Updated on March 6, 2024
Mixture, a simple word that carries with it a world of meaning. It represents the blending of different elements to create something new and unique. From the culinary delights of a paella, a Spanish dish that combines saffron-infused rice with a variety of meats and vegetables, to the vibrant colors of a Holi celebration in India, where dry pigments and water are thrown about to create a swirling kaleidoscope of hues, mixture is a concept that transcends cultures and languages.
Understanding the word 'mixture' in different languages can open up new avenues of communication and cultural exchange. For instance, in French, mixture is 'mélange', in German, it's 'Mischung', in Russian, it's 'смесь' (smes'), and in Japanese, it's '混ざり合わせ' (mazawarase). Each of these translations not only provides a linguistic bridge to understanding but also offers a glimpse into the unique cultural contexts in which they are used.
So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural explorer, or simply curious, delving into the translations of mixture is a rewarding journey. Read on to discover more about this fascinating word in a variety of global languages.
Afrikaans | mengsel | ||
In Dutch, "mengsel" can also refer to "people" or a "company". | |||
Amharic | ድብልቅ | ||
ድብልቅ ("mixture") is the result of a combination of many things, like a salad. | |||
Hausa | cakuda | ||
In some contexts, "cakuda" refers to a type of porridge made from a mixture of different grains flour. | |||
Igbo | ngwakọta | ||
The word "ngwakọta" in Igbo can also refer to a gathering of people or a mixture of languages. | |||
Malagasy | mifangaro | ||
"Mifangaro" comes from the verb root "-fangaro-", meaning "to mix" and the prefix "mi-", indicating a noun that refers to the result of an action. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | kusakaniza | ||
The word is made up of the root 'kusa', which means 'to mix' or 'to stir', and of the derivational suffix '-aniza' which gives the sense of 'act of'. | |||
Shona | musanganiswa | ||
In Shona, the word 'musanganiswa' also refers to a group of people gathered for the purpose of solving a community-related issue. | |||
Somali | isku dar ah | ||
The word 'isku dar ah' in Somali can also refer to something that combines different elements, such as a blend of tea. | |||
Sesotho | motsoako | ||
In Sesotho, the word "motsoako" holds an additional meaning of "unity" or "togetherness". | |||
Swahili | mchanganyiko | ||
In Tanzanian Swahili, "mchanganyiko" can also refer to a type of alcoholic beverage. | |||
Xhosa | umxube | ||
Umxube also refers to a type of dance performed by women. | |||
Yoruba | adalu | ||
It may also be used to refer to a group of people with diverse abilities or characteristics. | |||
Zulu | ingxube | ||
Originally, ingxube meant 'a small hole on the ground'. It acquired its current meaning through metaphors: as a hole in the ground mixes many things, so the word 'ingxube' came to signify any mixture | |||
Bambara | ɲagaminen | ||
Ewe | tsakatsaka | ||
Kinyarwanda | imvange | ||
Lingala | mélange ya biloko | ||
Luganda | omutabula | ||
Sepedi | motswako | ||
Twi (Akan) | afrafradeɛ | ||
Arabic | خليط | ||
The word "خليط" can also refer to a group of people or things that are mixed together. | |||
Hebrew | תַעֲרוֹבֶת | ||
The noun "תַּעֲרוֹבֶת" can also refer to a concoction that can be used to enhance the flavor or color of food, the kind of mixture also known as "spice" | |||
Pashto | مخلوط | ||
The Pashto word 'مخلوط' also refers to a kind of soup. | |||
Arabic | خليط | ||
The word "خليط" can also refer to a group of people or things that are mixed together. |
Albanian | përzierje | ||
The Albanian word "përzierje" also means "confusion" or "commotion." | |||
Basque | nahasketa | ||
The word "nahasketa" can also refer to a "compost pile" or a "mortar mix". | |||
Catalan | barreja | ||
"Barreja" also refers to a group of three people: a man and two women. | |||
Croatian | smjesa | ||
The verb form of "smjesa" is "smiješati, | |||
Danish | blanding | ||
In some contexts, "Blanding" also means "bland" in modern Danish and Norwegian. | |||
Dutch | mengsel | ||
The word "mengsel" (mixture) can also refer to a "crowd" or a "group", especially in a pejorative sense. | |||
English | mixture | ||
The word "mixture" comes from the Latin "mixtura". It can also refer to a group of people or things that are different from each other. | |||
French | mélange | ||
The French word "mélange" also refers to a blend of coffee and chicory. | |||
Frisian | mingsel | ||
The term 'mingsel' is also used as a term of endearment, particularly for children or babies. | |||
Galician | mestura | ||
"Mestura" comes from the Latin word "mixtura" and has the alternate meaning of "chaos" in Galician. | |||
German | mischung | ||
"Mischung" also refers to the "miscellaneous" category in German board games. | |||
Icelandic | blöndu | ||
The word "blöndu" can also refer to a type of fermented shark meat, a traditional Icelandic dish. | |||
Irish | meascán | ||
The word "meascán" is derived from the Proto-Celtic word "*meskos" meaning "to mix" and is related to the Welsh word "mesgu" and the Latin word "miscere". | |||
Italian | miscela | ||
The word "miscela" in Italian originates from the Arabic "mizāj", meaning "temperament" or "disposition". | |||
Luxembourgish | mëschung | ||
In Luxembourgish, the word "Mëschung" also refers to a specific type of mixed forest, often containing both deciduous and coniferous trees. | |||
Maltese | taħlita | ||
The word "taħlita" originated as a borrowing from the Arabic word "tahlukha" and refers specifically to a blending of dry ingredients (like grain or coffee) | |||
Norwegian | blanding | ||
The word blanding derives from the old Norse verb "blanda", which also meant "to look, observe or mix". | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | mistura | ||
In Portuguese, "mistura" also refers to a type of folkloric potion. | |||
Scots Gaelic | measgachadh | ||
Measgachadh stems from the word 'measg', meaning 'among', thereby referring to something that is 'put together'. | |||
Spanish | mezcla | ||
Mezcla can also refer to a type of dance in Andalusia, Spain, typically performed by women waving shawls. | |||
Swedish | blandning | ||
The word "blandning" comes from the Old Norse word "blanda", meaning "to mix", and is related to the English word "blend". | |||
Welsh | cymysgedd | ||
The word "cymysgedd" also means "mess" or "disorder" in Welsh. |
Belarusian | сумесі | ||
Belarusian "сумесі" is derived from the Latin "summus" meaning "highest" or "greatest". | |||
Bosnian | smjesa | ||
The word “smjesa” can also refer to a group of people or things considered together. | |||
Bulgarian | смес | ||
The word "смес" in Bulgarian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*směsь", meaning "mixture" or "confusion". | |||
Czech | směs | ||
Czech "směs" is homographic with the Russian word for "estimate", "smeta". | |||
Estonian | segu | ||
The word "segu" also means "mucus" in Estonian, highlighting its sticky nature. | |||
Finnish | seos | ||
The word "seos" can mean both a mixture and a bond or connection in Finnish. | |||
Hungarian | keverék | ||
In Hungarian, "keverék" is used colloquially to refer to a mixed-breed dog, derived from its alternate meaning, "mongrel". | |||
Latvian | maisījums | ||
The Latvian word “maisījums” can also refer to the process of mixing, or an emotion that is a combination of several others. | |||
Lithuanian | mišinys | ||
"Mišinys" is related to the Latvian word "maisījums" and the Old Russian word "мѣшенье". | |||
Macedonian | мешавина | ||
"Мешавина" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *mĕšati, meaning "to mix". | |||
Polish | mieszanina | ||
The word "mieszanina" also has the meaning of "hashish" and has a root in the Turkish word "meczun" (a person who is intoxicated). | |||
Romanian | amestec | ||
Amestec means "mixture" in Romanian and originates from the Vulgar Latin word *ammistio* | |||
Russian | смесь | ||
The word "смесь" (mixture) can also refer to a "jumble" or "hodgepodge" in Russian. | |||
Serbian | смеша | ||
The word "смеша" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root "*mьšati", meaning "to mix". | |||
Slovak | zmes | ||
The original meaning of the Slovak word "zmes" was an "embrace" | |||
Slovenian | mešanica | ||
The word "mešanica" can also refer to a "mess" or "jumble" in Slovenian. | |||
Ukrainian | суміші | ||
The word "суміші" (mixture) in Ukrainian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "sъmešь", which also means "confusion" or "disorder". |
Bengali | মিশ্রণ | ||
The Bengali word "মিশ্রণ" ultimately derives from the Sanskrit root "miśra" which means "mixed" or "mingled". | |||
Gujarati | મિશ્રણ | ||
The word "મિશ્રણ" (mixture) also has a secondary meaning of "an alloy", as in a metal alloy. | |||
Hindi | मिश्रण | ||
Mishran means 'to grind' or 'to mix thoroughly' in Sanskrit, hence its use for 'mixture' in Hindi. | |||
Kannada | ಮಿಶ್ರಣ | ||
"ಮಿಶ್ರಣ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "Miśraṇa", meaning "to join together" or "to mix". | |||
Malayalam | മിശ്രിതം | ||
In ancient medicine, "മിശ്രിതം" referred to a mixture of honey, ghee, and various medicinal substances. | |||
Marathi | मिश्रण | ||
The word 'मिश्रण' in Marathi can also refer to a literary genre characterized by a mix of prose and verse. | |||
Nepali | मिश्रण | ||
The word "मिश्रण" (mixture) is derived from the Sanskrit word "मिश" which means to mix or merge. | |||
Punjabi | ਮਿਸ਼ਰਣ | ||
The word "ਮਿਸ਼ਰਣ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "मिश्रण" and can also mean "alloy" or "compost" in Punjabi. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මිශ්රණය | ||
The term 'මිශ්රණය' has also been used in various contexts throughout Sinhala history, including to describe a 'combination' or 'composition'. | |||
Tamil | கலவை | ||
The word 'கலவை' can also refer to a combination of things, such as a mixture of spices or a blend of colors. | |||
Telugu | మిశ్రమం | ||
The word "మిశ్రమం" in Telugu is derived from the Sanskrit word "मिश्र" meaning "mixed, composite, or amalgamated". | |||
Urdu | مرکب | ||
The word مرکب originates from the Arabic word "ركب" and can also mean "vehicle" or "composite" in Urdu. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 混合物 | ||
“混合物”也可比喻不协调的事物混在一起。 | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 混合物 | ||
在化学中,“混合物”泛指两种或多种物质以可变比例均匀混合形成的新物质。 | |||
Japanese | 混合 | ||
The word "混合" in Japanese can also refer to the process of combining different substances or ideas. | |||
Korean | 혼합물 | ||
The term "혼합물" in Korean, while typically referring to a physical mixture, can also be metaphorically used to describe a blend of different ideas, qualities, or emotions within something. | |||
Mongolian | холимог | ||
The Mongolian word "холимог" (mixture) derives from the verb "холих" (to mix), and is also used in the context of a "mixture of colors". | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | အရောအနှော | ||
The word can also mean a medley of music or dance. |
Indonesian | campuran | ||
The word "campuran" in Indonesian comes from the Sanskrit word "campūrna", meaning "mixed" or "blended". | |||
Javanese | campuran | ||
"Campuran" is also commonly used to refer to a specific concoction that is consumed for medicinal or magical purposes, or a seasoning paste used in Javanese cuisine. | |||
Khmer | ល្បាយ | ||
The word ល្បាយ can also mean "to combine" or "to mix". | |||
Lao | ປະສົມ | ||
Malay | campuran | ||
In Javanese, "campuran" also means "confusion" or "discord". | |||
Thai | ส่วนผสม | ||
"ส่วนผสม" in Thai can also mean "ingredient" or "component". | |||
Vietnamese | hỗn hợp | ||
The word "hỗn hợp" in Vietnamese can also refer to a combination or amalgam of things or substances. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | halo | ||
Azerbaijani | qarışıq | ||
The word "qarışıq" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Persian word "qārish" which means "to mix", "to blend". The word also carries the meaning "heterogeneous", "composed of different parts", "diverse". | |||
Kazakh | қоспасы | ||
Kyrgyz | аралашма | ||
Tajik | омехта | ||
The word "омехта" is derived from the Persian word "آمیختن" (āmīxtan), meaning "to mix" or "to blend". | |||
Turkmen | garyndy | ||
Uzbek | aralash | ||
The word 'aralash' also refers to a type of traditional Uzbek embroidery that combines different fabrics and threads to create unique designs. | |||
Uyghur | mix | ||
Hawaiian | hoʻohuihui | ||
'Hoʻohuihui' shares a root with 'hui' ('group'), 'huihui' ('to gather'), and 'huihuihui' ('to meet, gather, or assemble'). | |||
Maori | whakaranu | ||
The word 'whakaranu' can also refer to a 'remedy' or 'medicine' in Maori. | |||
Samoan | palu | ||
The word 'palu' has alternate meanings in both the Samoan and Malay languages, including 'to stir', 'to strike', 'to hit', 'to mix', 'to beat', 'to blend', 'to whip', 'to mash', 'to pound', 'to grind', and 'to knead'. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | halo | ||
"Halo" can also refer to a type of soup made with seafood and vegetables, particularly in the Visayan region of the Philippines. |
Aymara | misturaki | ||
Guarani | mezcla rehegua | ||
Esperanto | miksaĵo | ||
"Miksaĵo" can mean both "a mixture" and "a recipe". | |||
Latin | mixtisque | ||
The word "mixtisque" is the accusative form of "mixtis," which means "mixed together" in Latin. |
Greek | μίγμα | ||
The word 'μίγμα' is derived from the ancient Greek verb 'μίγνυμι' ('to mix'), and also refers to a 'medicine' or 'potion'. | |||
Hmong | sib xyaw | ||
The word "sib xyaw" literally means "tied together" in Hmong. | |||
Kurdish | navhevketî | ||
The word "navhevketî" can also refer to a substance used to make food or medicine. | |||
Turkish | karışım | ||
The word "karışım" can also mean "confusion" or "mess" in Turkish. | |||
Xhosa | umxube | ||
Umxube also refers to a type of dance performed by women. | |||
Yiddish | געמיש | ||
The Yiddish word “געמיש” can also mean “mix of emotions” and comes from the German “myschen” (to mix). | |||
Zulu | ingxube | ||
Originally, ingxube meant 'a small hole on the ground'. It acquired its current meaning through metaphors: as a hole in the ground mixes many things, so the word 'ingxube' came to signify any mixture | |||
Assamese | মিশ্ৰণ | ||
Aymara | misturaki | ||
Bhojpuri | मिश्रण के बा | ||
Dhivehi | މިކްސްޗަރ އެވެ | ||
Dogri | मिश्रण दा | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | halo | ||
Guarani | mezcla rehegua | ||
Ilocano | naglaok | ||
Krio | miksɔp | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | تێکەڵە | ||
Maithili | मिश्रण | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯤꯛꯁꯆꯔ ꯇꯧꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
Mizo | mixture a ni | ||
Oromo | makaa | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ମିଶ୍ରଣ | ||
Quechua | chaqrusqa | ||
Sanskrit | मिश्रणम् | ||
Tatar | катнашма | ||
Tigrinya | ምትሕውዋስ ምዃኑ’ዩ። | ||
Tsonga | nkatsakanyo | ||