Makeup in Different Languages
Discover 'Makeup' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Makeup is a powerful tool for self-expression and transformation. It has been used for thousands of years across cultures, from ancient Egypt to modern-day runways. Makeup allows us to enhance our natural features, experiment with different looks, and even boost our confidence. But did you know that the word 'makeup' has many translations in different languages?
Understanding these translations can provide insight into how different cultures view and use makeup. For example, in French, 'makeup' is 'maquillage', which comes from the verb 'maquiller', meaning 'to paint or decorate'. In Spanish, 'makeup' is 'maquillaje', which has roots in the word 'maquilla', meaning 'cosmetic'. And in Japanese, 'makeup' is 'メイクアップ (meikuappu)', reflecting the influence of Western culture.
Whether you're a makeup enthusiast, a language learner, or simply curious about different cultures, exploring the translations of 'makeup' can be a fun and enlightening journey. Here are some translations to get you started:
Makeup
Makeup in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | grimering | ||
| Grimering derives from the French word "grime" (soot), as the first makeup was soot applied to the eyes. | |||
| Amharic | ሜካፕ | ||
| The Amharic "ሜካፕ" was derived from "make up" in English. | |||
| Hausa | kayan shafa | ||
| "Kayan shafa" is derived from the Hausa word "shafe," meaning "to beautify" or "to make something look nice." | |||
| Igbo | techaa | ||
| Igbo has various words and expressions to describe different parts of the beautification routine, and the word 'techaa' can also mean to 'decorate with paint', especially when working on dolls | |||
| Malagasy | manjamaso | ||
| The Malagasy word 'manjamaso' is derived from the Malay word 'manja', meaning 'beautiful' or 'pleasant', and the Malagasy word 'maso', meaning 'face'. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | makongoletsedwe | ||
| In its original use, 'makongoletsedwe' referred specifically to body paint. | |||
| Shona | gadzirisa | ||
| The Shona word "gadzirisa" is derived from the prefix "ga-" meaning "to do" and the root "dzirisa" meaning "to paint or decorate". | |||
| Somali | isqurxin | ||
| The word "isqurxin" may also refer to traditional face paints worn during specific cultural events and dances. | |||
| Sesotho | boelana | ||
| The Sesotho word "boelana" is derived from the Bantu root "-ela-", which signifies "to adorn" and is related to the Nguni term "ubuhle", referring to facial paint used in ceremonies and other special occasions. | |||
| Swahili | babies | ||
| The word 'babies' in Swahili is also a term of endearment for a young child or infant. | |||
| Xhosa | iinto zokuzilungisa | ||
| The word 'iinto zokuzilungisa' literally means 'things to prettify oneself' in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | ifipaju | ||
| The word "ifipaju" in Yoruba can also refer to the act of applying cosmetics or enhancing one's appearance. | |||
| Zulu | ukulungisa | ||
| "Ukuklungisa" is an evocative Zulu term that encapsulates both the act of adorning oneself and the underlying desire to enhance one's beauty and confidence. | |||
| Bambara | makiyazi | ||
| Ewe | modzadzraɖo | ||
| Kinyarwanda | kwisiga | ||
| Lingala | monzele | ||
| Luganda | okwekolako | ||
| Sepedi | go ipotsefatša | ||
| Twi (Akan) | deɛ ɛyɛ | ||
Makeup in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | ميك أب | ||
| مكياج is used in Arabic to refer to both the act of applying makeup and the cosmetics used for doing so. | |||
| Hebrew | תפצה | ||
| תפצה also means "compensate" in Hebrew, and is related to the word "damage" (פיצוי). | |||
| Pashto | جوړول | ||
| The word "جوړول" also means "to get ready" or "to prepare" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | ميك أب | ||
| مكياج is used in Arabic to refer to both the act of applying makeup and the cosmetics used for doing so. | |||
Makeup in Western European Languages
| Albanian | përbërjen | ||
| Përbërjen originates from the verb "përbëj" (compose) and refers to the act of changing one's appearance using cosmetics or accessories. | |||
| Basque | makillajea | ||
| The word makillajea is a loanword from Spanish, "maquillaje", and is related to the Basque word "makil", meaning "stick" or "club". | |||
| Catalan | maquillatge | ||
| The word "maquillatge" in Catalan comes from the French word "maquillage," which in turn comes from the Italian word "macchia," meaning "stain". | |||
| Croatian | šminka | ||
| The word 'šminka' is derived from the Italian word 'schimcare,' meaning 'to change appearance. | |||
| Danish | makeup | ||
| "Make-up" in Danish can also mean "structure" or "arrangement," as in the case of "statsmakeup" ("organizational structure"). | |||
| Dutch | bedenken | ||
| The Dutch word "bedenken" can also mean "to consider" or "to think of" in English. | |||
| English | makeup | ||
| "Makeup" can also mean "the physical structure of something" or "the way something is organized." | |||
| French | maquillage | ||
| The etymology of "maquillage" suggests an association with "masque" (mask), implying facial adornment beyond just cosmetics. | |||
| Frisian | opmeitsje | ||
| The term 'opmeitsje' may also refer to the beautification process itself. | |||
| Galician | maquillaxe | ||
| The word "maquillaxe" also means "paint" or "dye" in Galician. | |||
| German | bilden | ||
| The word "bilden" can also mean "to educate" or "to shape" in German. | |||
| Icelandic | farði | ||
| The word "farði" derives from the Old Norse word "farðr," meaning "path" or "track," and refers to the way makeup alters one's appearance by creating a new "path" for the face to follow. | |||
| Irish | smideadh | ||
| The word "smideadh" also means "to smith" or "to forge" in Irish. | |||
| Italian | trucco | ||
| The word "trucco" also means "trick" or "dodge" in Italian. | |||
| Luxembourgish | schmink | ||
| It derives from the Old High German word "sminka" meaning "beauty spot" or "rouge". | |||
| Maltese | tagħmel paċi | ||
| The Maltese word "tagħmel paċi" can also mean "to make peace" or "to reconcile". | |||
| Norwegian | sminke | ||
| "Sminke" is derived from the Germanic word "smekkan," meaning "to anoint" or "to rub". It can also refer to face paint used in the theater. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | maquiagem | ||
| In Portuguese, "maquiagem" can also refer to disguise, artifice, or pretense. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | dèan suas | ||
| Dèan suas can also be used to mean 'make up for something', or 'to make amends'. | |||
| Spanish | maquillaje | ||
| "Maquillaje" comes from the French word "maquiller" which means "to mask". | |||
| Swedish | smink | ||
| The Swedish word "smink" (makeup) originates from either the Flemish "sminken" (to paint) or the French "esmoucher" (to clean). | |||
| Welsh | colur | ||
| In Welsh mythology, "colur" also denotes a sacred black cauldron or pool that bestows wisdom or inspiration on those who drink from it. | |||
Makeup in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | макіяж | ||
| The word "Макіяж" is borrowed from the French "maquillage" and refers not only to make-up, but also to theatrical make-up and facial masks. | |||
| Bosnian | šminka | ||
| The word "šminka" derives from the German word "Schminke", meaning "cosmetic" or "face paint". | |||
| Bulgarian | грим | ||
| Bulgarian "грим" comes from Russian via German, both meaning "grimace", and originally meant theatrical makeup. | |||
| Czech | makeup | ||
| Czech makeup is a homophone for the adjective "líbivý" which means "charming, pleasing to the eye." | |||
| Estonian | meik | ||
| The Estonian word "meik" derives from the Old Norse word "smikr" meaning "beautiful." | |||
| Finnish | meikki | ||
| The word "meikki" is thought to derive from the Swedish word "smink", meaning "makeup" or "cosmetic". | |||
| Hungarian | smink | ||
| The word "smink" likely derives from "schminken," a Middle High German word for "to make a face," and was used to describe theatrical makeup. | |||
| Latvian | meikaps | ||
| It has no other meanings and comes from the English word "make-up". | |||
| Lithuanian | makiažas | ||
| The word "makiažas" is derived from the French word "maquillage," which itself is derived from the Italian word "macchia," meaning "stain" or "blemish". | |||
| Macedonian | шминка | ||
| The word "Шминка" could also mean "paint" or "varnish" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | makijaż | ||
| The term 'makijaż' originates from the Japanese word 'makioyagi,' which refers to makeup made from rice starch. | |||
| Romanian | machiaj | ||
| The word "machiaj" is derived from the Hungarian word "maszk" meaning "mask" and was originally used to refer to stage makeup. | |||
| Russian | составить | ||
| The verb "составить" also means "to compose" (a piece of music) or "to compile" (a list) in Russian. | |||
| Serbian | надокнадити | ||
| "Надокнадити" means to "make up" in Serbian, but it can also mean to "replenish" or "compensate" for something that has been lost or depleted. | |||
| Slovak | nalíčiť | ||
| The word "nalíčiť" in Slovak can also mean "to set up a trap" or "to arrange a meeting". | |||
| Slovenian | pobotati se | ||
| The verb "pobotati se" is also used in the sense of "to prepare oneself" | |||
| Ukrainian | макіяж | ||
| "Мякіж" is also the Ukrainian translation of "flesh". | |||
Makeup in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | মেকআপ | ||
| মেকআপ শব্দটি শিক্ষাগত আবেদনে ব্যবহৃত 'শৃঙ্গার' শব্দটির বাংলা অনুবাদ হিসাবেও ব্যবহৃত হয় | |||
| Gujarati | શનગાર | ||
| The name "શનગાર" is also used for the makeup of a stage actor, a deity, or a bride. | |||
| Hindi | शृंगार | ||
| The word "शृंगार" can also mean "decoration," "adornment," or "ornamentation." | |||
| Kannada | ಸೌಂದರ್ಯ ವರ್ಧಕ | ||
| सौंदर्य वर्धक is a compound word with two meanings: 'beauty' (सौंदर्य) and 'enhancement' (वर्धक). | |||
| Malayalam | മേക്ക് അപ്പ് | ||
| The Malayalam word 'make up' (മേക്ക് അപ്പ്) originated from the English language, primarily referring to cosmetic products or techniques to enhance one's appearance. | |||
| Marathi | मेकअप | ||
| The word "मेकअप" comes from the Sanskrit word "मकरंद" (honey) and refers to the practice of applying cosmetics to the face to enhance beauty, similar to the use of honey to enhance the taste of food. | |||
| Nepali | मेकअप | ||
| "मेकअप" can also mean "making up" as in reconciling or settling a dispute in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸ਼ਰ੍ਰੰਗਾਰ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | වෙස් ගන්වන්න | ||
| The word ''වෙස් ගන්වන්න'' can also mean an altered appearance created through clothing, accessories, and hairstyle. | |||
| Tamil | ஒப்பனை | ||
| Telugu | మేకప్ | ||
| The Telugu word మేకప్ (makeup) is borrowed from English, and has the alternate meaning of "the act of improving one's appearance." | |||
| Urdu | میک اپ | ||
| The word "میک اپ" is derived from the English word "makeup" meaning cosmetics or applying cosmetics to a person's skin | |||
Makeup in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 补偿 | ||
| "补偿" can also mean "compensation" or "make up for". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 補償 | ||
| It is the abbreviated form of "補綴", meaning "to make up for" or "to repair". | |||
| Japanese | 化粧 | ||
| "化粧" can also mean "pretence" or "disguise". | |||
| Korean | 구성하다 | ||
| 구성하다 also signifies 'compose' or 'formulate', and originates from Sino-Korean '構', meaning 'to assemble', and '成', signifying 'to accomplish' or 'to form'. | |||
| Mongolian | будалт | ||
| The word "будалт" (makeup) is derived from the Mongolian verb "будаха" (to dye), which also refers to the process of applying makeup to the face. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မိတ်ကပ် | ||
Makeup in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | dandan | ||
| The word "dandan" can also refer to dressing up or decorating. | |||
| Javanese | dandanan | ||
| The word "dandanan" in Javanese can also mean "attire" or "adornment", suggesting a broader concept of personal presentation beyond just makeup. | |||
| Khmer | ការតុបតែងមុខ | ||
| The word comes from the Sanskrit word 'shrungara', which means 'to decorate' or 'to adorn'. | |||
| Lao | ແຕ່ງຫນ້າ | ||
| Malay | alat solek | ||
| The word 'alat solek' in Malay, meaning 'makeup', is derived from the word 'solek', which refers to the act of 'adorning' or 'beautifying' oneself. | |||
| Thai | แต่งหน้า | ||
| "แต่งหน้า" can also mean "to decorate" or "to adorn". | |||
| Vietnamese | trang điểm | ||
| Trang điểm is also an archaic Sino-Vietnamese term which refers to "drawing lines along the eyes". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | magkasundo | ||
Makeup in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | makiyaj | ||
| "Makiyaj" is a loanword from the Russian word "макияж", which in turn came from the French word "maquillage." | |||
| Kazakh | татуласу | ||
| The word "татуласу", meaning "makeup", is derived from the Kazakh verb "татулау" which means "to paint" or "to draw". The word "тату" itself refers to a tattoo or a mark on the skin. | |||
| Kyrgyz | түзүү | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "түзүү" can also mean "to build" or "to create". | |||
| Tajik | ороиш додан | ||
| The Persian compound noun "ороиш додан" literally means "to put decoration." | |||
| Turkmen | makiýaup | ||
| Uzbek | pardoz | ||
| The Uzbek word "pardoz" is a borrowing from Persian and can also mean "decoration" or "ornament". | |||
| Uyghur | گىرىم قىلىش | ||
Makeup in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kala | ||
| In Hawaiian, the word 'kala' originally referred to a paste made from turmeric and water, used as a cosmetic and for medicinal purposes. | |||
| Maori | whakapaipai | ||
| 'Whakapaipai' is used to describe both makeup and beautification in Maori. | |||
| Samoan | toe faalelei | ||
| The word "toe faalelei" is a combination of the words "toe" (water) and "faalelei" (to make beautiful), which suggests the idea of using water to enhance one's appearance. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | magkasundo | ||
| 'Magkasundo' is also a verb that means 'to come into agreement', 'to be in accord', or 'to reach a consensus'. | |||
Makeup in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | utjnuqayaña | ||
| Guarani | moingo | ||
Makeup in International Languages
| Esperanto | ŝminko | ||
| In Esperanto, "ŝminko" is derived from the German "Schminke," meaning "makeup" or "face paint." | |||
| Latin | instaura | ||
| "Instaurare" is the origin of the French word "restaurer", meaning "to restore" or "to renovate". | |||
Makeup in Others Languages
| Greek | μακιγιάζ | ||
| The Greek word "μακιγιάζ" ultimately derives from the French word "maquillage," which in turn comes from the Italian word "macchia," meaning "spot" or "stain." | |||
| Hmong | pleev | ||
| The word "pleev" is also used to refer to "decorate" or "make beautiful" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | xemilandin | ||
| "...xelan" in Kurdish means both "makeup" and "a way of behaving". | |||
| Turkish | makyaj | ||
| The word "makyaj" derives from the French "maquillage" and ultimately from the Arabic "makhraj" meaning "point of exit". | |||
| Xhosa | iinto zokuzilungisa | ||
| The word 'iinto zokuzilungisa' literally means 'things to prettify oneself' in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | באַשטאַנד | ||
| The Yiddish word "באַשטאַנד" (makeup) shares the same root as "שטאַנד" (state) and "בײַשטײער" (contribution), implying a sense of "putting things in order" or "improving one's appearance." | |||
| Zulu | ukulungisa | ||
| "Ukuklungisa" is an evocative Zulu term that encapsulates both the act of adorning oneself and the underlying desire to enhance one's beauty and confidence. | |||
| Assamese | মেক আপ | ||
| Aymara | utjnuqayaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | शृंगार | ||
| Dhivehi | މޭކަޕް | ||
| Dogri | मेक-अप | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | magkasundo | ||
| Guarani | moingo | ||
| Ilocano | aglaon | ||
| Krio | pawda | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ماکیاژ | ||
| Maithili | श्रृंगार करनाइ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯦꯝꯒꯠꯄ | ||
| Mizo | siam chawp | ||
| Oromo | dibata miidhaginaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସଜାଇ ହେବା | ||
| Quechua | maquillaje | ||
| Sanskrit | रचयति | ||
| Tatar | макияж | ||
| Tigrinya | ዝተሰረሐ | ||
| Tsonga | vumba | ||