Knife in Different Languages
Discover 'Knife' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
A knife is more than just a tool - it's a symbol of human ingenuity and a testament to our ability to adapt to our environment. From the Stone Age to the present day, knives have played a crucial role in our survival and cultural development. Whether used for hunting, cooking, or self-defense, the knife has been an indispensable part of the human experience.
But did you know that the word 'knife' has many different translations around the world? In Spanish, for example, a knife is called 'cuchillo', while in German it's 'Messer'. In Japan, a knife is known as 'hocho', and in Russia, it's 'нож' (pronounced 'nozh').
Understanding the translations of knife in different languages can open up new cultural horizons and deepen our appreciation for the diversity of human experience. Whether you're a language enthusiast, a world traveler, or simply curious about the world around you, exploring the many translations of knife is a fascinating journey.
Knife
Knife in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | mes | ||
| The Afrikaans word "mes" is derived from the Dutch "mes", which in turn comes from the Proto-Germanic "*mekijo". | |||
| Amharic | ቢላዋ | ||
| The word "ቢላዋ" can also refer to a "blade" or a "razor". | |||
| Hausa | wuka | ||
| The term 'wuka' in Hausa is derived from the word 'hwaka' in proto-Afro-Asiatic, which also signifies 'to cut'. | |||
| Igbo | mma | ||
| The Igbo word "mma" can also mean "mother" or "grandmother". | |||
| Malagasy | antsy | ||
| The Malagasy word "antsy" can also refer to someone who is anxious and unable to relax due to a sense of anticipation. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mpeni | ||
| The word "mpeni" in Nyanja (Chichewa) is also used to refer to a type of sword. | |||
| Shona | banga | ||
| The word "banga" can also refer to a razor blade or a machete. | |||
| Somali | mindi | ||
| The word "mindi" can also refer to a blade or a sharp instrument used for cutting. | |||
| Sesotho | thipa | ||
| "Thipa" may also mean "a sharp pain" or "sorrow." | |||
| Swahili | kisu | ||
| The Swahili word 'kisu' may stem from the root word 'chagua,' meaning to choose, select, or cut. | |||
| Xhosa | imela | ||
| Imela can also refer to a "sharp tongue," implying someone who is quick-witted or sarcastic. | |||
| Yoruba | ọbẹ | ||
| The word "ọbẹ" also refers to a type of Yoruba soup or stew and can be used figuratively to represent sharpness or cutting ability. | |||
| Zulu | ummese | ||
| The word "ummese" can also refer to a sharp object or a weapon. | |||
| Bambara | muru | ||
| Ewe | hɛ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | icyuma | ||
| Lingala | mbeli | ||
| Luganda | ekiso | ||
| Sepedi | thipa | ||
| Twi (Akan) | sekan | ||
Knife in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | سكين | ||
| The word "سكين" is cognate with the Akkadian word "sikkīn" and the Hebrew word "סכין". | |||
| Hebrew | סַכִּין | ||
| The Hebrew word "סַכִּין" (knife) can also refer to a razor or a scalpel. | |||
| Pashto | چاقو | ||
| The word "چاقو" is derived from the Persian word "چاقو" which means "a sharp instrument used for cutting". | |||
| Arabic | سكين | ||
| The word "سكين" is cognate with the Akkadian word "sikkīn" and the Hebrew word "סכין". | |||
Knife in Western European Languages
| Albanian | thikë | ||
| The word "thikë" is also used in Albanian to refer to a blade or a sharp object. | |||
| Basque | labana | ||
| The Basque word 'labana' may derive from proto-Basque 'labas', meaning 'sharp'. | |||
| Catalan | ganivet | ||
| In modern Catalan, ganivet has also taken on the meaning of "scalpel" and "dagger". | |||
| Croatian | nož | ||
| The word "nož" in Croatian shares its root with the word "nose", as knives and noses both cut and pierce. | |||
| Danish | kniv | ||
| The Danish word "kniv" shares common ancestry with the English word "knife" and the German word "Kneif". | |||
| Dutch | mes | ||
| The Dutch word "mes" is cognate with the English word "meat", as it originally referred to a tool for cutting meat. | |||
| English | knife | ||
| "Knife" comes from the Old English "cnif", meaning both "knife" and "dagger", and is related to the German "Kneip", meaning "pincers". | |||
| French | couteau | ||
| Couteau also denotes a playing card of the suit of spades, in which a knife is represented. | |||
| Frisian | mes | ||
| In Frisian, 'mes' can refer to both a knife and a scythe depending on its context | |||
| Galician | coitelo | ||
| The Galician word "coitelo" is a diminutive of "coito" (cut), suggesting a small cutting tool. | |||
| German | messer | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of "knife," "Messer" can also refer to a surgical scalpel, a butcher's knife, or a ceremonial sword. | |||
| Icelandic | hníf | ||
| The word "hníf" can also refer to a "sword" or a "stab wound" in Icelandic. | |||
| Irish | scian | ||
| The word 'scian' in Irish is derived from an extinct Proto-Indo-European word '*skei-' meaning 'to cut' and is cognate with the Latin 'scindo' and the Greek 'skhízō'. | |||
| Italian | coltello | ||
| "Coltello" also means "knife-stab" in Italian slang. | |||
| Luxembourgish | messer | ||
| In Luxembourgish, the word "Messer" not only refers to a knife, but also to a razor blade, a penknife, or even a dagger. | |||
| Maltese | sikkina | ||
| The word "sikkina" likely originates from the Arabic word "sikkin", meaning "knife", or from the Italian word "schiena", meaning "back". | |||
| Norwegian | kniv | ||
| The word 'kniv' in Norwegian comes from the Old Norse word 'knifr', which itself is derived from the Proto-Germanic word 'knībaz', meaning 'a cutting implement'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | faca | ||
| In Portuguese, "faca" can also refer to a type of long, thin sword used in fencing. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | sgian | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "sgian" is derived from the Old Irish word "sgian", which means "knife" or "dagger". | |||
| Spanish | cuchillo | ||
| The Spanish word "cuchillo" derives from the Latin "cultellus," meaning "little knife" or "penknife." | |||
| Swedish | kniv | ||
| The word 'kniv' is cognate to the German 'Knebel', which means 'stick', suggesting its original use as a tool. | |||
| Welsh | cyllell | ||
| The word 'cyllell' also refers to a narrow strip of land protruding into the sea, especially one separating two estuaries. | |||
Knife in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | нож | ||
| The word "нож" also means "edge" in Old Belarusian, and has cognates in other Slavic languages such as Russian "нож" and Polish "nóż". | |||
| Bosnian | nož | ||
| "Nož" is also the name of the Bosnian medieval coin dating back to the 13th century. | |||
| Bulgarian | нож | ||
| The word "нож" also has the alternate meaning of "scalpel" in Bulgarian medical terminology. | |||
| Czech | nůž | ||
| The word "nůž" also has a slang meaning - "a blow with a knife". | |||
| Estonian | nuga | ||
| The Estonian word "nuga" is cognate with the Finnish "nuga" and the Livonian "noga," all of which derive from the Proto-Finnic "nuka." | |||
| Finnish | veitsi | ||
| The word 'veitsi' is cognate with the word 'whittle' and its Proto-Indo-European ancestor '*h₂wet-' meaning 'to cut' or 'to sharpen'. | |||
| Hungarian | kés | ||
| The word "kés" is cognate with the Germanic word "*kniwaz" and the Slavic word "*nožь". | |||
| Latvian | nazis | ||
| In Latvian, the word «nazis» also means «butcher knife» with a fixed blade. | |||
| Lithuanian | peilis | ||
| In Old Prussian, the word “peilis” also meant “sword”. | |||
| Macedonian | нож | ||
| "Нож" has an additional meaning in Macedonian: "small knife". | |||
| Polish | nóż | ||
| The word 'nóż' in Polish may also refer to a type of traditional Polish folk dance, or to a specific type of fishing hook. | |||
| Romanian | cuţit | ||
| The Romanian word "cuţit" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *kotь, meaning "to cut". | |||
| Russian | нож | ||
| "Нож" also means 'blade' and comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *nek- 'to strike, cut'. | |||
| Serbian | нож | ||
| "Нож" can also mean "leg" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | nôž | ||
| The Slovak word "nôž" may be related to the Czech word "nůž", both having an Indo-European root. | |||
| Slovenian | nož | ||
| The word "nož" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*nožь", which was used to refer to a small knife or a dagger. | |||
| Ukrainian | ніж | ||
| Ніж comes from Proto-Slavic "noŋžь", which meant a small sword, or a pocketknife. | |||
Knife in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ছুরি | ||
| The term "ছুরি" is also used in Bengali to refer to a "dagger" or a "lancet", highlighting its association with sharp, pointed objects. | |||
| Gujarati | છરી | ||
| The word "છરી" likely originates from the Sanskrit word "क्षुर" (kṣura), meaning "a razor" or "a sharp instrument used for cutting". | |||
| Hindi | चाकू | ||
| In Hindi, chaaku, meaning knife, comes from the Sanskrit 'ksura', meaning to cut or sharpen. | |||
| Kannada | ಚಾಕು | ||
| "ಚಾಕು" can also refer to a pointed or sharp object in general, such as a thorn or a stick. | |||
| Malayalam | കത്തി | ||
| "കത്തി" (katti) can also refer to 'a stick or pole' in addition to a blade. | |||
| Marathi | चाकू | ||
| "चाकू" is also a synonym for "वैदिक मंत्र" (Vedic mantra) or "छुरी" (dagger) in Marathi. | |||
| Nepali | चक्कु | ||
| "चक्कु" is a diminutive form of the word "चक्र" ("wheel"), and can also be used figuratively to refer to a spinning motion. | |||
| Punjabi | ਚਾਕੂ | ||
| In addition to its common meaning, "chakoo" (Punjabi for "knife") also refers to a type of small, hand-held agricultural tool used for cutting crops or harvesting sugarcane. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පිහිය | ||
| "පිහිය" means "a knife", but is also used in contexts where a knife is inappropriate, such as to describe the sharp edges of a rock or a piece of paper. It can even refer to a person with a sharp intellect. | |||
| Tamil | கத்தி | ||
| "கத்தி" also refers to the cutting blade of a weapon like a sword. | |||
| Telugu | కత్తి | ||
| The word "కత్తి" (knife) in Telugu originates from the Proto-Dravidian word "*kaḍi", meaning "to cut or sharpen". | |||
| Urdu | چاقو | ||
| Urdu word "چاقو" is derived from Arabic, and can also mean "blade" or "edge". | |||
Knife in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 刀 | ||
| "刀" means "knife", but it also means "military" or "soldier" in some contexts. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 刀 | ||
| In Chinese, the character "刀" (dāo) can also refer to a blade or a weapon. | |||
| Japanese | ナイフ | ||
| The character ナイ (nai) in ナイフ (naifu) can also mean "inside" | |||
| Korean | 칼 | ||
| 칼 (knife) in Korean is derived from the Chinese 칼 (qǐ) meaning to cut. | |||
| Mongolian | хутга | ||
| "Хутга" also refers to the blade of a knife or a sword. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဓား | ||
| The word "ဓား" can also mean "a sharp edge" or "a cutting instrument" in Myanmar (Burmese). | |||
Knife in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pisau | ||
| The word "pisau" can also refer to a traditional Indonesian dagger or sword. | |||
| Javanese | piso | ||
| In Javanese, "piso" also refers to a traditional dagger or short sword typically used in martial arts or for self-defense. | |||
| Khmer | កាំបិត | ||
| The Khmer word "កាំបិត" also means "a sharp-pointed object used for cutting or piercing". | |||
| Lao | ມີດ | ||
| The word ມີດ can also mean "to cut", "to divide" or "to split". | |||
| Malay | pisau | ||
| "Pisau" also refers to a type of traditional Malay dagger or short sword | |||
| Thai | มีด | ||
| มีด derives from Proto-Austronesian *piyaw, which also means "sword" in various other Austronesian languages. | |||
| Vietnamese | dao | ||
| In Vietnamese, "dao" also means "path" or "road". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kutsilyo | ||
Knife in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | bıçaq | ||
| "Bıçaq" means "dagger" or "lancet" in Azerbaijani, and it is also a homophone for the word "biçak" (meaning "knife" in Turkish). | |||
| Kazakh | пышақ | ||
| The Kazakh word "пышақ" also refers to a specific type of ceremonial knife used in Kazakh culture. | |||
| Kyrgyz | бычак | ||
| Bychak is also the name of mountains in Kyrgyzstan and Kyrgyzstan's second largest island in Lake Issyk-Kul. | |||
| Tajik | корд | ||
| The Tajik word "корд" not only means "knife", but also "sword", "scimitar", and "sabre" | |||
| Turkmen | pyçak | ||
| Uzbek | pichoq | ||
| "Pichoq" is also a term of endearment for a young boy in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | پىچاق | ||
Knife in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pahi | ||
| The Hawaiian word "pahi" also means "to cut" or "to divide". | |||
| Maori | maripi | ||
| The word 'maripi' is thought to derive from the Proto-Austronesian word for 'to cut' | |||
| Samoan | naifi | ||
| Naifi is cognate with the Māori "naipi" and the Tongan "naifi" and appears to be derived from Proto-Polynesian "*naki" meaning "to cut". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kutsilyo | ||
| The Tagalog word "kutsilyo" (knife) originally referred to a specific type of knife, such as a hunting knife, and is related to the word "kutsara" (spoon), both derived from the Malay word "sudu". | |||
Knife in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | tumi | ||
| Guarani | kyse | ||
Knife in International Languages
| Esperanto | tranĉilo | ||
| The word "tranĉilo" is derived from the Old French word "tranche" meaning "slice" | |||
| Latin | cultro | ||
| In Latin, "cultro" can also refer to a style of worship, practice, or religion, particularly one involving rituals or ceremonies. | |||
Knife in Others Languages
| Greek | μαχαίρι | ||
| The word 'μαχαίρι' is derived from the ancient Greek 'μάχαιρα' (makhaira), a short, single-edged sword or dagger used in warfare. | |||
| Hmong | riam | ||
| "Riam," meaning "sharp," is a common term for knife. | |||
| Kurdish | kêr | ||
| In Kurdish, the word "kêr" not only refers to a "knife" but also holds meanings related to "power," "bravery," and "protection." | |||
| Turkish | bıçak | ||
| In Turkish, "bıçak" can also refer to a "razor blade" or a "dagger". | |||
| Xhosa | imela | ||
| Imela can also refer to a "sharp tongue," implying someone who is quick-witted or sarcastic. | |||
| Yiddish | מעסער | ||
| Yiddish “מעסער” (“knife”) shares an origin with English “measure,” both deriving from Proto-Indo-European *me- “to cut”. | |||
| Zulu | ummese | ||
| The word "ummese" can also refer to a sharp object or a weapon. | |||
| Assamese | কটাৰী | ||
| Aymara | tumi | ||
| Bhojpuri | छुरी | ||
| Dhivehi | ވަޅި | ||
| Dogri | काचू | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kutsilyo | ||
| Guarani | kyse | ||
| Ilocano | kutsilyo | ||
| Krio | nɛf | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | چەقۆ | ||
| Maithili | चक्कू | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯊꯥꯡ | ||
| Mizo | chemte | ||
| Oromo | haaduu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଛୁରୀ | ||
| Quechua | kuchuna | ||
| Sanskrit | छुरिका | ||
| Tatar | пычак | ||
| Tigrinya | ካራ | ||
| Tsonga | mukwana | ||