Junior in Different Languages
Discover 'Junior' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The term 'junior' is a familiar one, yet its significance extends far beyond its simple definition. Denoting 'younger' or 'of lower rank,' this word carries a sense of potential and growth. It's a term of respect in many cultures, acknowledging the wisdom of elders while making way for the fresh perspectives of the younger generation.
Moreover, 'junior' holds a unique place in historical contexts. In ancient Rome, the 'junior' was the younger partner in a legal relationship, symbolizing trust and mentorship. In modern times, 'Junior' is a common title for high school athletes, denoting exceptional skill and promise.
Understanding the translation of 'junior' in different languages can open doors to cultural exchange and understanding. Here are a few examples:
- Spanish: 'junior' translates to 'junior' or 'juvenil'
- French: 'junior' translates to 'junior' or 'jeune'
- German: 'junior' translates to 'Junior' or 'Jüngerer'
- Mandarin: 'junior' translates to '初级' (chūjí)
- Japanese: 'junior' translates to 'ジュニア' (junia)
Junior
Junior in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | junior | ||
| In Afrikaans, "junior" also refers to a younger sibling, regardless of gender. | |||
| Amharic | ጁኒየር | ||
| In Amharic, the word "ጁኒየር" can also refer to a young child or baby. | |||
| Hausa | ƙarami | ||
| The word 'ƙarami' can also mean 'the younger one', 'the smaller one', or 'the inferior one'. | |||
| Igbo | keobere | ||
| Keobere is an Igbo word meaning 'junior' with some dialectical variations. | |||
| Malagasy | junior | ||
| The word "junior" in Malagasy also means "the youngest child" or "the youngest sibling." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | junior | ||
| Mwana is another term for 'junior' in Nyanja, meaning 'child' or 'young one'. | |||
| Shona | junior | ||
| In Shona, "junior" can also refer to the last born child or a young child. | |||
| Somali | yar | ||
| In Somali, "yar" is also used as a term of endearment for young children. | |||
| Sesotho | monyane | ||
| In Lesotho, the word “monyane” may also be used to refer to a young cow or a small tree. | |||
| Swahili | mdogo | ||
| The word "mdogo" can also refer to a young or inexperienced person. | |||
| Xhosa | omncinci | ||
| Omncinci (junior) is also the name of the youngest son of the chief in Xhosa tradition. | |||
| Yoruba | kekere | ||
| In the past, "kekeré" could also be used to refer to "a young man who performs errands for an elder". | |||
| Zulu | omncane | ||
| The alternate meaning of "omncane" is "one who is sent." | |||
| Bambara | junior (dɔgɔtɔrɔso). | ||
| Ewe | junior | ||
| Kinyarwanda | muto | ||
| Lingala | junior | ||
| Luganda | junior | ||
| Sepedi | junior | ||
| Twi (Akan) | junior | ||
Junior in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | نجارة | ||
| The word "نجارة" in Arabic originally referred to the profession of carpentry, but later came to mean "junior" due to the young age at which apprentices typically began learning the trade. | |||
| Hebrew | זוּטָר | ||
| The Hebrew word "זוּטָר" can also refer to a minor or insignificant person. | |||
| Pashto | جونیئر | ||
| The term 'جونیئر' ('junior') in Pashto is primarily used to denote a younger male sibling and is also occasionally used as a term of endearment when addressing young boys. | |||
| Arabic | نجارة | ||
| The word "نجارة" in Arabic originally referred to the profession of carpentry, but later came to mean "junior" due to the young age at which apprentices typically began learning the trade. | |||
Junior in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i ri | ||
| The Illyrian origin of the word 'i ri' suggests a possible historical connection to the term 'roy' in various languages meaning 'king'. | |||
| Basque | juniorra | ||
| The word "juniorra" in Basque also means "younger sibling" or "younger person". | |||
| Catalan | júnior | ||
| The word "júnior" in Catalan can also refer to "younger" or "inferior" | |||
| Croatian | junior | ||
| The term 'junior' can refer to a child, but has alternate meanings such as 'freshman' when indicating an academic year of study. | |||
| Danish | junior- | ||
| The Danish word 'junior-' can also be used to describe something less important or inferior. | |||
| Dutch | junior | ||
| }The term "junior" can also be used to refer to a younger member of a group or organization | |||
| English | junior | ||
| In addition to its meaning as "younger" or "less experienced," "junior" can also refer to a student in the final year of secondary school or college, or to a partner in a business firm who is subordinate to a senior partner. | |||
| French | junior | ||
| Junior en français peut avoir le sens de « jeune » ou de « nouveau ». | |||
| Frisian | junior | ||
| In certain Frisian dialects “junior” means “Mr” while in others it means “Ms”. | |||
| Galician | junior | ||
| In Galician, "junior" can also refer to a bull that is two years old. | |||
| German | junior | ||
| In German, "Junior" can also refer to a person who is younger than another person of the same name. | |||
| Icelandic | yngri | ||
| In Icelandic, "yngri" also means "descendant", or "younger in relationship to another". | |||
| Irish | sóisearach | ||
| The word "sóisearach" can also refer to a young, unmarried woman or a female servant. | |||
| Italian | junior | ||
| In Italian, the word "junior" also denotes a small cup or goblet. | |||
| Luxembourgish | junior | ||
| The word "Junior" in Luxembourgish can also refer to a young animal or a novice in a profession, similar to its use in English. | |||
| Maltese | junior | ||
| The Maltese word "junior" derives from the Latin word "iunior", meaning "younger" or "lesser". | |||
| Norwegian | junior | ||
| In Norwegian, "junior" can also refer to a junior high school or the youth division of an organization. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | júnior | ||
| In Portuguese, "júnior" can also designate the name of a child who has the same name as his father or mother, or the name of a member of a religious order who has not yet taken vows. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | òg | ||
| The element is sometimes found prefixed to given names, as an equivalent to modern Mac, or the Irish Mc, meaning 'son of' | |||
| Spanish | júnior | ||
| In Spanish, "júnior" is commonly used to refer to a young man, but it can also be used as a title for the son of a person with the same name, such as "Juan García, júnior" | |||
| Swedish | junior | ||
| In Swedish, "junior" can also refer to the younger of two people with the same given name or to a student in their first year of secondary school. | |||
| Welsh | iau | ||
| The word "iau" also means "young", "little", or "child" in Welsh. | |||
Junior in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | малодшы | ||
| The word "малодшы" in Belarusian also refers to siblings who are younger in age. | |||
| Bosnian | junior | ||
| Bosanski jezik ne pozna riječ „junior“, dok se „junior“ u engleskom jeziku može odnosit i na mlađeg po redu u odnosu na starijeg, a ne samo na dijete. | |||
| Bulgarian | младши | ||
| The Bulgarian word "младши" also means "younger sibling". | |||
| Czech | juniorský | ||
| The word "juniorský" can also refer to a student in the second year of a Czech secondary school or to a member of a sports team for young people. | |||
| Estonian | noorem | ||
| The word "noorem" also means "younger" in Estonian, and is related to the word "noor", which means "young". | |||
| Finnish | juniori | ||
| The word "juniori" in Finnish also refers to a male student in higher education, while "juniori" in Italian means "younger". | |||
| Hungarian | junior | ||
| In Hungarian, the word "junior" can also refer to a younger sibling, regardless of gender. | |||
| Latvian | jaunākais | ||
| The Latvian word "jaunākais" originally meant "the youngest" and is still used in this sense in some contexts. | |||
| Lithuanian | jaunesnysis | ||
| "Jaunesnysis" is a Lithuanian word related to "jaunystė" (young), "jaunuolis" (young man), and to a lesser extent with "jaunas" (young) | |||
| Macedonian | помлад | ||
| The Macedonian word "помлад" can also mean "younger sibling" or "offspring". | |||
| Polish | junior | ||
| The word "junior" in Polish is cognate with its English counterpart and means both "junior" and "younger." | |||
| Romanian | junior | ||
| In Romanian, "junior" can also mean "younger brother" or "younger sister." | |||
| Russian | младший | ||
| The Russian word for 'younger' — «младший» — can also mean 'less important'. | |||
| Serbian | млађи | ||
| The word "млађи" in Serbian comes from the Proto-Slavic root *moldъ, which also means "younger" or "lesser". It can also be used to refer to someone who is lower in rank or status. | |||
| Slovak | junior | ||
| The name Junior was derived from the Latin word "iunior" which means "younger" or "lesser." | |||
| Slovenian | mlajši | ||
| The word 'mlajši' also means 'younger', 'newer' or 'lesser' in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | молодший | ||
| The Ukrainian word “молодший” (“junior”) originally meant “younger” and is related to the word “молоко” (“milk”). | |||
Junior in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | জুনিয়র | ||
| In Bengali, the word "জুনিয়র" (junior) also refers to a student in the third and fourth grade. | |||
| Gujarati | જુનિયર | ||
| The word 'જુનિયર' derives from the Latin word 'junior,' meaning 'younger.' | |||
| Hindi | कनिष्ठ | ||
| The word 'कनिष्ठ' ('junior') in Hindi is derived from the Sanskrit word 'कनिष्ठ' ('younger'), and can also mean 'inferior' or 'lesser' in some contexts. | |||
| Kannada | ಕಿರಿಯ | ||
| The word "ಕಿರಿಯ" literally means "young" and is often used to refer to younger siblings or children, but it can also be used figuratively to indicate a lower rank or position. | |||
| Malayalam | ഇളമുറയായ | ||
| The word "ഇളമുറയായ" can also mean "younger" or "inferior" in Malayalam. | |||
| Marathi | कनिष्ठ | ||
| The word "कनिष्ठ" also means "younger" or "smaller" in Marathi. | |||
| Nepali | जुनियर | ||
| In Spanish, "junior" also refers to an unpaid trainee or a person of lower rank or position. | |||
| Punjabi | ਜੂਨੀਅਰ | ||
| The word "ਜੂਨੀਅਰ" (junior) is also used in Punjabi to refer to a younger person, typically a child or teenager. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කනිෂ් .. | ||
| The Sinhala word "කනිෂ් .." is derived from the Sanskrit word "कनिष्ठ" (kaniṣṭha), which also means "younger" or "inferior". | |||
| Tamil | ஜூனியர் | ||
| The Tamil word "ஜூனியர்" is derived from English and also refers to a member of the junior division in the National Cadet Corps. | |||
| Telugu | జూనియర్ | ||
| The word "జూనియర్" is also used to refer to someone who is younger or less experienced. | |||
| Urdu | جونیئر | ||
| The word "جونیئر" in Urdu can also refer to a younger brother or sister. | |||
Junior in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 初级 | ||
| 初级, in addition to its primary meaning of "junior," can also mean "initial" or "elementary." | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 初級 | ||
| 初級's meaning may have originated from "初学" which means "beginner", but its primary meaning today is "junior" (as in rank). | |||
| Japanese | ジュニア | ||
| In the context of professional wrestling and martial arts in Japanese, the term refers specifically to the second member in a tag-team or stable. | |||
| Korean | 후진 | ||
| The Korean word "후진" (junior) was originally coined during the late Joseon Dynasty, but the characters can also be interpreted to mean "those who come after (the emperor)" | |||
| Mongolian | бага | ||
| The word "бага" is derived from the Mongolian word "баг," meaning "small" or "young." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အငယ်တန်း | ||
Junior in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | muda | ||
| The Indonesian word "muda" also means "young" and is often used to describe people or things that are youthful or inexperienced. | |||
| Javanese | junior | ||
| In Javanese, "junior" (dara) can also refer to a young unmarried woman. | |||
| Khmer | សិស្សប្អូន | ||
| The term "សិស្សប្អូន" (junior) is also used in formal settings to address people of lower rank or status. | |||
| Lao | ຫນຸ່ມ | ||
| The word "ຫນຸ່ມ" ("junior") in Lao can also refer to a young person, a child, or a younger sibling. | |||
| Malay | junior | ||
| The word 'junior' in Malay can also mean 'younger sibling', 'student', or 'apprentice'. | |||
| Thai | จูเนียร์ | ||
| The word "จูเนียร์" derives from the Sanskrit word "युवराज" meaning "young prince". | |||
| Vietnamese | trẻ em | ||
| "Trẻ em" also means "children" in Vietnamese, indicating a broader sense of "juniority" that includes both younger and older individuals who are not yet fully independent. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | junior | ||
Junior in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | kiçik | ||
| The word "kiçik" can also mean "small" or "little" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | кіші | ||
| The word "кіші" can also mean "small" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | кенже | ||
| The word "кенже" can also refer to the youngest child in a family, or to the youngest member of a group. | |||
| Tajik | хурд | ||
| Tajik "хурд" also means "short or small" and is related to the Persian "kord" and Armenian "kurd". | |||
| Turkmen | kiçi | ||
| Uzbek | kichik | ||
| In Uzbek, "kichik" means "junior" or "younger sibling" and is derived from the Proto-Turkic word "kiçik" with the same meaning. | |||
| Uyghur | junior | ||
Junior in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻōpio | ||
| 'Ōpio' is the Hawaiian word for 'junior', but it can also mean 'youth' or 'young'. | |||
| Maori | teina | ||
| In Māori, the term "teina" also refers to a younger sibling, regardless of gender, creating an additional layer of familial significance in its use as a collective noun for younger people. | |||
| Samoan | laititi | ||
| The word 'laititi' in Samoan can also be used to address a younger sibling, or as a term of affection towards someone younger. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | si junior | ||
| "Si junior" is a Filipino term that can also mean "the younger one" or "the younger sibling". | |||
Junior in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | junior ukham uñt’atawa | ||
| Guarani | junior rehegua | ||
Junior in International Languages
| Esperanto | junulo | ||
| Latin | junior | ||
| Origin of "junior" is "iuuenior"; comparative degree, "younger". | |||
Junior in Others Languages
| Greek | κατώτερος | ||
| The word "κατώτερος" (junior) is related to "κάτω" (down), indicating a lower position or status. | |||
| Hmong | junior | ||
| In Hmong, the word "junior" is also used as a term of respect for younger people. | |||
| Kurdish | ciwantir | ||
| The term "ciwantir" is also commonly used to refer to a young man or teenager. | |||
| Turkish | küçük | ||
| Küçük is a Turkish word that is often used to translate the English word | |||
| Xhosa | omncinci | ||
| Omncinci (junior) is also the name of the youngest son of the chief in Xhosa tradition. | |||
| Yiddish | יינגער | ||
| The Yiddish "יינגער" can also mean "younger" as well as "smaller" or "a child of a close relative". | |||
| Zulu | omncane | ||
| The alternate meaning of "omncane" is "one who is sent." | |||
| Assamese | জুনিয়ৰ | ||
| Aymara | junior ukham uñt’atawa | ||
| Bhojpuri | जूनियर के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ޖޫނިއާ އެވެ | ||
| Dogri | जूनियर ने दी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | junior | ||
| Guarani | junior rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | junior nga | ||
| Krio | junior | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | جونیۆر | ||
| Maithili | जूनियर | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯖꯨꯅꯤꯌꯔ ꯑꯣꯏꯈꯤ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | junior a ni | ||
| Oromo | junior | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କନିଷ୍ଠ | ||
| Quechua | junior nisqa | ||
| Sanskrit | कनिष्ठः | ||
| Tatar | кече | ||
| Tigrinya | ጁንየር | ||
| Tsonga | junior | ||