Muscle in Different Languages
Discover 'Muscle' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Muscle
Afrikaans spier | ||
Albanian muskujve | ||
Amharic ጡንቻ | ||
Arabic عضلة | ||
Armenian մկանները | ||
Assamese পেশী | ||
Aymara chichi | ||
Azerbaijani əzələ | ||
Bambara bu | ||
Basque gihar | ||
Belarusian мышцы | ||
Bengali পেশী | ||
Bhojpuri मांसपेशी | ||
Bosnian mišića | ||
Bulgarian мускул | ||
Catalan múscul | ||
Cebuano kaunuran | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 肌肉 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 肌肉 | ||
Corsican musculu | ||
Croatian mišića | ||
Czech sval | ||
Danish muskel | ||
Dhivehi މަސުލް | ||
Dogri पट्ठा | ||
Dutch spier | ||
English muscle | ||
Esperanto muskolo | ||
Estonian lihas | ||
Ewe lãmeka | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) kalamnan | ||
Finnish lihas | ||
French muscle | ||
Frisian spier | ||
Galician músculo | ||
Georgian კუნთი | ||
German muskel | ||
Greek μυς | ||
Guarani tajygue | ||
Gujarati સ્નાયુ | ||
Haitian Creole misk | ||
Hausa tsoka | ||
Hawaiian mākala | ||
Hebrew שְׁרִיר | ||
Hindi मांसपेशी | ||
Hmong cov leeg | ||
Hungarian izom | ||
Icelandic vöðva | ||
Igbo akwara | ||
Ilocano lasag | ||
Indonesian otot | ||
Irish muscle | ||
Italian muscolo | ||
Japanese 筋 | ||
Javanese otot | ||
Kannada ಮಾಂಸಖಂಡ | ||
Kazakh бұлшықет | ||
Khmer សាច់ដុំ | ||
Kinyarwanda imitsi | ||
Konkani स्नायू | ||
Korean 근육 | ||
Krio mɔsul | ||
Kurdish masûl | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) ماسوولکە | ||
Kyrgyz булчуң | ||
Lao ກ້າມ | ||
Latin musculus | ||
Latvian muskuļi | ||
Lingala mosisa | ||
Lithuanian raumuo | ||
Luganda entumbugulu | ||
Luxembourgish muskel | ||
Macedonian мускул | ||
Maithili मांसपेशी | ||
Malagasy hozatra | ||
Malay otot | ||
Malayalam മാംസപേശി | ||
Maltese muskolu | ||
Maori uaua | ||
Marathi स्नायू | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯇꯣꯡꯁꯥ | ||
Mizo tihrawl | ||
Mongolian булчин | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) ကြွက်သား | ||
Nepali मासु | ||
Norwegian muskel | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) minofu | ||
Odia (Oriya) ମାଂସପେଶୀ | ||
Oromo maashaa | ||
Pashto عضله | ||
Persian ماهیچه | ||
Polish mięsień | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) músculo | ||
Punjabi ਮਾਸਪੇਸ਼ੀ | ||
Quechua aycha | ||
Romanian muşchi | ||
Russian мышца | ||
Samoan maso | ||
Sanskrit मांसपेशी | ||
Scots Gaelic fèith | ||
Sepedi mošifa | ||
Serbian мишића | ||
Sesotho mosifa | ||
Shona mhasuru | ||
Sindhi ڏورن | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) මාංශ පේශි | ||
Slovak sval | ||
Slovenian mišice | ||
Somali muruq | ||
Spanish músculo | ||
Sundanese otot | ||
Swahili misuli | ||
Swedish muskel | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) kalamnan | ||
Tajik мушак | ||
Tamil தசை | ||
Tatar мускул | ||
Telugu కండరము | ||
Thai กล้ามเนื้อ | ||
Tigrinya ጭዋዳ | ||
Tsonga tihlampfana | ||
Turkish kas | ||
Turkmen myşsa | ||
Twi (Akan) honam | ||
Ukrainian м'язи | ||
Urdu پٹھوں | ||
Uyghur مۇسكۇل | ||
Uzbek muskul | ||
Vietnamese cơ bắp | ||
Welsh cyhyr | ||
Xhosa umsipha | ||
Yiddish מוסקל | ||
Yoruba iṣan | ||
Zulu umsipha |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | The Afrikaans word "spier" is thought to derive from the word "spiering" which refers to something thin or slender. |
| Albanian | In Albanian, "muskujve" refers to muscles in the body, but can also be used metaphorically for strength or determination. |
| Amharic | The Amharic word "ጡንቻ" can also refer to a "rope" or "string". |
| Arabic | The word "عضلة" also means "strength" or "power" in Arabic. |
| Armenian | "Մկանները" (muscle) originates from the Proto-Indo-European root "men-", meaning "to think" or "to desire." |
| Azerbaijani | The word "əzələ" in Azerbaijani ultimately derives from the Arabic word "ʿaẓm" meaning "bone", and originally referred to muscles attached to bones. |
| Basque | The Basque word "gihar" is also used to refer to the "strength" of a person or animal. |
| Belarusian | Слово "мышцы" в белорусском языке имеет общий славянский корень *myslь, который означает "думать" или "соображать". |
| Bengali | The word "পেশী" can also mean "force" or "power" in Bengali. |
| Bosnian | The word "mišića" in Bosnian comes from the Proto-Slavic word *myšca, which also means "armpit". |
| Bulgarian | The word "мускул" originates in the French word "muscle" but it can also refer to muscles, tendons, and ligaments simultaneously. |
| Catalan | The Catalan word "múscul" derives from the Latin word "musculus", meaning both "muscle" and "little mouse" due to their similar appearance |
| Cebuano | "Kaunuran" is also the Tagalog word for tendon or ligament. |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 肌肉 is also a Chinese term for the 'flesh' of a fruit. |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 肌肉 in traditional Chinese can also refer to "musculature, flesh". |
| Corsican | The Corsican word "musculu" derives from the Greek word "mys" (muscle). |
| Croatian | The word "mišića" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *mьsь, meaning "flesh" or "meat". |
| Czech | The word "sval" is also used in Czech to refer to a specific type of muscle, such as the heart muscle or the diaphragm. |
| Danish | The Danish word "muskel" also means "mussel" and derives from the Latin "musculus" (muscle) and "musculus" (mussel). |
| Dutch | The word "spier" in Dutch is derived from the Proto-West Germanic word "*spēr" meaning "rod" or "shaft" and is related to the English word "spindle". |
| Esperanto | Muskolo shares its root with "musculus" in Latin and "muscle" in English. |
| Estonian | In Estonian, the word "lihas" can also refer to meat on a bone or flesh in general. |
| Finnish | The word "lihas" originally meant "flesh" or "meat" and is related to the word "liha" ("meat") and the Estonian word "liha" ("meat"). |
| French | The French word "muscle" comes from the Latin word "musculus", meaning "little mouse". |
| Frisian | The root of the Frisian word "spier" is likely Germanic "Sper" and is possibly related to the Latin "spera" meaning "hope". |
| Galician | As a diminutive of the Galician "mus", "músculo" could be the equivalent of the English "mussel". |
| Georgian | The word "კუნთი" also means "leg" in Georgian, and is cognate with the Latin word "femur", meaning "thigh". |
| German | The German word "Muskel" ultimately derives from the Latin word "musculus" meaning "little mouse". |
| Greek | The term 'μυς' can refer not only to a muscle, but also to a rat or a shellfish, alluding to the shared notion of a 'contracting' movement. |
| Gujarati | The word "স্নায়ু" can also mean "nerve" or "tendon" in Gujarati. |
| Haitian Creole | "Misk" derives from Haitian French "musk", the latter coming from Late Latin "musculus" and "mus" meaning mouse or little mouse. |
| Hausa | The Hausa word 'tsoka' also means 'bravery' and is used in the context of fighting and wrestling. |
| Hawaiian | Mākala, meaning "muscle," derives from the Proto-Polynesian word *makala, also meaning "branch" or "fork". |
| Hebrew | The word "שְׁרִיר" ("muscle") is also used in the Talmud to refer to a "song", as in "a song of praise". |
| Hindi | In Sanskrit, the word "मांसपेशी" also means "flesh" or "meat". |
| Hmong | Cov leeg's etymology has been traced back to proto-Hmong-Mien *kra:ŋ, a word for "flesh, meat". |
| Hungarian | "Izom" is also the name of the Hungarian folk dance that originated in the Transdanubian region. |
| Icelandic | "Vöðva" in Icelandic is likely derived from the Proto-Germanic word *wōdiwaz, meaning "violent," and originally referred to a tendon or sinew. |
| Igbo | The word 'akwara' in Igbo can also refer to a type of traditional Igbo dance. |
| Indonesian | The word "otot" also refers to nerves, arteries, or veins. |
| Irish | In Old Irish, muscle could also refer to one’s appearance and demeanour. |
| Italian | In Italian, the word "muscolo" also refers to an architectural element that supports a vault or arch. |
| Japanese | "筋" (すじん) also refers to "vein". Its origin might come from the resemblance between muscles and veins. |
| Javanese | The word 'otot' in Javanese also refers to the strength or power of someone or something. |
| Kazakh | The Kazakh word "бұлшықет" is derived from the Proto-Turkic word *bılčïq, meaning "strength" or "power". |
| Khmer | The word "សាច់ដុំ" can also refer to a type of Cambodian dish made with pork or beef. |
| Korean | The Korean word for "muscle" (근육) literally means "strong meat." |
| Kurdish | The term "masûl" also refers to a "strong or influential person" within a community. |
| Kyrgyz | The Kyrgyz word “булчуң” is also used in a broader sense to refer to the muscular system or the general physical strength of a person |
| Lao | The word "ກ້າມ" can also refer to a type of small, elongated fish. |
| Latin | The Latin word "musculus" also means "little mouse" or "mussel", and is the root of the English word "muscle" |
| Latvian | The word "muskuļi" in Latvian is derived from the Proto-Indo-European word "*musk-", which also means "to seize". |
| Lithuanian | The word "Raumuo" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*reuh-", meaning "to tear" or "to pull". |
| Luxembourgish | The Luxembourgish word "Muskel" originates from the French word "muscle" and is also used in the figurative sense of "brawn" or "strength." |
| Macedonian | The word "мускул" is derived from Latin word "musculus", which means "little mouse", a reference to its shape and movement. |
| Malagasy | The word “hozatra” can also refer to a rope or ribbon tied around the arm to provide strength and endurance. |
| Malay | The Malay word "otot" is also used figuratively to mean "power" or "strength". |
| Malayalam | The Malayalam word "മാംസപേശി" can also refer to a type of edible shellfish called a mussel. |
| Maltese | The word "muskolu" derives from the Arabic "miskol" which means "weight", so it is literally "the weight of the body" |
| Maori | The Maori word "uaua" also refers to a specific type of mollusc, the cockle. |
| Marathi | The word “स्नायू” in Marathi is derived from the Sanskrit word “स्नायु”, which originally meant “sinew” or “tendon”. |
| Mongolian | The word "булчин" also refers to a young mare or a bride. |
| Myanmar (Burmese) | The word "ကြွက်သား" can also mean "flesh" or "meat", which is related to its sense of "muscle" as a component of the body. |
| Nepali | "मासु" primarily means "meat" and its etymology is traced back to the Sanskrit word "मांस" |
| Norwegian | The word "muskel" in Norwegian derives from the Old Norse word "muskali", meaning "shellfish" or "mussel". Hence, it can also refer to sea creatures with a protective shell instead of muscle tissue. |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | In Nyanja, the word "minofu" can also mean "thick" or "stout." |
| Pashto | The Pashto word "عضله" (aẓla) comes from Arabic and originally meant "tendon" or "sinew". |
| Persian | The Persian word ماهیچه is also used to refer specifically to a type of stew or braised meat. |
| Polish | "Mięsień" in Polish, derives from the word "mięso" meaning "flesh", and in the past could also mean "meat", similar to the English word "flesh". |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | In Portuguese, "músculo" also refers to a sea animal (mussel) |
| Romanian | The Romanian word "muşchi" can also refer to "moss" or "mustache". |
| Russian | The word "мышца" derives from the Proto-Slavic word "myšьca", meaning "armpit" or "shoulder joint". |
| Samoan | Ma'o is also the name for the type of sea cucumber known in English as the |
| Scots Gaelic | Scots Gaelic "fèith" also refers to a small vein. |
| Serbian | The word "мишића" ("muscle") is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*myšьca", which also means "armpit". |
| Sesotho | The Sesotho word "mosifa" is derived from the Proto-Bantu root "-sif-," which means "to be strong" or "to be firm." |
| Shona | The word 'mhasuru' is also used figuratively to describe a powerful or influential person. |
| Sindhi | The word "ڏورن" can also mean a "muscleman" or a "strong and powerful person" in Sindhi. |
| Slovak | "Sval" is also used for other words that are closely related to "muscle", including "sinew". |
| Slovenian | The Slovenian word "mišice" can also refer to muscles used for movement, but also to those responsible for organ function. |
| Somali | Muruq, meaning 'muscle,' might be derived from the Arabic word 'maruq,' meaning 'stretched' or 'extended'. |
| Spanish | In Spanish, "músculo" can also refer to a type of shellfish or a musical instrument similar to a bagpipe. |
| Sundanese | The word “otot” is also used to refer to tendons and ligaments in the body |
| Swahili | The Swahili word "misuli" also means "tendon" or "nerve". |
| Swedish | The word "muskel" in Swedish can also refer to a type of sea creature. |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | The Tagalog word "kalamnan" may also refer to tendons or the fleshy part of the body beneath the skin. |
| Tajik | "мушак" in Tajik is derived from the Persian word "موشك" (mūšak), meaning "small mouse". |
| Tamil | The Tamil word "தசை" (muscle) is derived from the Sanskrit word "दश" (ten), referring to the ten layers of muscle in the human body. |
| Telugu | The word "కండరము" comes from the Sanskrit word "kandara" meaning "to dig" or "to tunnel". |
| Thai | The Thai word "กล้ามเนื้อ" (muscle) comes from the Sanskrit word "kalamasa", meaning "tendon, muscle fibers, flesh". |
| Turkish | The word "kas" derives from the Sanskrit word "kash" meaning "to cover" or "to protect". |
| Ukrainian | The Ukrainian word "м'язи" (muscle) comes from the Proto-Slavic word "*mьsnъ", meaning "meat". |
| Urdu | It likely derives from the Indo-Aryan word पाशु (paśu) meaning "beast, cattle". |
| Uzbek | The word "muskul" is derived from the Arabic word "misk", meaning "musk", and was originally used to refer to the scent of musk deer. |
| Vietnamese | The Sino-Vietnamese term "cơ bắp" is composed of the character "cơ" (機) and "bắp" ( bắp ), both meaning "muscle". In Vietnamese, the word "bắp" also has additional meanings such as "calf" and "corn". In contrast, "cơ" often implies a mechanical device and can have extended meanings like "mechanism" and "opportunity". |
| Welsh | Cyhyr derives from the Proto-Celtic word *muskʷo-, also the root of the Latin musculus, meaning "small mouse" |
| Xhosa | The word "umsipha" also refers to the body of a human or animal. |
| Yiddish | "מוסקל" is also an acronym for "מרכז סחר כלכלה" (trade and economics center) in Hebrew. |
| Yoruba | The word "iṣan" can also mean "strength" or "power". |
| Zulu | Umsipha in Zulu refers to muscles, but can also be used figuratively to denote strength, capability, or influence. |
| English | "Muscle" comes from the Latin "musculus," meaning "little mouse," from its resemblance to a tiny moving animal. |