Mirror in Different Languages
Discover 'Mirror' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Mirrors have been a significant part of human culture and history for thousands of years. From ancient rituals to modern-day selfies, mirrors have played a vital role in shaping our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. The simple act of reflecting light has led to profound philosophical questions about reality, identity, and perception.
In many cultures, mirrors have been seen as magical or spiritual objects, capable of trapping souls or revealing the future. In Chinese mythology, for example, the god of wealth is said to carry a mirror that brings good fortune. And in some African cultures, mirrors are used in divination and healing rituals.
Given the cultural importance of mirrors, it's no surprise that many languages have their own unique words for this fascinating object. Understanding these translations can offer a window into different cultures and their ways of seeing the world.
Here are just a few examples of how to say 'mirror' in different languages:
- Spanish: espejo
- French: miroir
- German: Spiegel
- Italian: specchio
- Japanese: 鏡 (kagami)
- Chinese: 镜子 (jìng zi)
Mirror
Mirror in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | spieël | ||
| The Afrikaans word 'spieël' derives from the Middle Dutch ‘spieghel’ and ultimately from the ancient Greek ‘speculum’, all meaning 'mirror' or 'reflection'. | |||
| Amharic | መስታወት | ||
| The word መስታወት is derived from the Ge'ez word መስተውት, which means "to reflect" or "to shine." | |||
| Hausa | madubi | ||
| The Hausa word for "mirror" "madubi" originally meant "looking glass", a surface used to see one's reflection. | |||
| Igbo | enyo | ||
| The Igbo word "enyo" can also mean "to look"} | |||
| Malagasy | fitaratra | ||
| The word "fitaratra" in Malagasy also means "to appear" or "to reflect". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | galasi | ||
| The word "galasi" in Nyanja (Chichewa) can also refer to a glass or a transparent container. | |||
| Shona | girazi | ||
| The word "girazi" is also used to refer to a person who is always looking at themselves in the mirror. | |||
| Somali | muraayad | ||
| Somali "muraayad" is derived from the Arabic word "miraya" and also means "evidence" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | seipone | ||
| The word "seipone" is derived from the verb "seip(o)na", which means "to look at oneself" or "to introspect." | |||
| Swahili | kioo | ||
| "Kioo" is a Swahili word derived from the Arabic word "qīḥah," which can also mean "glass" or "lens." | |||
| Xhosa | isipili | ||
| "Isipili" also means "to expose" or "reveal something." | |||
| Yoruba | digi | ||
| In some dialects of Yoruba, "digi" can also refer to a "ghost" or "apparition". | |||
| Zulu | isibuko | ||
| "Isibuko" also means "the way things are" in Zulu, reflecting its role in introspection and understanding the world. | |||
| Bambara | dugalen | ||
| Ewe | ahuhɔ̃e | ||
| Kinyarwanda | indorerwamo | ||
| Lingala | talatala | ||
| Luganda | endabirwamu | ||
| Sepedi | seipone | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ahwehwɛ | ||
Mirror in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | مرآة | ||
| The word "مرآة" also means "a reflection" or "an example" in Arabic, indicating its significance as not just a physical object but a tool for introspection and self-understanding. | |||
| Hebrew | מַרְאָה | ||
| In Hebrew, the word "מַרְאָה" (mirror) also refers to an apparition or vision. | |||
| Pashto | هنداره | ||
| "هنداره" also means "reflection" or "image" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | مرآة | ||
| The word "مرآة" also means "a reflection" or "an example" in Arabic, indicating its significance as not just a physical object but a tool for introspection and self-understanding. | |||
Mirror in Western European Languages
| Albanian | pasqyre | ||
| Pasqyra, the Albanian word for 'mirror', comes from the Late Latin 'specularia' which in turn derives from 'specere' (to look or observe). | |||
| Basque | ispilu | ||
| The word "ispilu" in Basque comes from the Latin word "speculum" and can also refer to a lake or pond. | |||
| Catalan | mirall | ||
| The Catalan word "mirall" derives from the Latin word "mirare," meaning "to gaze at" or "to wonder." | |||
| Croatian | ogledalo | ||
| "Ogledalo" derives from the word "glede" (meaning "to be seen"), thus denoting the object in which one can be seen. | |||
| Danish | spejl | ||
| The word "spejl" also means "reflection" in a figurative sense, as in "a reflection of one's true self". | |||
| Dutch | spiegel | ||
| The Dutch word "spiegel" for mirror may also be a synonym for a type of boat called a "sailboat" or a "scow." | |||
| English | mirror | ||
| The word 'mirror' is derived from the Latin word 'mirari', meaning 'to wonder or marvel'. | |||
| French | miroir | ||
| In Old French, "miroir" meant "to look," and the word evolved from the Latin "mirari," meaning "to wonder." | |||
| Frisian | spegel | ||
| Spegels in Frisian can also refer to the pond in front of a farm or the water that collects on the street in rainy weather. | |||
| Galician | espello | ||
| Like the Latin word "speculum", "espello" can also mean "example" or "reflection" in Galician. | |||
| German | spiegel | ||
| The German word "Spiegel" is also a surname, which can mean "spy" or "reflector". | |||
| Icelandic | spegill | ||
| The related words in Old Norse were 'spegill' (mirror) and 'spegla' (to spy, to reflect, to see). | |||
| Irish | scáthán | ||
| In Irish folklore, the word 'scáthán' also refers to a supernatural mirror said to reveal hidden realities. | |||
| Italian | specchio | ||
| "Specchio" comes from the Latin "specere" (to look) and also means "example" or "model" in Italian. | |||
| Luxembourgish | spigel | ||
| Spigel, the Luxembourgish word for mirror, also shares a root with the Old Norse word 'spegill', and originally referred to a shiny surface, not necessarily a mirror. | |||
| Maltese | mera | ||
| In the past, "mera" could also refer to the surface of still water or to the membrane of the eyeball. | |||
| Norwegian | speil | ||
| The Norwegian word "speil" derives from Old Norse "spegel", meaning "water image", as mirrors were originally made from water. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | espelho | ||
| In the past, the term "espelho" in both Portugal and Brazil could also refer to a reflecting water pool, often used by women for their beauty routine. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | sgàthan | ||
| Sgàthan also means 'reflection' and is related to the Irish word 'scáthán' meaning 'shade' or 'shadow'. | |||
| Spanish | espejo | ||
| In Medieval Spanish, "espejo" also designated "spectacles", and today the term is still used colloquially in some parts of the Spanish-speaking world. | |||
| Swedish | spegel | ||
| The word "spegel" in Swedish shares a common root with the Old Norse word "spegill", which also refers to a reflecting surface but can also mean "image" or "appearance". | |||
| Welsh | drych | ||
| Drych also refers to a 'glass' (for drinking), 'bowl', 'mirror', or a 'window'. | |||
Mirror in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | люстэрка | ||
| The word "люстэрка" in Belarusian comes from the German word "Luster", which means "shine" or "brightness". | |||
| Bosnian | ogledalo | ||
| "Ogledalo" derives from the verb "gledati" which means "to look" in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | огледало | ||
| The word "огледало" originates from the Old Slavic word "огледать," meaning "to take a look" or "to contemplate." | |||
| Czech | zrcadlo | ||
| The word "zrcadlo" derives from the Proto-Slavic term "*zьrkadlo", meaning "to look". | |||
| Estonian | peegel | ||
| The Estonian word "peegel" is likely derived from the Germanic root "*spegw-la", | |||
| Finnish | peili | ||
| Although the word "peili" originally derived from a word for "ice", it is also metaphorically used to refer to something reflecting a truth or reality. | |||
| Hungarian | tükör | ||
| The word "tükör" can also refer to a pond or a puddle in Hungarian. | |||
| Latvian | spogulis | ||
| The Latvian word "spogulis" has no connection with spying, it derives from the Proto-Baltic root of "*speǵ-/*spoǵ-". | |||
| Lithuanian | veidrodis | ||
| The word "veidrodis" also refers to a magical object with the power to reveal one's true self. | |||
| Macedonian | огледало | ||
| The word "огледало" comes from the Old Church Slavonic word "огледати" meaning "to look at" and is cognate with the Russian word "зеркало". | |||
| Polish | lustro | ||
| The Polish word "lustro" can also mean "a luster" or "a review". | |||
| Romanian | oglindă | ||
| In Romanian, oglindă translates as "mirror" and derives from the Latin "oculus," meaning "eye." | |||
| Russian | зеркало | ||
| The word "зеркало" also has the alternate meaning of "example" or "paradigm" | |||
| Serbian | огледало | ||
| The word 'огледало' also has connotations of 'examining' and 'inspecting' in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | zrkadlo | ||
| The word "zrkadlo" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*zerkaldlo", which means "to look". | |||
| Slovenian | ogledalo | ||
| The word "ogledalo" comes from the verb "ogledati", meaning "to look at". It can also refer to a person's appearance or a reflection. | |||
| Ukrainian | дзеркало | ||
| The word "дзеркало" is derived from the Old Slavic word "*zьrkalo", which originally meant "to see" or "to look". | |||
Mirror in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | আয়না | ||
| The word "আয়না" (mirror) in Bengali is derived from the Sanskrit word "आदर्श" (ādarśa) which means "reflection". Additionally, it can also mean "example" or "model". | |||
| Gujarati | અરીસો | ||
| "અરીસો" comes from the Farsi word "ayineh," which also means "mirror." In modern Farsi, "ayineh" is still used to mean "mirror," while in Gujarati, "ayino" also means "mirror." | |||
| Hindi | आईना | ||
| The Hindi word "आईना" (mirror) originates from the Arabic word "a'yna", meaning "eye" or "vision". | |||
| Kannada | ಕನ್ನಡಿ | ||
| The word "ಕನ್ನಡಿ" in Kannada can also refer to a type of metal gong used in traditional Indian music. | |||
| Malayalam | കണ്ണാടി | ||
| The word 'കണ്ണാടി' in Malayalam is derived from the Sanskrit word 'दर्पण' ('darpaṇa'), which means 'viewing device' or 'sight' and 'vision'. | |||
| Marathi | आरसा | ||
| The word "आरसा" (mirror) in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word "आदर्श" (example) and can also refer to a model or ideal. | |||
| Nepali | ऐना | ||
| ऐना ('mirror' in Nepali) ultimately derives from 'oculus' (Latin), denoting 'eye', due to its reflective nature, and has cognates across Indo-Aryan languages such as 'aaina' (Hindi), 'aina' (Gujarati), and 'ayon' (Marathi). | |||
| Punjabi | ਸ਼ੀਸ਼ਾ | ||
| The word "ਸ਼ੀਸ਼ਾ" in Punjabi can also refer to a type of glass hookah or a type of decorative glasswork. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කැඩපත | ||
| The Sinhala word "කැඩපත" (mirror) comes from the Sanskrit word "दर्पण" (mirror) and can also mean 'beauty' in certain contexts. | |||
| Tamil | கண்ணாடி | ||
| The word "கண்ணாடி" can also mean "spectacles" or "eyeglasses" in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | అద్దం | ||
| The word "అద్దం" can also mean "the act of reflecting" or "the reflected image of something" in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | آئینہ | ||
| The word آئینہ (mirror) originates from the Arabic word 'ayna, meaning a reflecting surface, and is also the root of the word 'eye' in English. | |||
Mirror in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 镜子 | ||
| 镜子 can be written as 镜 (jing), which means “to look at” or “to inspect.” | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 鏡子 | ||
| The Chinese character "鏡子" originally referred to a metal container used for holding water to reflect one's appearance. | |||
| Japanese | 鏡 | ||
| 鏡 can also mean 'surface' or 'reflection' in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 거울 | ||
| The term 거울 can also refer to a 'reflection' or a 'guideline'. | |||
| Mongolian | толь | ||
| "Толь" can also refer to a type of felt used for yurt coverings. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မှန် | ||
| Although the primary meaning of "မှန်" is mirror, it also commonly means "true" or "correct". | |||
Mirror in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | cermin | ||
| The Indonesian 'cermin' comes from the Portuguese 'espelho', meaning 'mirror', or from the Arabic 'mar'ah', meaning 'face', 'appearance' or 'woman'. | |||
| Javanese | pangilon | ||
| The word, perhaps deriving from Old Javanese **pa-gilang**, was also used to signify a type of gong. | |||
| Khmer | កញ្ចក់ | ||
| The Khmer word for 'mirror', កញ្ចក់, is derived from the Sanskrit word 'kanchana', meaning 'gold' or 'yellow'. | |||
| Lao | ກະຈົກ | ||
| The word ກະຈົກ (mirror) derives from Pali "kacchaka", meaning "a precious stone" or "glass". | |||
| Malay | cermin | ||
| The word 'cermin' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'darpana', meaning 'that which reflects' or 'a mirror'. | |||
| Thai | กระจกเงา | ||
| The Thai word "กระจกเงา" comes from the Sanskrit word "kaca", meaning "glass". | |||
| Vietnamese | gương | ||
| The Vietnamese word "gương" (mirror) originates from the Khmer word "krunh" (to illuminate), and can also refer to a good deed or role model. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | salamin | ||
Mirror in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | güzgü | ||
| The word "güzgü" also means "lake" in some Azerbaijani dialects, reflecting the lake-like characteristics of a mirror's surface. | |||
| Kazakh | айна | ||
| "Айна" also has a metaphorical sense, meaning "the eye" or "the one that sees." | |||
| Kyrgyz | күзгү | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "күзгү" can also refer to the surface of a lake, or a person's appearance or reputation. | |||
| Tajik | оина | ||
| The word "оина" can also refer to a "window" or a "pane". | |||
| Turkmen | aýna | ||
| Uzbek | oyna | ||
| 'Oyna' derives from the Turkish word 'ayna', denoting an ornament for adorning the hair, which was sometimes made of silver. | |||
| Uyghur | ئەينەك | ||
Mirror in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | aniani | ||
| Historically "aniani" has referred to "a looking glass" or a "looking-glass of polished wood or ivory". Today it is known to mean a "mirror". In some references it is noted as a "small looking glass" which may be an indication that it once referred only to an individual's personal looking glass. | |||
| Maori | whakaata | ||
| The word "whakaata" can also mean "make visible" or "reveal" in Maori. | |||
| Samoan | faʻata | ||
| The word "faʻata" has various meanings depending on the context, including "to see", "to appear", "to reveal", and "to show". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | salamin | ||
| The Tagalog word "salamin" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word *salemin, which also means "shiny stone" or "crystal". | |||
Mirror in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | lirphu | ||
| Guarani | itangecha | ||
Mirror in International Languages
| Esperanto | spegulo | ||
| "Spegulo" is derived from Latin speculum and also means "speculation" in Esperanto. | |||
| Latin | speculum | ||
| Speculum can denote 'eye' or 'spy' in Latin. | |||
Mirror in Others Languages
| Greek | καθρέφτης | ||
| The word 'καθρέφτης' also means 'explorer' or 'observer' in old Greek. | |||
| Hmong | daim iav | ||
| 'Daim' is a classifier for round, flat objects and 'iav' means to look at. | |||
| Kurdish | neynik | ||
| The word "neynik" derives from the verb "neyin" ("to see"), indicating its function as a means of seeing one's reflection. | |||
| Turkish | ayna | ||
| The word "ayna" in Turkish is closely related to the Persian word "ayna", also meaning "mirror", and both are derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂éḱs- "to see". | |||
| Xhosa | isipili | ||
| "Isipili" also means "to expose" or "reveal something." | |||
| Yiddish | שפּיגל | ||
| The Yiddish word "שפּיגל" (shpigl) derives from the German "Spiegel" but can also refer to a spy, a secret or a ghost | |||
| Zulu | isibuko | ||
| "Isibuko" also means "the way things are" in Zulu, reflecting its role in introspection and understanding the world. | |||
| Assamese | আইনা | ||
| Aymara | lirphu | ||
| Bhojpuri | आइना | ||
| Dhivehi | ލޯގަނޑު | ||
| Dogri | शीशा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | salamin | ||
| Guarani | itangecha | ||
| Ilocano | sarming | ||
| Krio | lukin-glas | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ئاوێنە | ||
| Maithili | आईना | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯤꯡꯁꯦꯜ | ||
| Mizo | darthlalang | ||
| Oromo | of-ilaallee | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଦର୍ପଣ | | ||
| Quechua | rirpu | ||
| Sanskrit | दर्पण | ||
| Tatar | көзге | ||
| Tigrinya | መስተዋት | ||
| Tsonga | xivoni | ||