligens" also refers to the intelligence service, often in the context of spying. | |||
| Welsh | deallusrwydd | ||
| "Deallusrwydd" also refers to the spiritual and emotional aspects of intellect and the mind. | |||
Intelligence in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | інтэлект | ||
| The word "інтэлект" in Belarusian is derived from the Latin word "intellectus" meaning "understanding" and is semantically similar to the Russian word "интеллект" and the English word "intelligence". | |||
| Bosnian | inteligencija | ||
| The word 'inteligencija' in Bosnian shares its root with the Latin word 'intelligere', meaning 'to understand'. | |||
| Bulgarian | интелигентност | ||
| Интелигентност (intelligence) derives from the Latin word 'intellegere', meaning 'to understand, perceive'. | |||
| Czech | inteligence | ||
| Inteligence in Czech refers to a police department, which is different from "inteligence" which means "intelligence" in English. | |||
| Estonian | intelligentsus | ||
| The Estonian word "intelligentsus" also bears the archaic but still extant meaning of "perception" or "intuition" which is now mostly found in compounds containing the term "intelligibly" which means "intuitively" | |||
| Finnish | älykkyys | ||
| The word "älykkyys" is derived from the Proto-Finnic word *äly, which means "mind" or "understanding". | |||
| Hungarian | intelligencia | ||
| In Hungarian the word "intelligencia" refers to a stratum of society consisting of educated people with high social status. | |||
| Latvian | inteliģence | ||
| "Inteliģence" is more precise than its English cognate and may refer to information, rather than mental capacity. | |||
| Lithuanian | intelektas | ||
| Inteligencija in Lithuanian has a more specific and higher connotation than intelligence in English, referring to the educated elite and often used in the context of intellectuals. | |||
| Macedonian | интелигенција | ||
| "Интелигенција" is also used to denote a social group, especially one that is educated or well-informed, or which has some type of authority or status on the basis of their education and/or occupation. | |||
| Polish | inteligencja | ||
| Inteligencja derives from Latin 'legere' and originally denoted the ability to read and write in Polish. | |||
| Romanian | inteligență | ||
| "Inteligență" can mean "intelligence" or, less frequently, "understanding" in Romanian. | |||
| Russian | интеллект | ||
| The word "интеллект" is derived from the Latin word "intellectus", meaning "understanding" or "discernment". | |||
| Serbian | интелигенција | ||
| In Serbian, the word "интелигенција" not only refers to mental prowess but also encompasses the educated and cultured elite of society. | |||
| Slovak | inteligencia | ||
| According to the Slovak etymological dictionary, the word "inteligencia" comes from the Latin word "intelligentia" meaning "understanding" or "knowledge". | |||
| Slovenian | inteligenca | ||
| In Slovenian, "inteligenca" can also mean "knowledge" or "intellect", and is derived from the Latin word "intelligere", meaning "to understand". | |||
| Ukrainian | інтелект | ||
| The word "інтелект" in Ukrainian traces its roots back to the Latin word "intellectus," which means "understanding" or "perception." | |||
Intelligence in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বুদ্ধি | ||
| The Bengali term "বুদ্ধি" (buddhi) originates from the Sanskrit "budh" meaning "to awaken" or "to be conscious," and it can also refer to the faculty of reason, intellect, or understanding. | |||
| Gujarati | બુદ્ધિ | ||
| The Gujarati word | |||
| Hindi | बुद्धि | ||
| 'बुद्धि' is also the name of a Hindu goddess and a lunar mansion. | |||
| Kannada | ಬುದ್ಧಿವಂತಿಕೆ | ||
| The word "ಬುದ್ಧಿವಂತಿಕೆ" also refers to the ability to understand and apply knowledge and skills. | |||
| Malayalam | ബുദ്ധി | ||
| "ബുദ്ധി" (intelligence) shares its origin with "to become enlightened or conscious" in Sanskrit and in a broader sense, it could also mean "the soul" or even "the mind". | |||
| Marathi | बुद्धिमत्ता | ||
| The word 'बुद्धिमत्ता' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'बुद्धि', which means 'knowledge' or 'understanding'. | |||
| Nepali | बुद्धिमत्ता | ||
| The word "बुद्धिमत्ता" is derived from the Sanskrit word "बुद्धि" meaning "intellect", "understanding" or "knowledge". | |||
| Punjabi | ਬੁੱਧੀ | ||
| The word "buddhi" can also mean "consciousness" or "awareness" | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | බුද්ධිය | ||
| The word "බුද්ධිය" (intelligence) in Sinhala can also refer to wisdom, knowledge, or understanding. | |||
| Tamil | உளவுத்துறை | ||
| The primary meaning of "உளவுத்துறை" is "Intelligence department or agency" in Tamil. The term also means "espionage or spying". | |||
| Telugu | తెలివితేటలు | ||
| Urdu | ذہانت | ||
| The word "intelligence" derives from the Latin word "intelligentia," which means "understanding, knowledge, or discernment." | |||
Intelligence in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 情报 | ||
| The word "情报" also means "information" and is often used in military contexts. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 情報 | ||
| 情报 in Chinese can also mean "information" or "news". | |||
| Japanese | インテリジェンス | ||
| In Japanese, "インテリジェンス" can alternatively mean "a report about the enemy in war." | |||
| Korean | 지성 | ||
| 지성 can also mean "essence" or "nature," depending on the context. | |||
| Mongolian | оюун ухаан | ||
| The word “оюун ухаан” can also mean “sense of humor” or “wit” depending on the context it is used in. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဉာဏ်ရည် | ||
Intelligence in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | intelijen | ||
| The word "intelijen" in Indonesian is derived from the Dutch word "intelligentie", which means "intelligence" but also has a wider meaning of "understanding" or "knowledge". | |||
| Javanese | intelijen | ||
| "Intelijen" in Javanese has a literal and secondary meaning of "inner essence" and "knowledge that's understood by feeling or intuition" respectively. | |||
| Khmer | ភាពវៃឆ្លាត | ||
| The term "ភាពវៃឆ្លាត" can also refer to an individual's cunning or cleverness in a particular situation. | |||
| Lao | ປັນຍາ | ||
| The word "ປັນຍາ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "prajña" which carries the meanings of wisdom, insight, understanding, or intelligent discernment. | |||
| Malay | kepintaran | ||
| In Malay, the word 'kepintaran' not only means 'intelligence,' but also 'cleverness' and 'shrewdness'. | |||
| Thai | สติปัญญา | ||
| The word "สติปัญญา" also means "mindpower" or "conscience". | |||
| Vietnamese | sự thông minh | ||
| "Sự thông minh" literally means "to communicate/inform each other" in Sino-Vietnamese. Therefore, it can also mean "news". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | katalinuhan | ||
Intelligence in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | zəka | ||
| In ancient Turkic, "zəka" meant "knowledge", "mind", or "understanding". | |||
| Kazakh | ақыл | ||
| In Old Kazakh, "ақыл" also meant "reason" or "rational thought" | |||
| Kyrgyz | акылдуулук | ||
| Tajik | зиёӣ | ||
| The word "зиёӣ" (intelligence) derives from the Persian word "زيو" meaning "light" and conveys the idea of enlightenment and cognition. | |||
| Turkmen | akyl | ||
| Uzbek | aql | ||
| The word "aql" can also mean "mind" or "reason" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | ئەقىل | ||
Intelligence in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻike ʻike | ||
| ʻIke can also mean `to know` or `to see`, highlighting a connection between knowledge and sensory perception. | |||
| Maori | maramarama | ||
| The word "maramarama" in Maori denotes not only "intelligence," but also "lightning" and "the brain substance." | |||
| Samoan | atamai | ||
| "Ata" could also mean "brain" or "knowledge". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | katalinuhan | ||
| "Katalinuhan" comes from the root word "talino," which can also mean "sense" or "consciousness." | |||
Intelligence in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ch'iqhi amuyu | ||
| Guarani | katupyry | ||
Intelligence in International Languages
| Esperanto | inteligenteco | ||
| Esperanto's “inteligenteco” relates to Latin “intellectus” and to English “intellect” and “integrity”. | |||
| Latin | intelligentia, | ||
| The Latin word "intelligentia" also means "understanding" or "comprehension." | |||
Intelligence in Others Languages
| Greek | νοημοσύνη | ||
| **"Νοημοσύνη"** (intelligence) also means "meaning" or "significance" in Greek. | |||
| Hmong | txawj ntse | ||
| The Hmong word "txawj ntse" literally means "knowing how to solve problems" and is also used to describe someone who is wise or knowledgeable. | |||
| Kurdish | nûçe | ||
| The word "nûçe" in Kurdish is also used to refer to a secret or a piece of news. | |||
| Turkish | zeka | ||
| The word "zeka" comes from the Arabic word "zakā'ah", which means "intelligence, wisdom, brilliance, cleverness, sharpness, perspicacity, penetration, acumen, ingenuity, wit" | |||
| Xhosa | ubukrelekrele | ||
| The term 'Ubukrelekrele' may also refer to the intelligence unit in traditional Xhosa society. | |||
| Yiddish | סייכל | ||
| The Yiddish word "סייכל" can also refer to an individual or the mind. | |||
| Zulu | ubuhlakani | ||
| The word 'ubuhlakani' also means 'wisdom' or 'cleverness' in Zulu. | |||
| Assamese | বুদ্ধিমত্তা | ||
| Aymara | ch'iqhi amuyu | ||
| Bhojpuri | अकलमंदी | ||
| Dhivehi | ތޫނުފިލިކަން | ||
| Dogri | अकल | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | katalinuhan | ||
| Guarani | katupyry | ||
| Ilocano | kinalaing | ||
| Krio | sɛns | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | هەواڵگری | ||
| Maithili | बुद्धि | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯍꯩ ꯁꯤꯡꯕ | ||
| Mizo | finna | ||
| Oromo | dandeettii beekumsa argatanii hojiitti hiikuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବୁଦ୍ଧି | ||
| Quechua | yuyaysapa | ||
| Sanskrit | चपलता | ||
| Tatar | интеллект | ||
| Tigrinya | ምስትውዓል | ||
| Tsonga | vunhlorhi | ||