Mouse in Different Languages
Discover 'Mouse' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The humble mouse is a small, rodent creature that has made a big impact on human culture and language. From the earliest cave paintings to modern-day cartoons, the mouse has been a source of fascination and inspiration for people all over the world. As a result, the word 'mouse' has been translated into countless languages, each with its own unique cultural and linguistic significance.
Did you know that the word 'mouse' comes from the Old English word 'mūs,' which is related to the Proto-Germanic word '*mūsan'? Or that in some cultures, the mouse is seen as a symbol of cunning and intelligence, while in others it is associated with timidity and fear?
Whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural historian, or just someone who loves learning new things, understanding the many translations of the word 'mouse' can be a fun and fascinating journey. Here are just a few examples to get you started:
- French: souris
- Spanish: ratón
- German: Maus
- Mandarin: 鼠 (shǔ)
- Japanese: 鼠 (nezumi)
Mouse
Mouse in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | muis | ||
| The Afrikaans word "muis" originates from the Dutch "muys" and shares a common root with the German "Maus" meaning "mouse". | |||
| Amharic | አይጥ | ||
| The word "አይጥ" can also refer to a small, insignificant person. | |||
| Hausa | linzamin kwamfuta | ||
| The word "linzamin kwamfuta" literally means "elephant's nail" in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | oke | ||
| "Oke" can also refer to a small amount or quantity of something in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | voalavo | ||
| The word voalavo's origin is obscure but may be related to its reddish-brown coat or it might be onomatopoeic for the rustling a running mouse makes. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mbewa | ||
| The word "mbewa" means "mouse" in Nyanja language of Malawi and also describes a species of the family "Muridae." | |||
| Shona | mbeva | ||
| "Mbava" may also refer to a timid person in Shona. | |||
| Somali | jiir | ||
| The Somali word | |||
| Sesotho | toeba | ||
| The word "toeba" can also refer to the tiny hole that mice make in walls or other materials. | |||
| Swahili | panya | ||
| The Swahili word "panya" also has alternate meanings of "rat" and "thief". | |||
| Xhosa | impuku | ||
| In Xhosa, the word "impuku" also refers to a diviner's gourd traditionally used to diagnose illnesses and communicate with the spirits. | |||
| Yoruba | eku | ||
| The word "eku" can also refer to a type of small rodent, similar to a rat. | |||
| Zulu | igundane | ||
| In Zulu, 'igundane' derives from 'ukugunda' (to make a noise), probably referring to the sound made by mice. | |||
| Bambara | ɲinɛ | ||
| Ewe | afi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | imbeba | ||
| Lingala | mpuku | ||
| Luganda | emmese | ||
| Sepedi | legotlo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | akura | ||
Mouse in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | الفأر | ||
| The Arabic word "الفأر" also means "the forerunner" and "the beginner". | |||
| Hebrew | עכבר | ||
| Did you know that the word עכבר also refers to a small coin in Hebrew? | |||
| Pashto | مږک | ||
| The word "مږک" in Pashto is derived from the Persian word "موش" and also means "rat". | |||
| Arabic | الفأر | ||
| The Arabic word "الفأر" also means "the forerunner" and "the beginner". | |||
Mouse in Western European Languages
| Albanian | miu | ||
| In Albanian, the word "miu" is also used to describe a person who is shy or timid. | |||
| Basque | sagua | ||
| In Basque, 'sagua' also means 'cat', as mice were often hunted by cats. | |||
| Catalan | ratolí | ||
| The Catalan word "ratolí" derives from the Latin word "rattus", which itself comes from the Sanskrit word "rāta," meaning "thief". | |||
| Croatian | miš | ||
| "Miš" in Croatian means "muscle", and is related to the Old Croatian word "mysi" for "meat". | |||
| Danish | mus | ||
| While 'mus' means 'mouse' in Danish, it has a secondary meaning of 'muscle'. | |||
| Dutch | muis | ||
| In Dutch, "muis" has an alternate meaning of "wrist". | |||
| English | mouse | ||
| The word “mouse” was originally used to refer to any small animal, including squirrels and weasels. | |||
| French | souris | ||
| The name "Souris" is derived from the Latin word "sorex", meaning "shrew". In French, "souris" can also refer to a computer mouse. | |||
| Frisian | mûs | ||
| The word "mûs" in Frisian can also refer to a muscle or a small piece of meat. | |||
| Galician | rato | ||
| In Galician, “rato” can also refer to a moment, a short period of time, as well as a small piece of land, a plot. | |||
| German | maus | ||
| In German, the word "Maus" can also refer to a type of armored fighting vehicle used by the Nazis during World War II. | |||
| Icelandic | mús | ||
| The word "mús" in Icelandic also means "dirt" or "trash". | |||
| Irish | luch | ||
| The name luch is also used for 'rat'. | |||
| Italian | topo | ||
| The plural of «topo» is «topi», and it can refer to a particular species of mouse («topolino») or rat («topone»), as well as a clumsy person («un gran topo»). | |||
| Luxembourgish | maus | ||
| The word "Maus" in Luxembourgish can also refer to a "girl" or a "young woman". | |||
| Maltese | ġurdien | ||
| The word | |||
| Norwegian | mus | ||
| The Norwegian word for 'mouse', mus comes from Old Norse and can also mean a 'small creature' or an 'insignificant person'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | rato | ||
| "Rato" in Portuguese derives from the Latin "rattus," which signifies both "mouse" and "rat". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | luch | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "luch" also means "hand" and is used in many Gaelic place names throughout Scotland. | |||
| Spanish | ratón | ||
| In Spanish, "ratón" is not only a "mouse" but also means "rat" when used colloquially. | |||
| Swedish | mus | ||
| The Swedish word "mus" can also mean "muscle", "muzzle", or "musket". | |||
| Welsh | llygoden | ||
| The word "llygoden" likely originated from the Proto-Celtic word "*leuk-od-on-i," meaning "bright one" or "little light," referring to mice's quick movements and shiny eyes. | |||
Mouse in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | мыш | ||
| "мышь" is a borrowing from the Old East Slavic word "мыйшь", which is cognate with the Lithuanian "muisė", the Old Prussian "musin", the Proto-Slavic "мышь", and the Proto-Indo-European word "*muus- | |||
| Bosnian | miš | ||
| The word "miš" can also refer to a computer mouse or a small muscle in the shoulder. | |||
| Bulgarian | мишка | ||
| "Мишка" can also denote "teddy bear", "muscle", or male bears | |||
| Czech | myš | ||
| "Myš" in Czech can also mean "brain" or "mind". | |||
| Estonian | hiir | ||
| The Estonian word "hiir" can also refer to a "splint" or a "splinter". | |||
| Finnish | hiiri | ||
| In Estonian the word "hiir" means "rat" and "mouse" in Finnish, meaning "mouse" and "rat" in Estonian. Mice and rats are often confused for each other in both languages. | |||
| Hungarian | egér | ||
| The Hungarian word "egér" also refers to a type of small, fast horse, similar to a pony. | |||
| Latvian | pele | ||
| Latvian "pele" has counterparts in Lithuanian "pelė", Old Prussian "pela" and Sanskrit (Vedic) "palā" ( | |||
| Lithuanian | pelė | ||
| "Pelė" has the root "pel-" which derives from the Proto-European word *mel- ("dark, mouse colored") which is also seen in the English word "pale". | |||
| Macedonian | глушец | ||
| The word "глушец" is also a species of bird in the grouse family, known for its secretive habits and muffled call. | |||
| Polish | mysz | ||
| The Polish word 'mysz' also refers to the 'muscle', particularly in the context of a computer, and is derived from the old Slavic word meaning 'to squeeze'. | |||
| Romanian | șoarece | ||
| The etymological origin of the Romanian word "șoarece" is obscure, but it is speculated to be connected to the Slavic root "*sorъ" (literally "mouse"). | |||
| Russian | мышь | ||
| The word "мышь" in Russian may also refer to the carpal pad on the hand. | |||
| Serbian | миш | ||
| The word "миш" (mouse) in Serbian is of uncertain origin, but may be related to the Proto-Slavic word "мышь" (mouse). | |||
| Slovak | myš | ||
| The Slovak word "myš" can also refer to a muscle, a computer mouse, or a unit of measurement. | |||
| Slovenian | miško | ||
| The Slovenian word 'miško' can also refer to a computer mouse. | |||
| Ukrainian | миша | ||
| The word "миша" in Ukrainian can also refer to a teddy bear. | |||
Mouse in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | মাউস | ||
| The word "মাউস" in Bengali can also mean a pet rat, especially one kept for hunting small animals, such as mice. | |||
| Gujarati | માઉસ | ||
| The Gujarati word "માઉસ" can also mean "a small amount" or "a trace". | |||
| Hindi | चूहा | ||
| The Hindi word 'चूहा' can also refer to a small, round object, such as a marble or a button. | |||
| Kannada | ಇಲಿ | ||
| ಇಲಿ is not only a small rodent, but also a term of endearment for a child in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | മൗസ് | ||
| In Malayalam, "മൗസ്" not only refers to a mouse but also means "time" or "season". | |||
| Marathi | उंदीर | ||
| The word "उंदीर" in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word "उदरमृत्," meaning "one who lives in a hole." | |||
| Nepali | माउस | ||
| The Nepali word "माउस" derives from the Newari word "मासिं", likely from the root "माः" (to eat), which aligns with its role as a food thief. | |||
| Punjabi | ਮਾ mouseਸ | ||
| The word 'ਮਾ mouseਸ' (mouse) in Punjabi also refers to a 'spy' or 'informer' | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මූසිකය | ||
| The Sinhala word "මූසිකය" (mouse) derives from the Prakrit word "mūsaga", ultimately originating from the Sanskrit word "mūṣika". | |||
| Tamil | சுட்டி | ||
| "சுட்டி" can also mean a mischievous or playful child. | |||
| Telugu | మౌస్ | ||
| The word "mouse" in Telugu also refers to a type of small, round sweet made from rice flour and sugar. | |||
| Urdu | ماؤس | ||
| The word "ماؤس" also means "cat" in Urdu | |||
Mouse in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 鼠 | ||
| "鼠" has a similar pronunciation to "仕", meaning "official". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 鼠 | ||
| In Traditional Chinese, "鼠" (shǔ) also means a unit of weight and is used as the first of the twelve Earthly Branches. | |||
| Japanese | マウス | ||
| The word "マウス" (mouse) in Japanese can also refer to a mole, a small furry mammal that lives underground. | |||
| Korean | 쥐 | ||
| The word "쥐" can also refer to a rat or a mouse and originates from the Middle Korean word "쥐". | |||
| Mongolian | хулгана | ||
| The word “хулгана” (mouse) may stem from “хул” (hole) because mice make their nests in holes. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | မောက်စ် | ||
Mouse in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | mouse | ||
| Tikus in Indonesian can refer to either mice or rats. | |||
| Javanese | tikus | ||
| The word "tikus" can also refer to a small coin in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | កណ្តុរ | ||
| "កណ្តុរ" can also mean "ear," likely due to the rodent-like shape of the outer ear. | |||
| Lao | ຫນູ | ||
| The Lao word "ຫນູ" can also refer to a person who is timid or sneaky. | |||
| Malay | tetikus | ||
| In Malay, the word "tetikus" originally referred to a species of squirrel found in the region, but was later applied to mice due to their similar appearance. | |||
| Thai | เมาส์ | ||
| The word "เมาส์" in Thai can also be slang for someone who is drunk. | |||
| Vietnamese | chuột | ||
| The word "chuột" can also refer to "rat" in Vietnamese. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | daga | ||
Mouse in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | siçan | ||
| The word "siçan" also refers to a type of small rodent that lives in deserts and is known for its ability to dig burrows. | |||
| Kazakh | тышқан | ||
| The word "тышқан" in Kazakh ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *mus-, meaning "to steal". | |||
| Kyrgyz | чычкан | ||
| "Чычкан," derived from the Mongolic word "chichan," also refers to a type of bird known as the white-throated jay or white-winged snowfinch. | |||
| Tajik | муш | ||
| In Tajik, the word "муш" has the same root as the word "мушак", meaning "sparrow", with both derived from the Proto-Indo-European root word "*mus -", denoting a small, agile creature. | |||
| Turkmen | syçan | ||
| Uzbek | sichqoncha | ||
| The word "sichqoncha" in Uzbek can also refer to a kind of small, round bread. | |||
| Uyghur | مائۇس | ||
Mouse in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | iole | ||
| The word "iole" in Hawaiian can also refer to a small bat or a type of bird. | |||
| Maori | kiore | ||
| The word "kiore" can also refer to the Polynesian rat, an introduced species in New Zealand | |||
| Samoan | isumu | ||
| The word 'isumu' in Samoan can also refer to a small bird or a rat. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | mouse | ||
| The word "mouse" in Tagalog can also refer to a small rodent or a computer pointing device. | |||
Mouse in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | achaku | ||
| Guarani | anguja | ||
Mouse in International Languages
| Esperanto | muso | ||
| The Esperanto word "muso" is derived from the Latin "mus", meaning "mouse". | |||
| Latin | mus | ||
| The Latin word "mus" comes from the root "mu-", meaning "to gnaw", and is related to the English word "mouse" and the Greek word "mys" | |||
Mouse in Others Languages
| Greek | ποντίκι | ||
| The word 'ποντίκι' is also used in Greek to refer to a type of small, flatbread typically filled with cheese and spinach. | |||
| Hmong | nas | ||
| "Nas" also means "face" in Hmong, and refers to the mouse's pointed face and whiskers. | |||
| Kurdish | mişk | ||
| In Kurdish, 'mişk' is sometimes used to refer to a small, soft object, such as a ball of yarn or a baby animal. | |||
| Turkish | fare | ||
| The word "fare" may also refer to a kind of tax, a journey by public transport, or a small bird. | |||
| Xhosa | impuku | ||
| In Xhosa, the word "impuku" also refers to a diviner's gourd traditionally used to diagnose illnesses and communicate with the spirits. | |||
| Yiddish | מויז | ||
| The Yiddish word "מויז" can also mean a "little bit" or a "sliver" of something. | |||
| Zulu | igundane | ||
| In Zulu, 'igundane' derives from 'ukugunda' (to make a noise), probably referring to the sound made by mice. | |||
| Assamese | নিগনি | ||
| Aymara | achaku | ||
| Bhojpuri | मूस | ||
| Dhivehi | މީދާ | ||
| Dogri | चूहा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | daga | ||
| Guarani | anguja | ||
| Ilocano | bao | ||
| Krio | arata | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | مشک | ||
| Maithili | मूस | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯎꯆꯤ | ||
| Mizo | sazu | ||
| Oromo | hantuuta | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ମାଉସ୍ | ||
| Quechua | mouse | ||
| Sanskrit | मूषकः | ||
| Tatar | тычкан | ||
| Tigrinya | ኣንጭዋ | ||
| Tsonga | kondlo | ||