Updated on March 6, 2024
A lawn, a familiar sight in many parts of the world, is a sign of cultivation and care. It's a piece of grass-covered land, often found in residential areas, parks, and golf courses. The significance of a lawn goes beyond its green appearance; it's a space for relaxation, recreation, and connection with nature.
The concept of a lawn has cultural importance in many societies. In Western cultures, a well-manicured lawn is a status symbol, reflecting wealth and social standing. In contrast, in some Asian cultures, a lawn is a communal space for social gatherings and community events.
Understanding the translation of 'lawn' in different languages can provide insights into how this concept is perceived around the world. For instance, in Spanish, 'lawn' is 'césped', while in French, it's 'pelouse'. In German, it's 'Rasen', and in Japanese, it's '芝生 (shibafu)'. Each translation carries its own cultural nuances, reflecting the importance of this concept in different societies.
So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a gardening aficionado, or simply curious about different cultures, exploring the translations of 'lawn' can be a fascinating journey.
Afrikaans | grasperk | ||
The Afrikaans word "grasperk" comes from the Dutch word "grasperk" with the same meaning, and also refers to a "grass strip" or "strip of lawn". | |||
Amharic | ሣር | ||
The word "ሣር" can also refer to a clearing in a forest or a meadow. | |||
Hausa | ciyawa | ||
The term "ciyawa" in Hausa may also denote grass as well as a garden where grass grows and is frequently mowed. | |||
Igbo | ahịhịa | ||
The word "ahịhịa" also means "grass" or "plant"} | |||
Malagasy | bozaka | ||
The Malagasy word "bozaka" can also mean "to cut short" or "to truncate". | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | udzu | ||
The word "udzu" in Nyanja (Chichewa) can also mean "grass" or "pasture". | |||
Shona | tsangadzi | ||
The Shona word 'tsangadzi' also means 'to be clean or tidy', highlighting the expected appearance of a well-maintained lawn. | |||
Somali | cawska | ||
The word "cawska" is derived from the Arabic word "shawka" meaning "grass". | |||
Sesotho | mohloa | ||
The word 'mohloa' (meaning 'lawn' in Sesotho) is etymologically related to 'ho hloa' ('to grow green') in the same language. | |||
Swahili | nyasi | ||
The word "nyasi" can also refer to grass, meadow, or pasture in Swahili. | |||
Xhosa | ingca | ||
The word "ingca" can also refer to a type of grass or hay used for thatching or bedding. | |||
Yoruba | odan | ||
The word "odan" in Yoruba also means "a place of rest" or "a quiet place" | |||
Zulu | utshani | ||
Utshani means 'field' or 'grassland' and its plural form is amaxhaphozi. | |||
Bambara | gazɔn | ||
Ewe | gbemumu | ||
Kinyarwanda | ibyatsi | ||
Lingala | pelouse | ||
Luganda | omuddo | ||
Sepedi | llone | ||
Twi (Akan) | ɛsrɛ | ||
Arabic | العشب | ||
العشب "al-ʿašb" also can means grass or hay. | |||
Hebrew | דֶשֶׁא | ||
While דֶשֶׁא's usual meaning is "lawn" or "grass" in modern Hebrew, it can also refer to the spices that make up potpourri in the Bible. | |||
Pashto | لان | ||
Pashto 'لان' ('lawn' in English) also means the garden of Eden. | |||
Arabic | العشب | ||
العشب "al-ʿašb" also can means grass or hay. |
Albanian | lëndinë | ||
"Lëndinë" in Albanian also refers to a "meadowland" or "grassland". | |||
Basque | belarra | ||
The Basque word "belarra" shares a root with "belar" (grass), suggesting a possible origin in the concept of "that which is green (below)". | |||
Catalan | gespa | ||
The word "gespa" comes from the Gothic word "gaspa" which means "tuft of grass or plant." | |||
Croatian | travnjak | ||
In Croatian, the word "travnjak" not only refers to a lawn but also to a grassland, meadow, or even a pasture. | |||
Danish | græsplæne | ||
"Græsplæne" is a compound of the Danish words "græs" (grass) and "plæne" (flat area), so it literally means "grassy flat area". | |||
Dutch | gazon | ||
The Dutch word "gazon" is derived from the French word "gazon", meaning "turf", and is also used to refer to a type of fabric with a short nap. | |||
English | lawn | ||
"Lawn" can also describe a piece of fabric, often used for making fine linen. | |||
French | pelouse | ||
Etymology: Late Latin *pelliceus* "of animal skin or fur", perhaps via Provençal "covered with grass". | |||
Frisian | gersfjild | ||
The term 'gersfjild', meaning 'lawn' in Frisian, is thought to derive from the Middle Frisian word for 'fire', likely due to the practice of burning grasslands in the region. | |||
Galician | céspede | ||
A word of Celtic origin probably related to "cesped" in French and "césped" in Spanish | |||
German | rasen | ||
The word 'Rasen' can also mean 'frenzy', 'madness' or 'fit'. | |||
Icelandic | grasflöt | ||
"Grasflöt" is a cognate of "grasflet" in Faroese and "grasvold" in Danish. | |||
Irish | faiche | ||
The word “faiche” is also used to refer to a type of grass or turf. | |||
Italian | prato | ||
"Prato" also means "plate" in Italian, coming from the Latin "pratum", meaning "meadow". This is likely due to the fact that traditional plates were often made from wood or metal and were flat and round, resembling a meadow. | |||
Luxembourgish | rasen | ||
Rasen in Luxembourgish, like its German cognate "Rasen", can also mean "madness" or "rage". | |||
Maltese | lawn | ||
In Maltese, the word "lawn" also means "a strip of land left fallow" or "a meadow". | |||
Norwegian | plen | ||
The Norwegian word "plen" (lawn) comes from Old Norse "plan" (flat and even) which is also cognate to English "plane". | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | gramado | ||
Portuguese word "gramado" may mean "lawn" or "a grassy area in a park or garden," and comes from the Latin word "gramineus," meaning "grass". | |||
Scots Gaelic | faiche | ||
The word "faiche" can also mean a "meadow" or "pasture" in Scots Gaelic. | |||
Spanish | césped | ||
El término "césped" proviene del latín "caespitem", que significa "trozo de tierra cubierto de hierba". | |||
Swedish | gräsmatta | ||
The word "gräsmatta" is a compound of "gräs" (grass) and "matta" (mat), thus literally meaning "grass mat." | |||
Welsh | lawnt | ||
The Welsh word “lawnt” can refer to either a lawn or a glade in a wood. |
Belarusian | газон | ||
It originates from the French word «gazon», meaning "turf" or "sod", and ultimately comes from the Persian word «ganzina» meaning "treasure". | |||
Bosnian | travnjak | ||
"Travnik" is also the name of a city in central Bosnia and Herzegovina and the etymology of the two words is unrelated. | |||
Bulgarian | морава | ||
"Морава" also means "swamp" and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*morъva", meaning "wet, swampy place". | |||
Czech | trávník | ||
The word "trávník" also refers to the green cloth traditionally used to cover billiard tables. | |||
Estonian | muru | ||
"Murru" originally meant "turf" or "grass". By the mid-20th century, it also came to mean a well-trimmed "lawn", and subsequently took on its modern meaning, which encompasses any sort of "green space". | |||
Finnish | nurmikko | ||
Nurmikko is derived from the Proto-Uralic root *nɜri, meaning | |||
Hungarian | gyep | ||
"Gyep" also means "healing", which may evoke the sense of tranquility and peace that a peaceful, blooming, flourishing flower meadow creates | |||
Latvian | zālienu | ||
The word "zālienu" originates from the Proto-Indo-European base "ǵʰelH-yos" meaning "grassy". | |||
Lithuanian | veja | ||
The Lithuanian word "veja" also refers to an "unmown meadow" or "grassland". | |||
Macedonian | тревник | ||
Besides meaning "lawn", "тревник" can also mean "grass" or "hay". | |||
Polish | trawnik | ||
The Polish word "trawnik" derives from the verb "trawić", meaning "to digest", possibly referring to the role of a lawn in facilitating the decomposition of organic matter. | |||
Romanian | gazon | ||
"Gazon" comes from the French "gazon" meaning "grass" and is also used to refer to types of vegetation in certain regions of Romania. | |||
Russian | лужайка | ||
In Russian, «лужайка» can also refer to a meadow, field, or green space. | |||
Serbian | травњак | ||
"Травњак" in Serbian can also refer to a type of mushroom known as 'meadow mushroom' or 'agaricus campestris'. | |||
Slovak | trávnik | ||
"Trávnik" is a diminutive form of "trávy", meaning "grass", but also refers to a grassy area such as a meadow, field or park. | |||
Slovenian | travnik | ||
Travnik in Slovenian also means "lawn tennis", in Croatian and Serbian it means "grass". | |||
Ukrainian | газон | ||
It derives from an Old French word, but also refers to a type of fabric. |
Bengali | লন | ||
লন can mean "grass" or "salt" in Bengali and may come from the Indo-European word *sal- meaning "salt". | |||
Gujarati | લnન | ||
"લnન" can also refer to a large open field used for pasture or grazing. | |||
Hindi | लॉन | ||
In Sanskrit, 'lawn' also refers to an earthen embankment that retains water, such as an irrigation channel. | |||
Kannada | ಹುಲ್ಲುಹಾಸು | ||
The word 'ಹುಲ್ಲುಹಾಸು' literally means 'spread out grass' and is also used to refer to a garden or park. | |||
Malayalam | പുൽത്തകിടി | ||
The Malayalam word "പുൽത്തകിടി" (lawn) literally means "a mat of grass", and is also used in the broader sense of "any grassy area, whether man-made or wild". | |||
Marathi | लॉन | ||
In Marathi, "लॉन" (lān) also means "a large, open space suitable for grazing cattle or other livestock." | |||
Nepali | ल्यान | ||
The Nepali word "ल्यान" can also mean "a loan" or "a debt". | |||
Punjabi | ਲਾਅਨ | ||
The Punjabi word 'ਲਾਅਨ' ('lawn'), meaning 'grassy area,' is likely borrowed from Persian 'lâvân' ('garden'). | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | තණකොළ | ||
The word තණකොළ (lawn) in Sinhala (Sinhalese) originally meant "grass" or "pasture". | |||
Tamil | புல்வெளி | ||
"புல்வெளி" literally means "a place where grass thrives" in Tamil. | |||
Telugu | పచ్చిక | ||
Originating from Sanskrit 'practya', it primarily meant a plot of land left unsown. | |||
Urdu | لان | ||
The word 'لان' ('lawn') is derived from Old French 'lande' meaning 'open ground', and may also refer to a type of fine fabric in Urdu. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 草坪 | ||
草坪 (cǎo píng) is a loanword from English “lawn” that emerged in the late Qing dynasty, and it also means “grassland” in some regions. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 草坪 | ||
草坪 (lawn) has the alternate meaning of "grassland" and is not exclusive to lawns around homes or in parks in Chinese (Traditional). | |||
Japanese | 芝生 | ||
芝生 is also a place where the rich lived in ancient Japan, which is why it means “grassy land in front of a house”. | |||
Korean | 잔디 | ||
The Korean word 잔디 'lawn' is also an abbreviation of '자연' (nature) and '디자인' (design). | |||
Mongolian | зүлэг | ||
The Mongolian word "зүлэг" can also refer to a park, garden, or meadow, and is ultimately derived from the Proto-Mongolic root *zuleγ, meaning "green" or "grassy". | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | မြက်ခင်း | ||
Indonesian | halaman rumput | ||
The Indonesian word "halaman rumput" comes from the Indian language, Sanskrit, from "harmya-padam" meaning "ground surrounding the house". | |||
Javanese | pekarangan | ||
"Pekarangan" in Javanese can also mean "a space for activities in front of a house" or "a space for a garden". | |||
Khmer | ម៉ូដ | ||
The word "ម៉ូដ" can also mean "field" or "playground" in Khmer. | |||
Lao | ສະ ໜາມ ຫຍ້າ | ||
Malay | rumput | ||
The word "rumput" in Malay, besides meaning "lawn," can also refer to any kind of grass or weed. | |||
Thai | สนามหญ้า | ||
"สนามหญ้า" originally referred to a "field used for growing grass", but over time it has evolved to mean a "lawn", a "grassy area for decorative purposes". | |||
Vietnamese | cừu con | ||
"Cừu con" also means "sheep" in Vietnamese. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | damuhan | ||
Azerbaijani | qazon | ||
"Qazon" also means "treasure" in Azerbaijani, reflecting the value placed on grassy areas in the country's arid climate. | |||
Kazakh | көгал | ||
In Kazakh, "көгал" can also refer to the "green color" or "leaf". | |||
Kyrgyz | газон | ||
In Kyrgyz, “газон” has two meanings: 1) lawn 2) a type of green tea. | |||
Tajik | сабза | ||
"Сабза" is thought to be derived from the Middle Persian "sabz" or "sabza", meaning "green". It has also been used in the past to refer to plants and fresh leaves. | |||
Turkmen | gazon | ||
Uzbek | maysazor | ||
The word "maysazor" is derived from the Persian word "maysarah", meaning "open space" or "field". | |||
Uyghur | چىملىق | ||
Hawaiian | lawn | ||
In Hawaiian, "LAWN" also means "open field" or "vacant lot". | |||
Maori | pangakuti | ||
The word pangakuti, besides its literal meaning of lawn, also refers to areas of flat land in some contexts. | |||
Samoan | mutia | ||
"Mutia" also refers to the area outside a fale (traditional Samoan house) | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | damuhan | ||
Tagalog "damuhan" derives from the root "damu" meaning vegetation, while it can also refer to a meadow or grassland. |
Aymara | pastu | ||
Guarani | kapi'ipe | ||
Esperanto | gazono | ||
In Esperanto, "gazono" is derived from the French "gazon" (turf), but it also relates to the root "gazo" (gas), hence the humorous expression "ĉu vi volas gazonon aŭ gaslampon en via ĝardeno?" (do you want a lawn or a gas lamp in your garden?) | |||
Latin | pratum | ||
"Pratum" also means "meadow" or "pasture" in Latin, suggesting its association with open, grassy areas for grazing or recreation. |
Greek | γκαζόν | ||
The modern word "γκαζόν" ultimately derives from the French "gazon" and ultimately Latin "cespes" "turf." | |||
Hmong | kev nyom | ||
It is derived from "kev" meaning "grass" and " nyom" meaning "place". | |||
Kurdish | lawn | ||
The word "lawn" comes from the Old English word "lanu," which means "open space." | |||
Turkish | çim | ||
In the Turkish language, "çim" can also pertain to grass or hay, highlighting its diverse meanings in the realm of flora. | |||
Xhosa | ingca | ||
The word "ingca" can also refer to a type of grass or hay used for thatching or bedding. | |||
Yiddish | לאָנקע | ||
"לאָנקע" (lawn) also means pasture or meadow, and is related to the German word "Lahn". | |||
Zulu | utshani | ||
Utshani means 'field' or 'grassland' and its plural form is amaxhaphozi. | |||
Assamese | ল’ন | ||
Aymara | pastu | ||
Bhojpuri | मैदान | ||
Dhivehi | ލޯން | ||
Dogri | घा दा मदान | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | damuhan | ||
Guarani | kapi'ipe | ||
Ilocano | karuotan | ||
Krio | gras | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | گژوگیا | ||
Maithili | घास क मैदान | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯨꯃꯥꯡ | ||
Mizo | tualzawl | ||
Oromo | kaloo | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ଲନ୍ | ||
Quechua | qiwa | ||
Sanskrit | दूर्वा | ||
Tatar | газон | ||
Tigrinya | ሳዕሪ | ||
Tsonga | xilungwa | ||