Plastic in Different Languages
Discover 'Plastic' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Plastic, a term that has become ubiquitous in our daily lives, is a material of immense significance and cultural importance. Derived from the Greek word plastikos, meaning 'fit for molding', plastic has evolved over the centuries to become a versatile and indispensable part of modern society.
From its early beginnings as a synthetic material in the 19th century to its current status as a global industry, plastic has shaped and transformed the way we live, work, and play. Its unique properties have enabled us to create a wide array of products, from life-saving medical devices to everyday conveniences like food packaging and children's toys.
But plastic's impact goes beyond its practical uses. It has also seeped into our cultural consciousness, inspiring artists, designers, and thinkers to explore its potential and limitations. Moreover, its environmental impact has become a pressing global issue, prompting calls for sustainable alternatives and responsible consumption.
Given its significance and cultural importance, it's no wonder that people around the world are interested in learning the translation of plastic in different languages. Here are some examples:
- Spanish: plástico
- French: plastique
- German: Plastik
- Mandarin: 塑料 (sùliào)
- Japanese: プラスチック (purasuchikku)
- Russian: пластик (plastik)
- Arabic: بلاستيك (balsatiik)
Plastic
Plastic in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | plastiek | ||
| The word "plastiek" in Afrikaans can also mean "surgery" or "surgery on the face". | |||
| Amharic | ፕላስቲክ | ||
| ፕላስቲክ (plastik) literally refers to a “mold” or a particular kind of “vase,” and it is used to denote the synthetic material “plastic,” a neologism coined in the early 20th century and borrowed directly from European languages. | |||
| Hausa | filastik | ||
| The Hausa word "filastik" is also used to describe "a flexible or malleable material that can be stretched or molded into different shapes", like clay or rubber. | |||
| Igbo | plastic | ||
| The Igbo word ''plastik'' can also refer to an extremely small object. | |||
| Malagasy | plastika | ||
| The word "plastika" in Malagasy can also refer to sculpting or plastic arts. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | pulasitiki | ||
| The Nyanja word 'pulasitiki' is derived from the English word 'plastic' and is only used to refer to plastic bags. | |||
| Shona | mapurasitiki | ||
| In Shona, 'mapurasitiki' originally meant 'rubber', but its meaning has since been extended to include 'plastic'. | |||
| Somali | caag ah | ||
| The word "caag ah" likely derives from the Arabic word "sāʾiġ" meaning "liquid" or "flowing". | |||
| Sesotho | polasetiki | ||
| The word polasetiki is also used to refer to a type of traditional Sesotho dance. | |||
| Swahili | plastiki | ||
| In Swahili, the word "plastiki" can also refer to a type of reusable water bottle made from recycled plastic. | |||
| Xhosa | iplastiki | ||
| Xhosa has a number of words that refer to different types of plasticity, including 'iplastiki' (plasticity), 'ukudityiswa' (malleability), and 'ukubumba' (formability). | |||
| Yoruba | ṣiṣu | ||
| Ṣiṣu is the Yoruba word for plastic, derived from the verb ṣiṣẹ́ meaning "to work". | |||
| Zulu | upulasitiki | ||
| In Zulu, the word "upulasitiki" specifically refers to the clear plastic used in packaging and disposable items, rather than its more general meaning of any synthetic material in English. | |||
| Bambara | plastiki ye | ||
| Ewe | plastic | ||
| Kinyarwanda | plastike | ||
| Lingala | plastiki ya plastiki | ||
| Luganda | obuveera | ||
| Sepedi | polasetiki | ||
| Twi (Akan) | plastic a wɔde yɛ nneɛma | ||
Plastic in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | بلاستيك | ||
| The word "بلاستيك" (plastic) in Arabic is derived from the Greek word "plastikos," meaning "capable of being molded." | |||
| Hebrew | פלסטי | ||
| In Hebrew, the word "פלסטי" can also refer to "surgical gauze" or "bandage." | |||
| Pashto | پلاستیک | ||
| In Pashto, "پلاستیک" also means "mold", referring to the material's ability to be shaped | |||
| Arabic | بلاستيك | ||
| The word "بلاستيك" (plastic) in Arabic is derived from the Greek word "plastikos," meaning "capable of being molded." | |||
Plastic in Western European Languages
| Albanian | plastike | ||
| The Albanian word "plastike" is derived from the Greek word "plastikos" meaning "capable of being molded." | |||
| Basque | plastikoa | ||
| "Plastikoa" is derived from the Greek word "plastikos," meaning "able to be molded" | |||
| Catalan | plàstic | ||
| In Catalan, the word "plàstic" also refers to a type of explosive moldable material used in the construction industry. | |||
| Croatian | plastika | ||
| In Croatian plastika can also describe the artwork of making sculptures from materials like stone, bronze, wood, or clay | |||
| Danish | plast | ||
| In Danish, "plast" can also mean a small wound or a band-aid. | |||
| Dutch | plastic | ||
| Dutch "plastic" can mean "flexible" or "malleable" in addition to the material, whereas in English it's solely the latter. | |||
| English | plastic | ||
| "Plastic" originated from the Greek word "plastikos," meaning "capable of being molded." | |||
| French | plastique | ||
| In French, the word "plastique" can also refer to a person's appearance, or to the physical expression of an emotion. | |||
| Frisian | plestik | ||
| In Frisian, the word "plestik" can also mean "synthetic" or "artificial". | |||
| Galician | plástico | ||
| In Galician, "plástico" can also refer to something that is flexible, adaptable, or changeable. | |||
| German | plastik | ||
| In German, "Plastik" can also refer to sculpture or the art of sculpting. | |||
| Icelandic | plast | ||
| The word "plast" in Icelandic originally referred to stone or clay tablets and is only in modern times used to mean "plastic substance". | |||
| Irish | plaisteach | ||
| Plaisteach is cognate with the English word 'plaster' and can also refer to 'mortar'. | |||
| Italian | plastica | ||
| The Italian word "plastica" can also refer to a form of plastic surgery, or to the art of sculpting. | |||
| Luxembourgish | plastik | ||
| In Luxembourgish, Plastik means not only plastic, but also a thin pastry crust. | |||
| Maltese | plastik | ||
| The Maltese word "plastik" can also mean "cosmetic surgery" or "plastic explosive". | |||
| Norwegian | plast | ||
| The word "plast" in Norwegian can also refer to a thin sheet of material, such as a bandage or a sheet of paper. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | plástico | ||
| In Portuguese, "plástico" can also mean "flexible" or "malleable". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | plastaig | ||
| "Plastaig" in Scots Gaelic can also refer to a type of plaster or mortar. | |||
| Spanish | el plastico | ||
| In Colombian slang, "el plastico" also means "fake or artificial". | |||
| Swedish | plast | ||
| Plast is also a synonym for "money" in Swedish and is derived from the German word "Pflaster" meaning "bandage" which was used as currency in the Middle Ages. | |||
| Welsh | plastig | ||
| In Welsh, 'plastig' can also mean 'imaginary' or 'fictitious'. | |||
Plastic in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | пластык | ||
| The word "пластык" in Belarusian can also refer to money or credit cards, derived from the Russian word "пластик" meaning "card". | |||
| Bosnian | plastika | ||
| The Bosnian word "plastika" can also refer to plastic surgery. | |||
| Bulgarian | пластмасов | ||
| The word "пластмасов" also means "synthetic" in the context of "synthetic materials". | |||
| Czech | plastický | ||
| The word "plastický" in Czech can also mean "malleable" or "pliable," coming from the Greek word "plastikos" meaning "capable of being molded." | |||
| Estonian | plastikust | ||
| The word "plastikust" originally referred to substances that could be molded or shaped. | |||
| Finnish | muovi- | ||
| The word "muovi" is derived from the Latin word "mobilitas", meaning "mobility" or "flexibility". | |||
| Hungarian | műanyag | ||
| "Műanyag" comes from the words "műves" (workman) and "anyag" (substance), but it also means "fake" in Hungarian. | |||
| Latvian | plastmasas | ||
| "Plastmasas" derives from the Greek "plastikos" which means "formed, molded, or adaptable". | |||
| Lithuanian | plastmasinis | ||
| The term "plastiko" is derived from the Greek word "plastikos", meaning "to mold". | |||
| Macedonian | пластика | ||
| The word "пластика" in Macedonian can also refer to plastic surgery or the art of sculpting. | |||
| Polish | plastikowy | ||
| The word "plastikowy" in Polish can also mean "fake" or "artificial." | |||
| Romanian | plastic | ||
| In Romanian, "plastic" can also refer to an umbrella or raincoat, both objects made from flexible materials. | |||
| Russian | пластик | ||
| In Russian, "пластик" can also refer to a credit or debit card. | |||
| Serbian | пластика | ||
| The word "пластика" in Serbian also has alternate meanings such as "plastic surgery" and "art of sculpting". | |||
| Slovak | plast | ||
| "Plast" in Slovak can also refer to a layer, lining, or membrane, as in "plast snehu" (layer of snow). | |||
| Slovenian | plastika | ||
| Plastika also refers to the medical field of plastic surgery. | |||
| Ukrainian | пластик | ||
| In Ukrainian, “plastic” also refers to a small plastic surgery. | |||
Plastic in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | প্লাস্টিক | ||
| The word 'প্লাস্টিক' (plastic) is derived from the Greek word 'plastikos', meaning 'fit for molding or shaping'. | |||
| Gujarati | પ્લાસ્ટિક | ||
| The word "plastic" is derived from the Greek word "plastikos", meaning "capable of being molded or shaped". | |||
| Hindi | प्लास्टिक | ||
| प्लास्टिक (plastic) शब्द की व्युत्पत्ति ग्रीक शब्द 'πλαστικός' (plastikos) से हुई है, जिसका अर्थ है 'ढालना' या 'रूप देना'. | |||
| Kannada | ಪ್ಲಾಸ್ಟಿಕ್ | ||
| The word "plastic" in Kannada (ಪ್ಲಾಸ್ಟಿಕ್) originally meant "moldable" or "capable of being shaped". | |||
| Malayalam | പ്ലാസ്റ്റിക് | ||
| Marathi | प्लास्टिक | ||
| The Marathi word "प्लास्टिक" also means "moldable" or "malleable" in the context of physical properties. | |||
| Nepali | प्लास्टिक | ||
| प्लास्टिक शब्द ग्रीक शब्द "πλαστικός" (प्लास्टिकोस) से आया है, जिसका अर्थ है "आकार देने योग्य" या "ढलने योग्य"। | |||
| Punjabi | ਪਲਾਸਟਿਕ | ||
| ਪਲਾਸਟਿਕ (plastic) comes from the Greek word 'plastikos', meaning 'fit for moulding'. In Punjabi, it is also used metaphorically to describe someone who is flexible or adaptable. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ප්ලාස්ටික් | ||
| Tamil | நெகிழி | ||
| Telugu | ప్లాస్టిక్ | ||
| The word 'ప్లాస్టిక్' (plastic) is derived from the Greek word 'πλαστικός' (plastikos), meaning 'capable of being molded' | |||
| Urdu | پلاسٹک | ||
| The word "پلاسٹک" in Urdu also means "flexible" or "moldable". | |||
Plastic in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 塑料 | ||
| 中文里的“塑料”一词不仅指人造聚合物，还可比喻人或事物表面应付、没有真情实感。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 塑料 | ||
| 塑料 (suliao) in Mandarin is a loanword from the Greek "plastikos" (moldable, pliable). | |||
| Japanese | プラスチック | ||
| Korean | 플라스틱 | ||
| 플라스틱은 원래 '성형 가능한'을 뜻하는 그리스어 플라스틱오스(plastikos)에서 유래했습니다. | |||
| Mongolian | хуванцар | ||
| The Mongolian word "хуванцар" (plastic) originates from the Russian word "целлофан" (cellophane), a brand name for a type of transparent cellulose film. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပလပ်စတစ် | ||
| "Plastic" comes from the Greek "plastikos," meaning "fit for molding." | |||
Plastic in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | plastik | ||
| The word "plastik" in Indonesian also refers to the synthetic material, but can additionally mean "flexible" or "pliable" in other contexts. | |||
| Javanese | plastik | ||
| The Javanese word "plastik" can also mean "fake" or "artificial". | |||
| Khmer | ប្លាស្ទិច | ||
| The word "ប្លាស្ទិច" may also refer to a person who is easily molded or shaped. | |||
| Lao | ພາດສະຕິກ | ||
| The word ພາດສະຕິກ "plastic" in Lao is derived from the Sanskrit word "plāstike", meaning "moldable" or "capable of being shaped." | |||
| Malay | plastik | ||
| In Malay, the word "plastik" also refers to a type of traditional weaving technique and the resulting products. | |||
| Thai | พลาสติก | ||
| พลาสติก comes from the Greek word "plastikos," meaning "capable of being molded." | |||
| Vietnamese | nhựa dẻo | ||
| The word "nhựa dẻo" literally means "soft resin" in Vietnamese and can also refer to rubber or other flexible materials. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | plastik | ||
Plastic in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | plastik | ||
| "Plastik" means "cosmetic surgery" or "plastic surgery" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | пластик | ||
| In Kazakh, the word "пластик" can also refer to a vinyl record. | |||
| Kyrgyz | пластик | ||
| The word "пластик" in Kyrgyz can also refer to the process of making something out of plastic or to the material itself. | |||
| Tajik | пластикӣ | ||
| The word "пластикӣ" in Tajik can also mean "surgery" or "cosmetic surgery" | |||
| Turkmen | plastmassa | ||
| Uzbek | plastik | ||
| The Uzbek word "plastik" can also refer to a surgeon's scalpel. | |||
| Uyghur | سۇلياۋ | ||
Plastic in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | palakiko | ||
| Palakiko, meaning "to cause to shine,'' is also the Hawaiian word for the shiny material plastic. | |||
| Maori | kirihou | ||
| Kirihou is a Maori word that also refers to a type of plant, a tree fern, that is known for its ability to absorb moisture and is used to make baskets and other items. | |||
| Samoan | palasitika | ||
| The word “palasitika,” borrowed from English “plastic” but pronounced with an added ‘i’, primarily refers to plastic in the sense of "synthetic, man-made materials" rather than in the sense of "flexible". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | plastik | ||
| In Tagalog, "plastik" comes from the Spanish word "plástico" and not the English word "plastic" and also means "fake" or "pretentious". | |||
Plastic in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | plástico ukat juk’ampinaka | ||
| Guarani | plástico rehegua | ||
Plastic in International Languages
| Esperanto | plasto | ||
| Latin | plastic | ||
| The Latin word "plasticus" also means "capable of being molded or shaped". | |||
Plastic in Others Languages
| Greek | πλαστική ύλη | ||
| πλαστική ύλη translates to "plastic material" or "formed matter", hinting at the malleable nature of plastics | |||
| Hmong | yas | ||
| "Yas" in Hmong (Green Hmong dialect) can also mean "a kind of vine used as rope" or "the fibers of a bamboo tree". | |||
| Kurdish | têgûherr | ||
| The word têgûherr, meaning 'plastic' in Kurdish, originates from the Persian word 'tāgheh', meaning 'thin layer' or 'film'. | |||
| Turkish | plastik | ||
| The Turkish word "plastik" can also mean "surgery" or "plastic surgery". | |||
| Xhosa | iplastiki | ||
| Xhosa has a number of words that refer to different types of plasticity, including 'iplastiki' (plasticity), 'ukudityiswa' (malleability), and 'ukubumba' (formability). | |||
| Yiddish | פּלאַסטיק | ||
| The Yiddish word "פּלאַסטיק" can also refer to a thin sheet of bread or a cheap toy. | |||
| Zulu | upulasitiki | ||
| In Zulu, the word "upulasitiki" specifically refers to the clear plastic used in packaging and disposable items, rather than its more general meaning of any synthetic material in English. | |||
| Assamese | প্লাষ্টিক | ||
| Aymara | plástico ukat juk’ampinaka | ||
| Bhojpuri | प्लास्टिक के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ޕްލާސްޓިކް އެވެ | ||
| Dogri | प्लास्टिक दा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | plastik | ||
| Guarani | plástico rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | plastik | ||
| Krio | plastic | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | پلاستیک | ||
| Maithili | प्लास्टिक के | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄ꯭ꯂꯥꯁ꯭ꯇꯤꯛ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | plastic hmanga siam a ni | ||
| Oromo | pilaastikii | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ପ୍ଲାଷ୍ଟିକ୍ | ||
| Quechua | plástico nisqamanta | ||
| Sanskrit | प्लास्टिक | ||
| Tatar | пластик | ||
| Tigrinya | ፕላስቲክ | ||
| Tsonga | pulasitiki | ||