Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'perfect' holds a special place in our hearts and minds as it represents the epitome of excellence and flawlessness. It is a concept that transcends cultures and languages, yet is interpreted and pursued in diverse ways around the world. The quest for perfection has driven humans to achieve great feats, from artistic masterpieces to scientific discoveries.
Throughout history, the idea of perfection has been explored in various philosophical, religious, and cultural contexts. In ancient Greek thought, perfection was associated with the divine and the unchanging nature of the universe. In Christianity, God is often described as perfect, signifying the ultimate standard of moral and ethical excellence. Meanwhile, in Eastern philosophies such as Taoism and Buddhism, perfection is seen as a state of harmony and balance, achieved through the acceptance of impermanence and the imperfections of the world.
Given the cultural significance of the word 'perfect,' it's no wonder that people might be interested in its translations in different languages. By understanding how other cultures express this concept, we can gain valuable insights into their worldviews and ways of life.
Here are some translations of the word 'perfect' in various languages:
Afrikaans | perfek | ||
The word "perfek" in Afrikaans shares its origin with "perfect" in English, but can also mean "complete" or "thorough". | |||
Amharic | ፍጹም | ||
The word "ፍጹም" in Amharic is also used to mean "in full" or "without residue" | |||
Hausa | cikakke | ||
Hausa word "cikakke" (perfect) derives from "cik", which implies completeness, thoroughness, and precision, emphasizing the concept of flawlessness. | |||
Igbo | zuru oke | ||
The Igbo word "zuru oke" may also refer to being "excessive" or "in bad shape." | |||
Malagasy | tonga lafatra | ||
The Malagasy word "tonga lafatra" is derived from the phrase "manaraka lalana", meaning "follow the path", and implies a state of being in harmony, on the right track, or in alignment with what is considered ideal or correct. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | changwiro | ||
The word "changwiro" can also refer to a state of being without any defects or flaws. | |||
Shona | zvakakwana | ||
The word 'zvakakwana' in Shona also has meanings related to completion and adequacy, beyond the notion of perfection. | |||
Somali | kaamil ah | ||
Somali "kaamil ah" has been derived from the root K-M-L meaning "to know" as well as to imply completeness, maturity and wholeness. | |||
Sesotho | phethahetse | ||
Swahili | kamili | ||
In Swahili, "kamili" not only means "perfect", but also denotes wholeness, completeness, and maturity. | |||
Xhosa | ugqibelele | ||
The word "ugqibelele" is the root for all words relating to beauty, goodness, health and the like in Xhosa, and is a common theme in praise poems. | |||
Yoruba | pipe | ||
The Yoruba word 'pipe' can also mean 'completely' or 'thoroughly'. | |||
Zulu | iphelele | ||
The word "iphelele" also means "complete" or "whole" in Zulu. | |||
Bambara | dafalen | ||
Ewe | de blibo | ||
Kinyarwanda | biratunganye | ||
Lingala | ya kokoka | ||
Luganda | okutuukirira | ||
Sepedi | phethegilego | ||
Twi (Akan) | pɛpɛɛpɛ | ||
Arabic | في احسن الاحوال | ||
The root word في ("fa") in "في أحسن الأحوال" also means "to excel". | |||
Hebrew | מושלם | ||
The Hebrew word "מושלם" comes from the root "ש.ל.ם," meaning "to be whole, to be complete." | |||
Pashto | کامل | ||
In Pashto, "کامل" can also mean "whole", "complete", or "fulfilled". | |||
Arabic | في احسن الاحوال | ||
The root word في ("fa") in "في أحسن الأحوال" also means "to excel". |
Albanian | perfekt | ||
The Albanian word "perfekt" is derived from the Latin word "perfectus", meaning "finished" or "complete". | |||
Basque | ezin hobea | ||
"Ezin hobea" literally translates to "not better," meaning something is already at its best or perfect. | |||
Catalan | perfecte | ||
Catalan "perfecte" comes ultimately from Latin "perficere," meaning "to finish" or "to bring to completion." | |||
Croatian | savršen | ||
The Croatian word "savršen" is derived from the Slavic root "sъvъrshiti", meaning "to complete" or "to finish". | |||
Danish | perfekt | ||
Danish "perfekt" comes from Latin "perfectus" but refers to the "past" tense. | |||
Dutch | perfect | ||
The Dutch word "perfect" also translates to "neat" or "tidy". | |||
English | perfect | ||
The word "perfect" is derived from the Latin "perfectus," meaning "finished" or "complete." | |||
French | parfait | ||
The word "parfait" derives from the Latin word "perfectus", meaning "completed". | |||
Frisian | perfekt | ||
The Frisian word "perfekt" is a borrowing from Latin, originally meaning "to do something to the end." | |||
Galician | perfecto | ||
The Galician word "perfecto" can also mean "finished" or "completed". | |||
German | perfekt | ||
The German word "perfekt" derives from the Latin "perfectus", meaning "completed" or "finished" | |||
Icelandic | fullkominn | ||
The word "fullkominn" is cognate with the English word "full" and the German word "vollkommen". | |||
Irish | foirfe | ||
The word 'foirfe' can also mean 'complete' or 'ready', and is cognate with the Welsh word 'perffaith'. | |||
Italian | perfetto | ||
"Perfetto" derives from Latin "perficere" (to finish, to make, to create), which in turn comes from "per-" (through, thoroughly) and "facere" (to do, to make). | |||
Luxembourgish | perfekt | ||
In Luxembourgish, "perfekt" can also mean "complete" or "finished". | |||
Maltese | perfetta | ||
The Maltese word "perfetta" derives from Italian and additionally means "very" or "extremely". | |||
Norwegian | perfekt | ||
In German and Norwegian the word "perfekt" has both the meaning of "complete" or "finished", and "faultless" or "without error." | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | perfeito | ||
The Portuguese word "perfeito" derives from the Latin "perficere", meaning "to complete" or "to bring to an end". | |||
Scots Gaelic | foirfe | ||
The root of the word foirfe might be *u̯ers- ‘good’ or *ur- ‘true’, making it related to fir ‘real, true’ or fear ‘man’ | |||
Spanish | perfecto | ||
"Perfecto" can also mean "excellent" or "very good" in Spanish. | |||
Swedish | perfekt | ||
The word "perfekt" in Swedish can also mean "complete" or "finished". | |||
Welsh | perffaith | ||
The Welsh word "perffaith" comes from the Latin "perfectus"} |
Belarusian | ідэальна | ||
Bosnian | savršeno | ||
In Bosnian, "savršeno" derives from the Proto-Slavic "*sъvьršenъ, | |||
Bulgarian | перфектно | ||
The Bulgarian word "перфектно" is derived from the French word "parfait", meaning "complete" or "thorough". | |||
Czech | perfektní | ||
"Perfektní" is also a colloquial Czech word meaning "really good" or "amazing." | |||
Estonian | täiuslik | ||
"Täiuslik" is derived from "täis" (full) and can also mean "complete" or "finished". | |||
Finnish | täydellinen | ||
"Täydellinen" originally meant "full" or "complete", and still carries this meaning in some contexts. | |||
Hungarian | tökéletes | ||
The word "tökéletes" is derived from the Turkic word "tük" meaning complete or full. | |||
Latvian | ideāls | ||
"Ideāls" in Latvian has Germanic origins, sharing a root with the English word "ideal" and denoting not only perfection but also a pattern or model. | |||
Lithuanian | puikus | ||
The word originates from the Proto-Indo-European root *peu-"to purify, to cleanse". It is related to the Latvian "pulks" and Russian "polk" (polk) meaning "regiment, army". | |||
Macedonian | совршено | ||
The Macedonian word "совршено" originally meant "complete" and was borrowed from Old Church Slavonic in the 11th century, replacing the native word "совершен". | |||
Polish | doskonały | ||
"Doskonały" in Polish literally translates to "that which has come to the end" or that which is "complete." | |||
Romanian | perfect | ||
In Romanian, "perfect" (perfect) is also used to mean "complete" or "finished". | |||
Russian | идеальный | ||
The word "идеальный" comes from the Greek word "idea", meaning "form" or "essence." | |||
Serbian | савршен | ||
"Savrsen" in Serbian also means "mature", particularly when used to describe age. | |||
Slovak | perfektné | ||
The Slovak word "perfektné" also means "excellent" or "ideal." | |||
Slovenian | popolno | ||
Popoln is a contraction of 'pod polnim' (literally under full) which, when used in reference to the moon, means full moon. | |||
Ukrainian | ідеально | ||
Ідеально, in Ukrainian, shares the same root as ``idea`` and originally meant ``as conceived``. |
Bengali | নিখুঁত | ||
The word "নিখুঁত" can also mean "complete" or "entire". | |||
Gujarati | સંપૂર્ણ | ||
The word "સંપૂર્ણ" also means "complete" or "whole" in Gujarati, highlighting its multifaceted nature. | |||
Hindi | उत्तम | ||
उत्तम also means 'higher' or 'elevated' and originally meant 'excellent, best, top' in Sanskrit, with a cognate in Latin: 'optimus' (best). | |||
Kannada | ಪರಿಪೂರ್ಣ | ||
The term "ಪರಿಪೂರ್ಣ" in Kannada originally meant "full" or "complete," but has evolved to also imply perfection or completeness. | |||
Malayalam | തികഞ്ഞത് | ||
The word “തികഞ്ഞത്” (“perfect”) comes from the root word “തിക” (“to be complete”) and it can also mean “sufficient” or “adequate”. | |||
Marathi | परिपूर्ण | ||
The word 'परिपूर्ण' in Marathi derives from the Sanskrit root 'पूर' meaning 'to fill', and means 'filled' or 'complete'. | |||
Nepali | उत्तम | ||
Nepali word "उत्तम" is related to the Sanskrit word "उत्तम" meaning "highest" or "best" and also to the Latin word "optimus" meaning "best". | |||
Punjabi | ਸੰਪੂਰਨ | ||
The word "ਸੰਪੂਰਨ" (sampurna) in Punjabi also means "complete" or "whole" in addition to "perfect". It is derived from the Sanskrit word "सम्पूर्ण" (sampoorna), which has the same meanings. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පරිපූර්ණ | ||
Tamil | சரியானது | ||
Telugu | పరిపూర్ణమైనది | ||
The Telugu word 'పరిపూర్ణమైనది' is derived from Sanskrit 'पूर्ण' meaning 'filled or complete', and 'అైనది' meaning 'having become', suggesting the state of being complete and fulfilled. | |||
Urdu | کامل | ||
The word comes from Arabic and in Urdu also means "full". |
Chinese (Simplified) | 完善 | ||
The term "完善" first appears in the "Book of Songs", and it originally refers to a ritual object made of jade. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 完善 | ||
The word 完善 literally means 'complete goodness', reflecting its Confucian origin and the concept of holistic development. | |||
Japanese | 完璧 | ||
The term "完璧" (kanpeki) initially referred to a pearl's flawless roundness and brilliance. | |||
Korean | 완전한 | ||
The Korean word "완전한" (perfect) originally meant "complete" or "thorough" but has since acquired the additional meaning of "flawless" or "excellent". | |||
Mongolian | төгс | ||
"Төгс" (perfect) can also mean "whole" or "completion" in Mongolian. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | အကောင်းဆုံး | ||
Indonesian | sempurna | ||
The word "sempurna" shares its etymology with the Sanskrit "samprati" meaning "present", "complete", or "perfect." | |||
Javanese | sampurna | ||
The term 'sampurna' is derived from Sanskrit and also means 'completely filled' in Javanese. | |||
Khmer | ល្អឥតខ្ចោះ | ||
"ល្អឥតខ្ចោះ" derives from Sanskrit, where "lāva" signifies "beautiful" and "anya" translates to "without," together meaning "completely perfect." | |||
Lao | ທີ່ສົມບູນແບບ | ||
Malay | sempurna | ||
The word 'sempurna' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'sampūrna', meaning 'complete' or 'whole'. | |||
Thai | สมบูรณ์แบบ | ||
The word "สมบูรณ์แบบ" (perfect) is derived from the Sanskrit word "sampūrṇa," meaning "complete" or "whole." | |||
Vietnamese | hoàn hảo | ||
"Hoàn hảo" derives from Sino-Vietnamese, sharing roots with Mandarin "hào háo", meaning "very good". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | perpekto | ||
Azerbaijani | mükəmməl | ||
"Mükəmməl" not only means "perfect" or "ideal," but also refers to someone or something that is "complete" or "finished." | |||
Kazakh | мінсіз | ||
The Kazakh word "мінсіз" (perfect) is also used to describe purity and virtue, and is derived from the Persian "مين" (quality, condition). | |||
Kyrgyz | кемчиликсиз | ||
In addition to its core meaning of "perfect," "кемчиликсиз" can also mean "unbiased" or "impartial." | |||
Tajik | комил | ||
The word "комил" in Tajik can also mean "complete" or "finished". | |||
Turkmen | ajaýyp | ||
Uzbek | mukammal | ||
The word "mukammal" originally meant "complete" or "whole" in Arabic, and is still used in that sense in Uzbek. | |||
Uyghur | مۇكەممەل | ||
Hawaiian | hemolele | ||
The word "hemolele" has a different pronunciation and meaning in certain regional dialects, where it translates to "to fall" or "to be tired". | |||
Maori | tino pai | ||
Tino pai, a reduplication of pai, also means 'excessively good' in Maori. | |||
Samoan | atoatoa | ||
In Samoan culture, 'atoatoa' can also refer to a state of completeness or fulfillment. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | perpekto | ||
In Philippine mythology, "perpekto" is another name for "kapre", a malevolent tree demon or spirit that preys on men. |
Aymara | waliki | ||
Guarani | iporãmbajepéva | ||
Esperanto | perfekta | ||
Esperanto "perfekta" derives from Latin "perfectus," meaning "thoroughly done, completed, finished, perfect," and shares an etymological root with English "perfect" and French "parfait." | |||
Latin | perfectus | ||
The Latin root of "perfect" also meant "completed" or "thoroughly done." |
Greek | τέλειος | ||
While 'τέλειος' means 'perfect' in modern Greek, its original meaning in Ancient Greek was 'brought to an end'. | |||
Hmong | zoo meej | ||
The Hmong word "zoo meej" can also refer to something that is "too perfect to be true" or "ideal." | |||
Kurdish | lhevderketî | ||
The word 'lhevderketî' shares the root 'hev' with 'hevber' and 'hevkar', which all relate to concepts of togetherness and cooperation. | |||
Turkish | mükemmel | ||
In Turkish, "mükemmel" has additional meanings such as "complete" and "ideal". | |||
Xhosa | ugqibelele | ||
The word "ugqibelele" is the root for all words relating to beauty, goodness, health and the like in Xhosa, and is a common theme in praise poems. | |||
Yiddish | שליימעסדיק | ||
The Yiddish word 'שלעמעסדיק' (shlemazdik) means both 'perfect' and 'awkward' because it originally referred to the way a rabbi would awkwardly hold an object in their hand. | |||
Zulu | iphelele | ||
The word "iphelele" also means "complete" or "whole" in Zulu. | |||
Assamese | নিখুঁত | ||
Aymara | waliki | ||
Bhojpuri | एकदम ठीकठाक | ||
Dhivehi | ބަރާބަރު | ||
Dogri | पूरण | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | perpekto | ||
Guarani | iporãmbajepéva | ||
Ilocano | naan-anay | ||
Krio | pafɛkt | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | بێخەوش | ||
Maithili | एकदम ठीक | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯇꯤꯛ ꯆꯥꯕ | ||
Mizo | sawisel bo | ||
Oromo | mudaa kan hin qabne | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ସଂପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ | ||
Quechua | kusa | ||
Sanskrit | परिपूर्णम् | ||
Tatar | камил | ||
Tigrinya | ፍፁም | ||
Tsonga | vukahle | ||