Painting in Different Languages
Discover 'Painting' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Painting, a form of art that has been around for centuries, is a powerful and universal language that transcends borders and cultures. It is a visual language that allows artists to express their thoughts, emotions, and ideas in a unique and creative way. Paintings have the ability to evoke emotions, tell stories, and capture the essence of a moment in time. From ancient cave paintings to modern digital art, painting has played a significant role in the cultural and historical development of societies around the world.
Moreover, the significance and cultural importance of painting have made it a subject of interest for many language learners and culture enthusiasts. Knowing the translation of the word 'painting' in different languages can help you appreciate the diversity and richness of global art and culture. For instance, in Spanish, 'painting' is 'pintura', while in French, it is 'peinture'. In German, it is 'Malerei', and in Japanese, it is '絵画 (kaiga)'.
In this article, we will explore the translations of the word 'painting' in different languages, shedding light on the cultural significance and historical contexts associated with this universal form of art.
Painting
Painting in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | skildery | ||
| The English word "skildery" is derived from the Afrikaans word "skilderij", meaning "painting", and is also used in the sense of "a work of art". | |||
| Amharic | መቀባት | ||
| The Amharic word "መቀባት" evolved from the verb "ቀባ," which means "to cover" or "to clothe," implying that paintings cover or adorn surfaces. | |||
| Hausa | zane | ||
| The word "zane" also means "to write" in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | eserese | ||
| "Eserese" also means "to draw," "to design," and "to compose" in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | hoso-doko | ||
| Hoso-doko is also the Malagasy word for "to write." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kupenta | ||
| "Kupenta" can also refer to other surfaces or objects that have been smeared with something. | |||
| Shona | kupenda | ||
| "Kupenda" also refers to the application of traditional body paint made from tree resins and oil. | |||
| Somali | rinjiyeyn | ||
| Somali word "rinjiyeyn" is derived from the Arabic word "rinj" meaning "color" and refers to the act of adding color to a surface, and thus "painting". | |||
| Sesotho | ho taka | ||
| "Ho taka" can also mean "to create" or "to make". | |||
| Swahili | uchoraji | ||
| The Swahili word "uchoraji" also means "illustration" or "sketch". | |||
| Xhosa | ukupeyinta | ||
| In Xhosa, "ukupeyinta" encompasses not just "painting" but also drawing and other forms of visual arts, capturing its wider artistic scope. | |||
| Yoruba | kikun | ||
| The Yoruba word "kikun" also means "to polish" or "to make smooth" in reference to its use to enhance or beautify something. | |||
| Zulu | ukudweba | ||
| "Ukudweba" in Zulu also refers to "carving," "drawing," or "engraving," and is derived from the verb "ukudweba," meaning "to draw" or "to trace." | |||
| Bambara | pɛntirili | ||
| Ewe | aŋɔsisi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | gushushanya | ||
| Lingala | kotya langi | ||
| Luganda | okusiiga | ||
| Sepedi | mopento | ||
| Twi (Akan) | aduroka | ||
Painting in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | لوحة | ||
| "لوحة" comes from the root word "ل.و.ح" which means "to write on a flat surface". In addition to painting, "لوحة" can also refer to a writing tablet or a slate. | |||
| Hebrew | צִיוּר | ||
| The Hebrew word "צִיוּר" has two alternate meanings: "a line or form drawn with a pen or pencil," and "form, figure, shape," while one of its Biblical meanings was "an engraving or sculpture." | |||
| Pashto | انځورګري | ||
| The word "انځورګري" in Pashto has roots in the Persian word "نگارگری" and ultimately comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂neh₂-g- "to anoint, decorate." | |||
| Arabic | لوحة | ||
| "لوحة" comes from the root word "ل.و.ح" which means "to write on a flat surface". In addition to painting, "لوحة" can also refer to a writing tablet or a slate. | |||
Painting in Western European Languages
| Albanian | pikturë | ||
| Pikturë, the Albanian word for "painting," derives from the Latin "pictura" meaning "decoration," and is also used figuratively to describe a vivid or picturesque scene. | |||
| Basque | pintura | ||
| Basque "pintura" is derived from Latin "pictura", meaning both "painting" and "embroidery." | |||
| Catalan | pintura | ||
| In Catalan, the word "pintura" not only means "painting" but also the makeup used to color the face. | |||
| Croatian | slika | ||
| In Slovak, "slika" means "a promise". | |||
| Danish | maleri | ||
| In archaic Danish, "maleri" meant "written work" and could refer to any form of writing. | |||
| Dutch | schilderen | ||
| "Schilderen" also means "to describe" in Dutch, originating from the Middle Dutch word "schildere", meaning "to write". | |||
| English | painting | ||
| The word "painting" can also refer to a layer of paint or a cosmetic applied to the face or nails. | |||
| French | la peinture | ||
| The French word "La Peinture" can refer to both the act of painting and its resulting artwork, while in English, "Painting" primarily denotes the latter. | |||
| Frisian | skilderij | ||
| In earlier times, the word "skilderij" also referred to any piece of furniture or equipment that had been decorated with paint or paint-like material. | |||
| Galician | pintura | ||
| The Galician word "pintura" also means "paint" and "artwork." | |||
| German | malerei | ||
| The word "Malerei" can also refer to the act of painting or the resulting artwork. | |||
| Icelandic | málverk | ||
| The word "málverk" comes from the Old Norse word "mál" | |||
| Irish | ag péinteáil | ||
| The Irish word "ag péinteáil" is derived from the word "péint" meaning "paint", with the prefix "ag" indicating the present progressive tense and meaning "in the process of painting". | |||
| Italian | la pittura | ||
| The Italian word "la pittura" originates from the Latin word "pictura", which means "decoration" or "depiction". | |||
| Luxembourgish | molerei | ||
| Derived from the French term "moleur", referring to the use of paint to grind surfaces. | |||
| Maltese | pittura | ||
| The Maltese word "pittura" comes from the Italian word "pittura" meaning "to paint". | |||
| Norwegian | maleri | ||
| The term "maleri" is a cognate of the English "mallet", suggesting that its original meaning was "pounding" or "striking", likely in the context of shaping and creating artwork. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | pintura | ||
| In Portuguese, "pintura" can also mean a type of paint or coating, or the act or trade of applying paint. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | peantadh | ||
| Peantadh is also a metaphor for | |||
| Spanish | pintura | ||
| The word "pintura" is derived from the Latin word "pictura" meaning "an image or representation" and also refers to facial makeup and cosmetics. | |||
| Swedish | målning | ||
| In addition to the primary meaning of "painting", the word "målning" can also refer to "aim" or "intention". | |||
| Welsh | paentio | ||
| The Welsh word "paentio" can also refer to a depiction or description in words, a portrayal, or a sketch. | |||
Painting in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | жывапіс | ||
| Belarusian живопись (IPA: [ʐɨˈvɔpʲisʲ]), cognate to Russian живопись, comes from Polish "żywopismo" (from "żywopić" - "to paint lively"), from Church Slavonic живъ (“alive”) + писати (“to write"). | |||
| Bosnian | slikanje | ||
| In Serbian, "slikanje" primarily refers to fine art painting, while in Bosnian, it encompasses both fine art and house painting. | |||
| Bulgarian | живопис | ||
| The word живопис comes from the Greek "zoopgraphos" which means "depicting animals and plants." | |||
| Czech | malování | ||
| The word "malování" in Czech can also refer to the act of drawing, or to a painting itself. | |||
| Estonian | maalimine | ||
| The Estonian word “maalimine” originally derives from “maalima”, which in turn is derived from the root “maa”, meaning “earth” or “land”. | |||
| Finnish | maalaus | ||
| "Maalari" (painter), "maali" (paint) and "maalaus" also mean "to paint", "paint" and "the act of painting" respectively in the context of art. | |||
| Hungarian | festmény | ||
| "Festmény" in Hungarian can also mean "celebration", "festival", or "party". | |||
| Latvian | glezna | ||
| In addition to "painting," "glezna" can also refer to a canvas on which a painting is made or an easel. | |||
| Lithuanian | tapyba | ||
| Tapyba, derived from "tapti," means both "to become" and "painting," suggesting the transformative power of art. | |||
| Macedonian | сликање | ||
| The word "сликање" can also mean "photography" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | obraz | ||
| The Polish word "obraz" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "obrъzъ" meaning "idol" or "image". It is semantically related to the word "obrazit'" meaning "to imagine" or "to create an image". | |||
| Romanian | pictura | ||
| The word "pictura" can also refer to the art of embroidery or icon painting in Romanian. | |||
| Russian | картина | ||
| The Russian word "картина" can also refer to a movie or a play, and has its origins in the Greek word "chartēs", meaning "sheet of paper". | |||
| Serbian | сликање | ||
| "Slikati" (to paint) shares roots with "slika" (picture) and "slediti" (to follow), hinting at its artistic and imitative nature. | |||
| Slovak | maľba | ||
| The origin of the word "maľba" is the verb "maľovať" (paint), which derives from the Proto-Slavic verb *malti, meaning "to anoint, smear". | |||
| Slovenian | slika | ||
| "Slika" also means "image" or "picture" in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | живопис | ||
| The word "живопис" can also refer to "scenic" or "picturesque" in Ukrainian, highlighting the close connection between painting and the depiction of scenery. | |||
Painting in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | পেইন্টিং | ||
| The word "পেইন্টিং" can also mean "drawing" or "sketch" in Bengali. | |||
| Gujarati | પેઇન્ટિંગ | ||
| The Gujarati word "પેઇન્ટિંગ" is derived from the English word "painting", which itself comes from the Old French word "peint", meaning "painted". | |||
| Hindi | चित्र | ||
| Chitram derives from the Proto-Dravidian word 'cittram' meaning 'picture or design', and is cognate with the Tamil word 'cittiram' and Malayalam word 'citram' | |||
| Kannada | ಚಿತ್ರಕಲೆ | ||
| ಚಿತ್ರಕಲೆ also refers to the act or art of making images from various mediums like charcoal | |||
| Malayalam | പെയിന്റിംഗ് | ||
| The word "painting" in Malayalam derives from the Sanskrit word "चित्र" (chitra), meaning "a picture" or "a drawing". | |||
| Marathi | चित्रकला | ||
| The word 'चित्रकला' can also mean 'image' or 'picture' in Marathi. | |||
| Nepali | चित्र | ||
| The word 'चित्र' (chittra) in Nepali is derived from the Sanskrit word 'चित्रम्' (chitram), which also means 'wonderful' or 'beautiful'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਪੇਂਟਿੰਗ | ||
| ਪੇਂਟਿੰਗ शब्द की उत्पत्ति लेटिन शब्द 'पिंगेरे' से हुई है जिसका अर्थ 'लिखना' या 'रंगना' है। | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පින්තාරු කිරීම | ||
| Tamil | ஓவியம் | ||
| "ஓவியம்" can also mean "the art of a playwright" in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | పెయింటింగ్ | ||
| The word "పెయింటింగ్" ("painting") can also refer to a written depiction of a person or scene, such as a portrait or landscape. | |||
| Urdu | پینٹنگ | ||
| پینٹنگ (painting) is derived from the Latin word "pingere", meaning "to represent". It also refers to the act of applying paint to a surface to create an image. | |||
Painting in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 绘画 | ||
| The Chinese character "画" in "绘画" (painting) can also mean "to draw lines" or "to design". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 繪畫 | ||
| 繪畫 in traditional Chinese literally means 'to draw, paint or depict', extending its definition from the original word '畫', which solely means 'to draw'. | |||
| Japanese | ペインティング | ||
| In Japanese, "ペインティング" (painting) can also be used as a verb to describe the act of applying paint to a surface. | |||
| Korean | 페인트 등 | ||
| The Korean word "페인트 등" ("painting") is a compound of the native Korean word "페인" (to draw) and the Sino-Korean word "등" (light). | |||
| Mongolian | уран зураг | ||
| The Mongolian word "уран зураг" can refer to both traditional Mongolian painting and modern Western-style painting. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပန်းချီကား | ||
Painting in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | lukisan | ||
| "Lukisan" comes from the word "lukis", a Javanese word for drawing or writing. | |||
| Javanese | lukisan | ||
| "Lukisan" is derived from the Javanese word "lukis" meaning "to draw". | |||
| Khmer | គំនូរ | ||
| Lao | ຮູບແຕ້ມ | ||
| The word “ຮູບແຕ້ມ” literally means “carved shape or figure”, which could indicate that the concept of painting originally came from carving. | |||
| Malay | melukis | ||
| The word "melukis" in Malay derives from the Sanskrit word "mleccha," meaning "foreigner" or "barbarian," as painting was often associated with non-native artisans. | |||
| Thai | จิตรกรรม | ||
| The Thai word "จิตรกรรม" derives from two Sanskrit roots, "citra" meaning "varied" or "bright" and "karma" meaning "action" or "deed", connoting the act of "making varied or bright" through artistic expression. | |||
| Vietnamese | bức vẽ | ||
| The word "bức vẽ" can also mean "a picture" or "an image" in Vietnamese. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pagpipinta | ||
Painting in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | rəsm | ||
| The word "rəsm" is the Arabic word "رسم" ("rasm"), which was originally translated as "figure" or "sketch". | |||
| Kazakh | кескіндеме | ||
| The word "кескіндеме" can also refer to a type of drawing or a depiction in general. | |||
| Kyrgyz | сүрөт | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "сүрөт" can also refer to "picture" or "image" in general. | |||
| Tajik | наққошӣ | ||
| Наққошӣ is originally derived from Persian and also refers to drawing, sketching, or any other activity that creates a visual representation. | |||
| Turkmen | tingiwopis | ||
| Uzbek | rasm | ||
| "Rasm" also means "sign", "mark", "symbol", "drawing", "writing", "script", "plan", "project", "design", "model", "type", "kind", "form". | |||
| Uyghur | رەسىم سىزىش | ||
Painting in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pena kiʻi | ||
| The word "pena kiʻi" can also refer to a "portrait" or "statue". | |||
| Maori | peita | ||
| In Maori, peita can also refer to drawings, engravings, and carvings | |||
| Samoan | atavali | ||
| "Atavali" derives from the verb "vali", meaning "to depict or draw", which, in its causative form, also translates to "to write". Hence the noun "atavali" implies both painting and writing. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | pagpipinta | ||
| The word 'pagpipinta' comes from the root word 'pinta' which means 'to draw or to paint' and the affixes 'pag-' and '-an' which indicate the act or process of doing something and the place where something is done, respectively. | |||
Painting in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | saminchaña | ||
| Guarani | takambyrundy | ||
Painting in International Languages
| Esperanto | pentrado | ||
| The word "pentrado" in Esperanto is of Russian origin, and is related to the words "pentado" ("painting") and "pentador" ("painter"). | |||
| Latin | pictura | ||
| "Pictura" is cognate with "pictus" (painted), "pingo" (to paint), and "pictor" (painter), and can also mean "the art of painting" or "a drawing." | |||
Painting in Others Languages
| Greek | ζωγραφική | ||
| The Greek word "ζωγραφική" also means "drawing" or "picture". | |||
| Hmong | daim duab | ||
| The term "daim duab" in Hmong may also signify decorative or creative works such as tattoos, embroidery, or crafted ornaments. | |||
| Kurdish | wêne | ||
| The word 'wêne' is also used to refer to 'beauty' and 'art' in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | boyama | ||
| "Boyama" can also mean "a kind of cloth with painted patterns" in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | ukupeyinta | ||
| In Xhosa, "ukupeyinta" encompasses not just "painting" but also drawing and other forms of visual arts, capturing its wider artistic scope. | |||
| Yiddish | געמעל | ||
| From German "gemälde", ultimately from "gemälen" (to portray), which itself stems from the Latin "pingere" (to depict). | |||
| Zulu | ukudweba | ||
| "Ukudweba" in Zulu also refers to "carving," "drawing," or "engraving," and is derived from the verb "ukudweba," meaning "to draw" or "to trace." | |||
| Assamese | চিত্ৰাংকন | ||
| Aymara | saminchaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | चित्र | ||
| Dhivehi | ކުރެހުން | ||
| Dogri | चित्तरकारी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | pagpipinta | ||
| Guarani | takambyrundy | ||
| Ilocano | pintura | ||
| Krio | pentin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | وێنەکێشان | ||
| Maithili | चित्र | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯌꯦꯛꯄ ꯂꯥꯏ | ||
| Mizo | rawng hnawih | ||
| Oromo | qalama dibuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଚିତ୍ର | ||
| Quechua | llinpiy | ||
| Sanskrit | चित्रकारी | ||
| Tatar | картиналар | ||
| Tigrinya | ስእሊ | ||
| Tsonga | xifaniso | ||