Neck in Different Languages
Discover 'Neck' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The neck: a simple word, yet it holds such great significance. It's the slender bridge between our head and body, allowing us to move and turn with grace. But the neck is more than just an anatomical wonder; it's a cultural symbol with deep roots in history and tradition.
Throughout the ages, the neck has been adorned with jewelry, tattoos, and scarification as a sign of status, beauty, and power. In some cultures, the neck is elongated with rings as a rite of passage or a mark of nobility. And in mythology, the neck is often the site of important symbols, such as the snake-haired Gorgon Medusa in Greek mythology.
Given its importance, you might want to know how to say 'neck' in different languages. Here are a few examples to get you started: 'cuello' in Spanish, 'nuque' in French, 'Hals' in German, 'kéll' in Hungarian, and 'griva' in Russian.
Stay tuned for a comprehensive list of translations of the word 'neck' in various languages, perfect for globetrotters and language enthusiasts alike.
Neck
Neck in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | nek | ||
| "Nek" in Afrikaans is derived from the Dutch "nek", meaning "neck" or "nape", and can also refer to a mountain pass, saddle or ridge. | |||
| Amharic | አንገት | ||
| "አንገት" means "neck" in Amharic, but it can also mean "part", "segment", or "member" in other contexts. | |||
| Hausa | wuya | ||
| The word "wuya" in Hausa can also refer to the throat or esophagus. | |||
| Igbo | olu | ||
| The word 'olu' can also refer to the throat, gullet, or esophagus. | |||
| Malagasy | vozony | ||
| Originating from a dialect of Arabic, "vozony" primarily refers to the neck, but can also mean "throat". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | khosi | ||
| Some people speculate that the word khosi has ancient origins linked to the Bantu word for backbone, 'kholo.' | |||
| Shona | mutsipa | ||
| The word "mutsipa" in Shona also refers to the area at the base of the neck. | |||
| Somali | luqunta | ||
| The Somali word "luqunta" comes from the Proto-Cushitic root "*-kuŋŋa" meaning "joint" or "node". | |||
| Sesotho | molala | ||
| The word "molala" can also mean "throat" or "esophagus" in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | shingo | ||
| The Proto-Bantu root shing- can also refer to the head, forehead, ears, or chin of a person or a mouth of a river. | |||
| Xhosa | intamo | ||
| The word 'intamo' can also refer to a necklace, as both are worn around the neck. | |||
| Yoruba | ọrun | ||
| In Yoruba folklore, ọrun also refers to the ethereal realm above the sky inhabited by the gods and ancestors. | |||
| Zulu | intamo | ||
| The Zulu word 'intamo' also refers to a person's character or integrity. | |||
| Bambara | kan | ||
| Ewe | kɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ijosi | ||
| Lingala | kingo | ||
| Luganda | ensingo | ||
| Sepedi | molala | ||
| Twi (Akan) | kɔn | ||
Neck in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | رقبه | ||
| The Arabic word "%D8%B1%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%A9" (neck) has Semitic roots and is cognate with the Hebrew word "%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%99" (neck) and the Aramaic word "%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%90" (neck). | |||
| Hebrew | צוואר | ||
| צוואר can also mean "throat" or "gullet" and is related to the word "צואר" meaning "narrow place". | |||
| Pashto | غاړه | ||
| The Pashto word "غاړه" (neck) ultimately derives from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰréh₂-, meaning "to strangle" or "to twist". | |||
| Arabic | رقبه | ||
| The Arabic word "%D8%B1%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%A9" (neck) has Semitic roots and is cognate with the Hebrew word "%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%99" (neck) and the Aramaic word "%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%90" (neck). | |||
Neck in Western European Languages
| Albanian | qafë | ||
| Qafë, meaning "neck" in Albanian, also signifies "pass" or "narrow mountain passage" and is rooted in Proto-Indo-European "*kʰep-/*kʰop-." | |||
| Basque | lepoa | ||
| The word "lepoa" in Basque derives from the Proto-Basque root "*lebu" and also refers to the "collarbone" in certain Basque dialects. | |||
| Catalan | coll | ||
| The Catalan word "coll" may also refer to a mountain pass or a hill. | |||
| Croatian | vrat | ||
| The Slavic root *vьrtъ means "to turn", "twist", and "spin", and is related to the words "vrt","vrteti", "vrata","vrh", "vrijeme" and others. | |||
| Danish | nakke | ||
| The Danish word “nakke” (”neck”) is cognate to the English “nock,” which refers to the notch at the end of an arrow. | |||
| Dutch | nek | ||
| "Nekker" is the Dutch word for a water goblin that strangles swimmers, similar to the Scottish kelpie or Slavic vodyanoy. | |||
| English | neck | ||
| The word "neck" is derived from the Old English word "necca," which originally meant "a ridge or promontory." | |||
| French | cou | ||
| The word "cou" also means "blow" or "stroke" in French, originating from the Latin word "colpus" | |||
| Frisian | nekke | ||
| In Frisian, "nekke" is thought to derive from Old Frisian "nek", cognate with "nack" in Swedish, "nacken" in German, and "neck" in English. | |||
| Galician | pescozo | ||
| "Pescozo" can also mean "punch" or "smack" in Galician. | |||
| German | hals | ||
| In some regions of Germany, "Hals" also means "throat" or "narrow passage". | |||
| Icelandic | háls | ||
| The Icelandic word "háls" can also refer to a mountain pass or a strait of water surrounded by land. | |||
| Irish | muineál | ||
| The Irish word 'muineál' is also thought to derive from the word for 'mane'. | |||
| Italian | collo | ||
| "Collo" is also used figuratively to refer to a person's narrow-mindedness or stubbornness, and derives from the Latin word "collum" (neck). | |||
| Luxembourgish | hals | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Hals" also refers to a narrow passage or a mountain pass. | |||
| Maltese | għonq | ||
| "Għonq" can also refer to a bottle or flask. | |||
| Norwegian | nakke | ||
| The word "nakke" is derived from Old Norse "nakki," meaning a "small piece of meat," and is related to the German "nacken" and English "nape." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | pescoço | ||
| The Portuguese word "pescoço" originated in the Latin term "petiolum," meaning "stalk" or "stem," and also refers to the narrow part at the base of certain objects. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | amhach | ||
| The word 'amhach' in Scots Gaelic, meaning 'neck', has been likened to 'ammach', meaning 'outside' or 'away', due to the neck's function in turning the head and hence looking outwards. | |||
| Spanish | cuello | ||
| Cuello is also a colloquial term for a priest in Spanish and a type of tortilla in some regions. | |||
| Swedish | nacke | ||
| The word 'nacke' derives from Old Norse 'hnakki', which also referred to a hill, headland or the nape of the neck. | |||
| Welsh | gwddf | ||
| Derived from the Proto-Celtic word *gʷedd- ('throat') | |||
Neck in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | шыя | ||
| В слове "шыя" сохранился древний индоевропейский корень *kei- 'скручивание', 'сгиб' | |||
| Bosnian | vrat | ||
| The word "vrat" in Bosnian also means "gate" or "door" in certain contexts. | |||
| Bulgarian | врата | ||
| The Bulgarian word "врата" also has the alternate meaning of "gate". | |||
| Czech | krk | ||
| In Old Czech, "krk" also meant "throat" or "nape". | |||
| Estonian | kael | ||
| The word "kael" (neck) in Estonian also denotes the space between the bottom of the jaw and the collarbone, and has cognates in Finnish and Proto-Uralic. | |||
| Finnish | kaula | ||
| The word "kaula" can also refer to the collar of a shirt or the yoke of an animal. | |||
| Hungarian | nyak | ||
| The word "nyak" can also refer to a part of a garment worn around the neck, such as a collar or scarf. | |||
| Latvian | kakls | ||
| "Kakls" also has several meanings in Latvian slang: "prison", "bottle" (of alcohol), or a person's "weak spot." | |||
| Lithuanian | kaklas | ||
| The word "kaklas" may be related to the Latvian word "kakls" and the Old Prussian word "kaklis", both meaning "neck". | |||
| Macedonian | вратот | ||
| The Macedonian word "вратот" ("neck") is cognate with the Bulgarian word "врат" ("neck") and the Russian word "ворота" ("gate"), all deriving from the Proto-Slavic word *vorta, meaning "entrance" or "opening." | |||
| Polish | szyja | ||
| The word "szyja" also means "noose" in Polish, as it was often used for executions in the past. | |||
| Romanian | gât | ||
| The Romanian word "gât" derives from Latin "gutta", meaning "drop" and "throat". | |||
| Russian | шея | ||
| The word "шея" comes from the Old Church Slavonic word "шия" meaning "throat", which is related to the Old High German word "halz" meaning "neck". | |||
| Serbian | врат | ||
| The word "врат" also translates to "gate". In this context, it refers to the "passage" through which food enters the digestive tract. | |||
| Slovak | krk | ||
| Krk is also a regional word for 'collar.' | |||
| Slovenian | vratu | ||
| The word 'vratu' may also refer to a part of a piece of clothing that covers the neck. | |||
| Ukrainian | шиї | ||
| In Ukrainian, "шиї" also means "wrists" and comes from the Proto-Slavic word *šija, meaning both "neck" and "wrist". | |||
Neck in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ঘাড় | ||
| The word 'ঘাড়' is also used to refer to a person's pride or ego | |||
| Gujarati | ગરદન | ||
| The word "ગરદન" ("neck") in Gujarati is derived from the Sanskrit word "गर्द," which also means "noise" or "shout." | |||
| Hindi | गरदन | ||
| The word ग़रदन, meaning neck, is derived from the Arabic word قَرَّة (qararah), meaning pride or dignity. | |||
| Kannada | ಕುತ್ತಿಗೆ | ||
| In Kannada, 'ಕುತ್ತಿಗೆ' not only means 'neck', but also refers to the 'narrow part of a garment'. | |||
| Malayalam | കഴുത്ത് | ||
| The word "കഴുത്ത്" (neck) in Malayalam also indicates the throat, a narrow part, any part of the body that acts like a neck, and in the case of a plough, the yoke | |||
| Marathi | मान | ||
| The Marathi word 'मान' (neck) is etymologically related to the Sanskrit word 'मातृ' (mother), indicating the protective role the neck plays in supporting the head. | |||
| Nepali | घाँटी | ||
| "Ghanti" is also a synonym for a clock's bell in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਗਰਦਨ | ||
| The word "ਗਰਦਨ" (neck) is derived from the Sanskrit word "ग्रीवा" (grīvā), meaning "neck" or "throat". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | බෙල්ල | ||
| The Sinhala word "බෙල්ල" (neck) originates from the Sanskrit word "ग्रीवा" (grīvā), meaning "neck" or "throat". The term "බෙල්ල" also has another meaning - "a yoke", which reflects its use in connecting a pair of animals for ploughing or pulling a load. | |||
| Tamil | கழுத்து | ||
| In Tamil, "கழுத்து" can also mean a type of traditional necklace worn by women. | |||
| Telugu | మెడ | ||
| "మెడ" might also mean "a narrow passage" or "an edge" in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | گردن | ||
| In Persian literature, the word گردن (gardan) also refers to a type of necklace. | |||
Neck in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 颈部 | ||
| The character '颈' is a combination of '项' and '京' and literally means 'a part of the body between the head and shoulders' | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 頸部 | ||
| The character "頸" in Chinese (Traditional) is also used to refer to the cervical vertebrae. | |||
| Japanese | 首 | ||
| In Japanese, "首" (kubi) can also refer to the head, or to one's position or rank in an organization. | |||
| Korean | 목 | ||
| 목 (mok) also refers to the narrow strait connecting islands or bodies of water. | |||
| Mongolian | хүзүү | ||
| The word 'хүзүү' also means 'throat' in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လည်ပင်း | ||
Neck in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | leher | ||
| Leher shares its root with leheran, a kite that is designed to mimic a heron's neck. | |||
| Javanese | gulu | ||
| The word "gulu" also means "throat" or "voice" in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | ក | ||
| "ក" (neck) can also mean "to block" or "to interrupt". | |||
| Lao | ຄໍ | ||
| In some contexts, Lao speakers use ຄໍ to refer to the "root" of something, such as the root of a plant. | |||
| Malay | leher | ||
| "Leher" also means "throat" in Malay. | |||
| Thai | คอ | ||
| "คอ" in Thai can also mean "to wait" or "to expect." | |||
| Vietnamese | cái cổ | ||
| The Vietnamese word "cái cổ" can also mean "throat". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | leeg | ||
Neck in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | boyun | ||
| In Azerbaijani, "boyun" also means "submission" or "obedience". | |||
| Kazakh | мойын | ||
| The word "мойын" can also refer to the "throat" or "voice" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | моюн | ||
| The word "моюн" in Kyrgyz can also refer to the throat or the voice. | |||
| Tajik | гардан | ||
| The word "гардан" in Tajik also means "collar" or "necklace". | |||
| Turkmen | boýn | ||
| Uzbek | bo'yin | ||
| In Uzbek, the word "bo'yin" ("neck") is also used as a slang term for "boyfriend" or "girlfriend". | |||
| Uyghur | بويۇن | ||
Neck in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻāʻī | ||
| 'Ā'ī can also refer to a ridge or a narrow strip of land in Hawaiian. | |||
| Maori | kakī | ||
| The word "kakī" can also refer to a "throat" or "gorge" in Maori. | |||
| Samoan | ua | ||
| The word "ua" in Samoan can also refer to the back of the neck or the nape. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | leeg | ||
| The word "leeg" in Tagalog is also used to refer to the space between two people or objects, or to a narrow passage. | |||
Neck in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | kunka | ||
| Guarani | ajúra | ||
Neck in International Languages
| Esperanto | kolo | ||
| The word 'kolo' can also refer to a round dance, a type of bread, or a traditional musical instrument. | |||
| Latin | collum | ||
| The Latin word "collum" can refer either to the human neck or to a hill | |||
Neck in Others Languages
| Greek | λαιμός | ||
| The word "λαιμός" is also used figuratively in Greek to mean "throat" or "esophagus." | |||
| Hmong | caj dab | ||
| The word "caj dab" comes from the Proto-Hmong-Mien word *krawʔ, meaning "throat" or "neck". | |||
| Kurdish | hûstû | ||
| The word "hûstû" in Kurdish can also refer to a "bottle" or "jar". | |||
| Turkish | boyun | ||
| The word "boyun" in Turkish can also mean "yoke" or "collar". | |||
| Xhosa | intamo | ||
| The word 'intamo' can also refer to a necklace, as both are worn around the neck. | |||
| Yiddish | האַלדז | ||
| The Yiddish word "האַלדז" has possible connections to the German word "Hals" and the Latin "collum" both meaning "neck". | |||
| Zulu | intamo | ||
| The Zulu word 'intamo' also refers to a person's character or integrity. | |||
| Assamese | ডিঙি | ||
| Aymara | kunka | ||
| Bhojpuri | गरदन | ||
| Dhivehi | ކަރު | ||
| Dogri | मुंडी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | leeg | ||
| Guarani | ajúra | ||
| Ilocano | tengnged | ||
| Krio | nɛk | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | مل | ||
| Maithili | गर्दनि | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯉꯛꯁꯝ | ||
| Mizo | nghawng | ||
| Oromo | morma | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ବେକ | ||
| Quechua | kunka | ||
| Sanskrit | ग्रीवा | ||
| Tatar | муен | ||
| Tigrinya | ክሳድ | ||
| Tsonga | nhamu | ||