Pink in Different Languages
Discover 'Pink' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Pink is a color that has captured hearts and minds throughout history. Its significance ranges from denoting love and romance to symbolizing playfulness and femininity. In many Western cultures, pink is often associated with girls, while blue is associated with boys, although this association is not universal and has changed over time.
The cultural importance of pink is undeniable. It has been used in art, literature, and fashion to convey a wide range of emotions and ideas. From the pale pink of a blushing cheek to the vibrant fuchsia of a tropical flower, pink has a rich and varied visual vocabulary.
For those interested in language and culture, exploring the translation of pink in different languages can be a fascinating journey. For example, in Spanish, pink is 'rosa', while in French, it is 'rose'. In German, pink is 'rosa' or 'pink', reflecting the influence of English on the language.
Below, you'll find a list of translations of pink in a variety of languages, from Arabic to Zulu. We hope you enjoy exploring the cultural significance and linguistic diversity of this beloved color.
Pink
Pink in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | pienk | ||
| The Afrikaans word "pienk" is derived from the Dutch word "pink", which originally meant "small eye". | |||
| Amharic | ሐምራዊ | ||
| The word 'hamrawi' in Amharic means 'tawny' or 'reddish brown' and is also used to describe the color of a horse. | |||
| Hausa | ruwan hoda | ||
| The name for the color 'pink' in Hausa, ruwan hoda, literally translates as 'water of kola nuts'. | |||
| Igbo | pink | ||
| The Igbo word "pink" (piŋk) also means "beautiful" or "handsome". | |||
| Malagasy | mavokely | ||
| Mavo is also the name of a type of Malagasy tree with pink flowers, suggesting that 'mavokely' may be the adjectival form of 'mavo'. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | pinki | ||
| In Nyanja, "pinki" is the color "pink," and can also be a term of endearment for someone or something you love, such as a baby. | |||
| Shona | pink | ||
| The Shona word "pink" can also mean "white" or "pale yellow" | |||
| Somali | casaan | ||
| The Somali word "casaan" is also used to describe the color peach. | |||
| Sesotho | pinki | ||
| Sesotho's word for 'pink', "pinki", can be seen as a diminutive form and cognate of the Sesotho word "pinki" for a "finger". | |||
| Swahili | pink | ||
| In Swahili, the word "pink" can also mean "purple or lilac, reddish purple." | |||
| Xhosa | pinki | ||
| The Xhosa word 'pinki', meaning 'pink' or 'red-brown', is thought to derive from the name of a plant with similar-colored flowers. | |||
| Yoruba | pink | ||
| "Pinpin" also means "red" or "yellow" when used to describe hair. | |||
| Zulu | obomvana | ||
| Obomvana, the Zulu word for "pink," is derived from the onomatopoeic word "oboma," meaning "to be rosy or flushed." | |||
| Bambara | bilenman | ||
| Ewe | dzẽ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umutuku | ||
| Lingala | rose | ||
| Luganda | pinka | ||
| Sepedi | pinki | ||
| Twi (Akan) | penke | ||
Pink in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | زهري | ||
| "زهري" also refers to the sexually transmitted infection "syphilis" from the Greek “ἳ8οἳ6ραἳ8” (soar) and its relation to skin lesions. | |||
| Hebrew | וָרוֹד | ||
| The word "וָרוֹד" (pink) in Hebrew also refers to the color "red". | |||
| Pashto | ګلابي | ||
| ګلابي is derived from the Persian word ګل (gul) meaning "flower". | |||
| Arabic | زهري | ||
| "زهري" also refers to the sexually transmitted infection "syphilis" from the Greek “ἳ8οἳ6ραἳ8” (soar) and its relation to skin lesions. | |||
Pink in Western European Languages
| Albanian | rozë | ||
| In Albanian, "rozë" also denotes a reddish-purple hue and can be figuratively employed to depict a rosy complexion. | |||
| Basque | arrosa | ||
| It is cognate with the word for | |||
| Catalan | rosa | ||
| In Catalan, "rosa" can also refer to a rose flower, sharing the same etymology as the English word "rose". | |||
| Croatian | ružičasta | ||
| The Croatian word "ružičasta" also means "rosy" or "blooming". | |||
| Danish | lyserød | ||
| The Danish word "lyserød" for "pink" may have originated from the phrase "lys i røde kinder" (light in red cheeks), referring to the rosy glow of flushed cheeks. | |||
| Dutch | roze | ||
| The word "roze" comes from the Old French word "rose", which was itself derived from the Latin word "rosa". | |||
| English | pink | ||
| The word 'pink' is thought to have originated from the Dutch 'pinken', meaning to squint, as the color is said to strain the eyes. | |||
| French | rose | ||
| The French word "rose" can also refer to other pink-hued objects, such as a wine, a gemstone, or a flamingo. | |||
| Frisian | rôze | ||
| The Frisian word "rôze" is cognate with the English word "rose". Additionally, it has the alternate meaning of "red or pink" in the context of wine and flowers. | |||
| Galician | rosa | ||
| In Galician, the word "rosa" can also refer to the rose flower or the color rosy. | |||
| German | rosa | ||
| The color 'pink' in German, 'rosa', also denotes the type of flower the term originated from: the rose flower. | |||
| Icelandic | bleikur | ||
| The word "bleikur" derives from the Old Norse word "bleikr" meaning "pale" or "white" and is also used to describe a shade of gray. | |||
| Irish | bándearg | ||
| Originally describing both pink and white, 'bándearg' became 'pink' in the 19th century. | |||
| Italian | rosa | ||
| The Italian word "rosa" derives from the Latin "rosa", meaning "rose", suggesting a connection between the flower and the color. | |||
| Luxembourgish | rosa | ||
| The word "rosa" in Luxembourgish can also mean "red" in a broader sense, encompassing shades of pink, crimson, and even purple. | |||
| Maltese | roża | ||
| The word "roża" can also mean "dawn" or "early morning" in Maltese. | |||
| Norwegian | rosa | ||
| The Norwegian word "rosa" can also refer to the colour carnation pink, which is a lighter shade of pink. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | rosa | ||
| In Portuguese, "Rosa" can also mean a female given name or the color "rose". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | pinc | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "pinc" is a loanword from French that originally meant "to prick". | |||
| Spanish | rosado | ||
| "Rosado" can also refer to a reddish variety of grape or wine, or to a light pink color, such as the color of a rose. | |||
| Swedish | rosa | ||
| In Swedish, "rosa" also means "rose" or "pinkish"} | |||
| Welsh | pinc | ||
| Welsh 'pinc' can also mean 'sharp' or 'a quick movement', possibly deriving from Latin 'pungere' meaning 'to prick'. | |||
Pink in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | ружовы | ||
| The Belorussian word "ружовы" is a cognate of the Russian word "ружевый", which can also mean "rosy", "reddish", or "blood-red". | |||
| Bosnian | ružičasta | ||
| Pink is a synonym for rose in Bosnian, referring to the color of the flower. | |||
| Bulgarian | розово | ||
| The word "розово" also means "rose" in Bulgarian, and is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "роза". | |||
| Czech | růžový | ||
| The word "růžový" has Slavic origins, related to the color of roses, and is also used to describe someone who is good-natured or sentimental. | |||
| Estonian | roosa | ||
| The word "roosa" is of Russian origin and is cognate with the German word "rosa". | |||
| Finnish | vaaleanpunainen | ||
| The Finnish word "vaaleanpunainen" is derived from the words "vaalea" (light) and "punainen" (red), and can also refer to a reddish salmon or brown-pink color. | |||
| Hungarian | rózsaszín | ||
| The word "rózsaszín" originally meant "rose-coloured" and was later used to describe the specific shade of pink we know today. | |||
| Latvian | rozā | ||
| Rozā may also mean "rosy" and is sometimes used figuratively to refer to optimistic or hopeful views. | |||
| Lithuanian | rožinis | ||
| In Lithuanian, the word "rožinis" can also mean "religious". This is because the color pink was traditionally associated with the Catholic Church. | |||
| Macedonian | розова | ||
| The word "розова" can also refer to a type of rose or a shade of red in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | różowy | ||
| The word "różowy" comes from the word "róża" (rose) and means "rose-coloured". | |||
| Romanian | roz | ||
| "Roz" also means "rice" in Persian and several other languages | |||
| Russian | розовый | ||
| The adjective "розовый" originally referred to "roses" but acquired the expanded meaning of "light red" only in the late 17th century. | |||
| Serbian | розе | ||
| "Poze" in Serbocroation can also refer to a type of sweet, fortified wine made from roses. | |||
| Slovak | ružová | ||
| In Slovak, "Ružová" also refers to a specific shade of light red or crimson-pink known as "dusty pink" in English. | |||
| Slovenian | roza | ||
| In Polish, "róża" (IPA: /ruʐa/) means "rose", while in Slovene, "roza" means "pink". | |||
| Ukrainian | рожевий | ||
| The word "рожевий" also refers to a type of grape variety in Ukraine. | |||
Pink in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | গোলাপী | ||
| In Sanskrit, "golap" means "a ball" or "a rose", and "pi" means "to drink", possibly referring to the flower's shape and alluring fragrance. | |||
| Gujarati | ગુલાબી | ||
| "ગુલાબી" also refers to a type of fabric with pink or red flowers printed on it. | |||
| Hindi | गुलाबी | ||
| गुलाबी (pink) is derived from the Persian word 'gulāb' (rose), meaning 'red as a rose'. | |||
| Kannada | ಗುಲಾಬಿ | ||
| The word "ಗುಲಾಬಿ" is derived from the Persian word "gulāb", meaning "rose". It also refers to a particular shade of pink associated with the petals of the rose flower. | |||
| Malayalam | പിങ്ക് | ||
| "പിങ്ക്" (pink) is also used to refer to the red lotus flower in Malayalam. | |||
| Marathi | गुलाबी | ||
| "गुलाबी" is not only a color but can also refer to a type of flower or a delicate or pale thing. | |||
| Nepali | गुलाबी | ||
| The word 'गुलाबी' is derived from the Persian word 'gulāb', meaning 'rose' and also refers to a pale shade of red. | |||
| Punjabi | ਗੁਲਾਬੀ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | රෝස | ||
| In early Sinhala, "රෝස"" also referred to "light red" and is derived from the same base as "rose-red". | |||
| Tamil | இளஞ்சிவப்பு | ||
| இளஞ்சிவப்பு literally translates to "young red" and may also refer to the tender leaves of a tree or the glow of dawn in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | పింక్ | ||
| The word "పింక్" (pink) in Telugu also refers to the "redness of the sunset". | |||
| Urdu | گلابی | ||
| The word "گلابی" also means "pear" in Urdu, as it is derived from the Persian word "گلابی" which can mean both "rose-colored" and "pear". | |||
Pink in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 粉 | ||
| The character "粉" can also mean "powder", "dust", or "flour" in Chinese. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 粉 | ||
| 粉 (粉) can also refer to "powder" | |||
| Japanese | ピンク | ||
| The word "ピンク" (pink) in Japanese is derived from the Dutch word "pinken", which means "to squint" or "to twinkle", and originally referred to the reddish glow of the morning sun. | |||
| Korean | 분홍 | ||
| 분홍 can derive from a combination of 분 (粉/powder) and 붉은 (red/crimson) as it can describe the slightly dusty red tone. | |||
| Mongolian | ягаан | ||
| In Mongolian, "ягаан" also refers to a purplish-red color, and is derived from the word for "fire". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပန်းရောင် | ||
Pink in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | merah jambu | ||
| "Merah jambu" (lit. guava red) refers to the color of guava fruit, which is usually pale pink or light red. | |||
| Javanese | jambon | ||
| Jambon is also used to refer to a reddish type of soil. | |||
| Khmer | ពណ៌ផ្កាឈូក | ||
| Lao | ສີບົວ | ||
| The Lao word "ສີບົວ" (pink) is derived from the Sanskrit word "padma" (lotus flower), which is also the origin of the English word "pink". | |||
| Malay | merah jambu | ||
| The Malay word for "pink", "merah jambu", literally translates to "rose red". | |||
| Thai | สีชมพู | ||
| The word "สีชมพู" (sǐ chàmpū) is a compound of the Thai terms "ชม" (chom) meaning "to admire" and "ปู" (pū) meaning "crab," and thus translates to "the color of an admired crab." | |||
| Vietnamese | hồng | ||
| The word "Hồng" can also refer to a type of wild fruit in Vietnam or a Vietnamese surname. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kulay rosas | ||
Pink in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | çəhrayı | ||
| Historically, the word "çəhrayı" meant "light reddish brown", akin to the "rosehip" from which its name derives. | |||
| Kazakh | қызғылт | ||
| 'Қыз' means 'red' in Kazakh. If 'г' is added at the end of the word, it means 'dark red' or 'crimson'. The word 'қызғылт' can also be used in this sense. | |||
| Kyrgyz | кызгылт | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "кызгылт" also has the alternate meaning of "reddish." | |||
| Tajik | гулобӣ | ||
| The word 'гулобӣ' ('pink') in Tajik stems from the Persian word 'گلابی' ('rose-coloured'), which in turn originates from the word 'гул' ('flower'). | |||
| Turkmen | gülgüne | ||
| Uzbek | pushti | ||
| In Uzbek, 'pushti' also means 'rosy', 'healthy', or 'ripe'. | |||
| Uyghur | ھالرەڭ | ||
Pink in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ākala | ||
| 'Ākala' also means "to miss or yearn for someone." | |||
| Maori | mawhero | ||
| "Māwhero" also refers to the colour of a person's cooked skin or tattoo, and can also describe someone as being raw or inexperienced | |||
| Samoan | piniki | ||
| The word 'piniki' is not a Samoan word. The Samoan word for 'pink' is 'moli' or 'mumu' depending on context. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | rosas | ||
| "Rosas" can also mean "rose" in Spanish | |||
Pink in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | rusa | ||
| Guarani | pytãngy | ||
Pink in International Languages
| Esperanto | rozkolora | ||
| The word "rozkolora" in Esperanto is derived from the Latin "roseus" and can also mean "rosy" or "pale red". | |||
| Latin | rosea | ||
| "Rosea" in Latin also means "rosy" in English, referring to the color of roses. | |||
Pink in Others Languages
| Greek | ροζ | ||
| "Ροζ'' originally meant 'dark red-brown', but evolved to also mean 'pinkish' through an intermediate meaning 'pink-orange'. | |||
| Hmong | liab dawb | ||
| The word "liab dawb" is derived from the Hmong word for "white" and means "the color of dawn". | |||
| Kurdish | pembe | ||
| In Kurdish, "pembe" originally meant "reddish-brown" or "dark purple" before shifting to its current meaning of "pink". | |||
| Turkish | pembe | ||
| Pembe'nin orijinal anlamı Osmanlıca'da kırmızı tonuna yakın olan 'beyazımsı kırmızı' anlamında kullanılırmış. | |||
| Xhosa | pinki | ||
| The Xhosa word 'pinki', meaning 'pink' or 'red-brown', is thought to derive from the name of a plant with similar-colored flowers. | |||
| Yiddish | ראָזעווע | ||
| "רויז" or "רויזען", in Yiddish, are etymologically related to the Hebrew word for rose. "Rose-coloured" is the meaning from which we got the Yiddish "ראיָווע" | |||
| Zulu | obomvana | ||
| Obomvana, the Zulu word for "pink," is derived from the onomatopoeic word "oboma," meaning "to be rosy or flushed." | |||
| Assamese | গোলপীয়া | ||
| Aymara | rusa | ||
| Bhojpuri | गुलाबी | ||
| Dhivehi | ފިޔާތޮށި | ||
| Dogri | गलाबी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kulay rosas | ||
| Guarani | pytãngy | ||
| Ilocano | rosas | ||
| Krio | pink | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | پەمبە | ||
| Maithili | गुलाबी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯂꯩ ꯃꯆꯨ | ||
| Mizo | sendang | ||
| Oromo | halluu diimaatti dhiyaatu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଗୋଲାପୀ | | ||
| Quechua | panti | ||
| Sanskrit | पाटल | ||
| Tatar | алсу | ||
| Tigrinya | ሮዛ ሕብሪ | ||
| Tsonga | pinki | ||