North in different languages

North in Different Languages

Discover 'North' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'north' holds a significant place in our understanding of the world around us. As one of the four cardinal directions, it helps us navigate and orient ourselves in physical space. But 'north' is more than just a compass point; it carries a wealth of cultural and historical importance as well.

For example, in Norse mythology, the north was associated with the frost giants and the realm of Niflheim, a bleak and misty world of ice and cold. In Chinese culture, the north is often associated with the element of water and the winter season. And in many Western cultures, the North Pole is synonymous with Santa Claus and his workshop, a symbol of warmth, generosity, and holiday cheer.

Given the significance and cultural importance of 'north,' it's no wonder that people around the world have their own unique translations for this fundamental concept. Here are just a few examples:

North


North in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansnoord
The word "noord" also means "up" in Afrikaans, derived from the Old English word "norð" meaning "north".
Amharicሰሜን
The word "ሰሜን" can also mean "the right-hand side" or "the east" in Amharic.
Hausaarewa
The word "arewa" also connotes "heaven" or "paradise" in Hausa.
Igbougwu
"Ugwu" in Igbo can also mean "hill" or "mountain", reflecting the association between elevated terrain and the northern direction.
Malagasyavaratra
The Malagasy word "AVARATRA" meaning "north" originally meant "where the sun rises" and then "east".
Nyanja (Chichewa)kumpoto
The word Kumpoto is also used to describe a very large number.
Shonamawodzanyemba
The literal meaning of the word "mawodzanyemba" is "coming from the north", or "from the direction the sun rises from" in Shona.
Somaliwaqooyi
The word "waqooyi" is derived from the Arabic word "waqa," meaning "to fall," and refers to the direction from which the sun falls, or sets.
Sesotholeboea
The Sesotho word “leboea” directly translates to “north” in English but can also refer to the left hand.
Swahilikaskazini
"Kaskazini" is derived from the Arabic word "qibla," which means "the direction of prayer" and specifically points to Mecca.
Xhosamantla
The word "mantla" derives from the Proto-Bantu root "-ntla", which also means "uphill" and "northward".
Yorubaariwa
The word 'ariwa' is used in Yoruba to mean 'north' but also 'front' in the sense a 'place of respect' or 'presence of elders'.
Zuluenyakatho
The Zulu word "enyakatho" can also refer to the left-hand or clockwise direction.
Bambarasaheli
Ewedziehe
Kinyarwandaruguru
Lingalanorde
Lugandaamambuka
Sepedileboa
Twi (Akan)atifi

North in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicشمال
The word "شمال" (north) in Arabic also means "the left hand" or "the left side".
Hebrewצָפוֹן
צָפוֹן can mean both "north" and "hidden" because both senses derive from the Hebrew root ספן, "to be hidden, withdrawn, obscured."
Pashtoشمال
The Pashto word "شمال" ("north") is also used to refer to the direction of the winter sun.
Arabicشمال
The word "شمال" (north) in Arabic also means "the left hand" or "the left side".

North in Western European Languages

Albaniannë veri
The Albanian word "në veri" (north) is likely derived from the Proto-Albanian *wori, meaning "the place where the sun rises".
Basqueiparraldea
The word "iparraldea" also means "the other side" in Basque, referring to the French Basque Country, which is located on the north side of the Pyrenees mountains.
Catalanal nord
In 1881, the word “al nord” was employed to denote the side of the compass that was opposite to the south.
Croatiansjeverno
The word 'sjeverno' derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁sker- ('left'), as the north was traditionally considered to be the direction to the left of the rising sun.
Danishnord
The word “nord” in Danish is cognate to the English word “north” and is also used to mean “above” in Danish topographic contexts.
Dutchnoorden
The Dutch word "noorden" is cognate with the English word "north", both deriving from the Proto-Germanic word *northaz.
Englishnorth
The word "north" comes from the Old English word "norþ," which means "left side" and originally referred to the direction the sun rises.
Frenchnord
The French word "Nord" originates from the Latin word "septentriōn-," meaning "seven stars," likely referring to the seven stars composing the Big Dipper.
Frisiannoard
In Frisian, "Noard" also means "up" or "higher ground", reflecting the region's geography.
Galiciannorte
Germannorden
The word "Norden" is derived from the Old High German word "nord" (north), which is related to the English word "north" and the Latin word "septentrio" (north).
Icelandicnorður
The Icelandic word "norður" is also used to refer to the "left side" when facing east.
Irishó thuaidh
The Irish word for 'north' also means 'left hand'—a convention borrowed from maritime tradition.
Italiannord
In Italian, the word "nord" also has connotations of coldness, harshness, and remoteness.
Luxembourgishnorden
The Luxembourgish word "Norden" could be derived from the Latin word "septentrionem" meaning "the seven stars", but it might also be related to the Germanic word "Nord" meaning "the place of darkness."
Malteseit-tramuntana
The word "it-tramuntana" is derived from the Arabic word "at-taramuntāna", which means "the path of the sun".
Norwegiannord
While 'nord' is Norwegian for 'north,' 'norr' refers to an old, revered direction associated with the supernatural.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)norte
The Portuguese word "norte" comes from the Latin word "septentriones", which referred to the seven brightest stars in the constellation Ursa Major, also known as the Big Dipper.
Scots Gaelictuath
The word "Tuath" in Scots Gaelic also means "people" or "nation" and is cognate with Welsh "tuath", Breton "tud", and Irish "tuath".
Spanishnorte
"Norte" is related to the Latin word "aquilo," which meant "wind," and to the Greek word "boreas," which referred to the north wind.
Swedishnorr
The word "norr" in Swedish can also mean "higher" or "upper" in relation to a river or stream.
Welshgogledd
Gogledd comes from **gog** meaning "face" or "front" and is related to the Gaulish word for "left". In Welsh mythology it is the direction of the otherworld.

North in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianпоўнач
The word "поўнач" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "polьnoky", which means "midnight" or "the time of the full moon".
Bosniansjever
The word "sjever" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*sěverъ", which also means "left".
Bulgarianсевер
The word "север" shares the same root with the words "severe" and "serious".
Czechseverní
The word "severní" is derived from the Old Slavic word "severъ", meaning "left" or "cold".
Estonianpõhjas
In addition to the cardinal direction, "põhjas" can also mean "at the end", "finished", or "exhausted" in Estonian.
Finnishpohjoinen
The word pohjoinen comes from the Proto-Germanic word *norþa-, meaning
Hungarianészaki
Az „északi” szó az „észre” (=észlelés, ész) gyöktől származik, a szó eredeti jelentése „ami az ész irányában van.”
Latvianuz ziemeļiem
The word "uz ziemeļiem" also means "from the north" and "on the north side".
Lithuanianšiaurė
The Lithuanian word "Šiaurė" for "north" is cognate with the Old Norse term "skeytr" and the Sanskrit word "cyuta," meaning "swift."
Macedonianсевер
The word "север" is also used to describe the constellation Ursa Minor.
Polishpółnoc
The Polish word "północ" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*polьno" (field), and it originally referred to the direction where the sun shines at noon.
Romaniannord
The word "nord" in Romanian comes from the Latin word "nordicus," which means "northern." In the past, the word "nord" was sometimes used only for a northerly course of a ship.
Russianсевер
The word "север" also refers to the cold and harsh climate, or to the Arctic.
Serbianсевер
"Север" in Serbian comes from the Proto-Slavic word "*sěverъ", which possibly means "left" or "shadow side", but might also be related to the words for "cold" or "frost".
Slovaksever
The Slovak word "sever" can also mean "cold" or "harsh".
Sloveniansever
The word "sever" can also mean "cold" or "strict" in Slovenian.
Ukrainianпівніч
"Північ" also means "midnight" and derives from the word "півень" ("rooster"), as it coincides with the time when roosters crow.

North in South Asian Languages

Bengaliউত্তর
"উত্তর" also means "answer" in Bengali, a relic of the days when students were taught while facing north.
Gujaratiઉત્તર
The word 'ઉત્તર' can also mean 'answer' or 'reply' in Gujarati, similar to its Sanskrit origin.
Hindiउत्तर
The Sanskrit root
Kannadaಉತ್ತರ
The word 'ಉತ್ತರ' can also refer to an answer or response, as in the phrase 'prashnottara' (question-answer).
Malayalamവടക്ക്
The word "വടക്ക്" also means "cow's udder" and is derived from the Sanskrit word "उत्तरा" (uttara), which means "northern".
Marathiउत्तर
The word "उत्तर" can also refer to an answer, a reply, or a solution.
Nepaliउत्तर
The word "उत्तर" can also mean "answer" or "solution" in Nepali.
Punjabiਉੱਤਰ
The word "ਉੱਤਰ" in Punjabi has multiple meanings, including "answer" and "solution".
Sinhala (Sinhalese)උතුරු
The word “උතුරු” means “a place where the Sun rises” in Sanskrit.
Tamilவடக்கு
The Tamil word "வடக்கு" can also refer to the top of the mountain.
Teluguఉత్తరం
ఉత్తరం (north) comes from 'ud' meaning 'to rise' as the Sun rises in the north.
Urduشمال
شمال is also used in Urdu to mean 'direction' or 'side'.

North in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)
The character "北" originally meant "a back." It's related to "背" (bèi), meaning back, and the original character for "north" was a person with their back to the sun.
Chinese (Traditional)
北 (north) can also mean "back," "behind," or "avoid."
Japanese
The word "北" (kita) can also mean "the Emperor," "the government," or "the capital."
Korean북쪽
"북쪽" refers to the direction north, but it also means "back" or "the person behind" in a hierarchical context.
Mongolianхойд
The word "хойд" also means "male" or "husband" in Mongolian.
Myanmar (Burmese)မြောက်ဘက်

North in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianutara
"Utara" also refers to "heaven" as it is located above "langit" which is the equivalent of "sky"
Javaneselor
In Old Javanese "Lor" also meant "above", but not in the sense of altitude but rather of social rank or age.
Khmerខាងជើង
The word "ខាងជើង" (north) also means "the direction of the wind" in Khmer.
Laoພາກ ເໜືອ
Malayutara
The Malay word 'utara' is cognate with the Sanskrit word 'uttara', meaning 'later' or 'higher'.
Thaiทิศเหนือ
Thai "ทิศเหนือ" (north) shares the same root with "ทิศหนือ" (upstream), as in the past, Thailand was predominantly an agrarian society, facing southbound rivers and using cardinal directions to navigate the waterways.
Vietnamesebắc
The word "Bắc" also means "back" (of a person or animal) or "northern dialect".
Filipino (Tagalog)hilaga

North in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanişimal
The word "şimal" also means "left" in Azerbaijani, which aligns with the traditional Islamic orientation of north being on the left.
Kazakhсолтүстік
The word “солтүстік” (“north”) in Kazakh is derived from the word “сол” (“left”), as the north was considered to be on the left side when facing east.
Kyrgyzтүндүк
The word "түндүк" also means "right-hand side" in Kyrgyz, and is related to the word "түн", meaning "night".
Tajikшимол
The word "шимол" comes from the Persian word "شمال" which means "the direction of the sun".
Turkmendemirgazyk
Uzbekshimoliy
The word "shimoliy" in Uzbek also means "northern" and is derived from the Persian word "shimāl" meaning "north."
Uyghurشىمال

North in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianke akau
The word "ke Akau" can also mean "the forehead" or "the highest point" in Hawaiian.
Maoriraki
Raki derives from the Proto-Polynesian noun *laŋi, meaning "sky" in most Polynesian languages, as well as "heaven" or "deity" in some instances.
Samoanmatu
In addition to the cardinal direction, "matu" also means "up" and "above" in the spatial sense, and "earlier" and "first" in the temporal sense.
Tagalog (Filipino)hilaga
The Tagalog word “hilaga” for “north” may come from the Sanskrit word “himalaya,” meaning “abode of snow.”

North in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaraalaya
Guaraniyvatévo

North in International Languages

Esperantonorde
"Norde" is related to the Norse word "norr" and the Old English word "norð".
Latinnorth
"North" derives from an ancient Germanic word meaning "left-hand".

North in Others Languages

Greekβόρειος
In ancient Greek, "Βόρειος" could also mean "of or pertaining to mountains".
Hmongsab qaum teb
The word "sab qaum teb" literally means "the place where the water flows down" in Hmong.
Kurdishbakûr
In Kurdish dialects, bakûr can also refer to the 'right' side or direction, as opposed to 'left' (çep).
Turkishkuzeyinde
The word "kuzeyinde" in Turkish also means "in the northern part of" or "in the north of".
Xhosamantla
The word "mantla" derives from the Proto-Bantu root "-ntla", which also means "uphill" and "northward".
Yiddishצאָפן
In Yiddish, "צאָפן" can also refer to "locks of hair on the side of a man's head" or an "ornament on the side of a woman's headdress."
Zuluenyakatho
The Zulu word "enyakatho" can also refer to the left-hand or clockwise direction.
Assameseউত্তৰদিশ
Aymaraalaya
Bhojpuriउत्तर
Dhivehiއުތުރު
Dogriपच्छम
Filipino (Tagalog)hilaga
Guaraniyvatévo
Ilocanoamianan
Krionɔt
Kurdish (Sorani)باکور
Maithiliउत्तर दिस
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯑꯋꯥꯡ
Mizohmar
Oromokaaba
Odia (Oriya)ଉତ୍ତର
Quechuachincha
Sanskritउत्तर
Tatarтөньяк
Tigrinyaሰሜን
Tsongan'walungu

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