Plate in Different Languages
Discover 'Plate' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
A plate is more than just a piece of dishware used to serve food. It's a symbol of nourishment, community, and cultural identity. From grand feasts to humble home-cooked meals, plates play a significant role in our daily lives and special occasions. The word 'plate' has even made its way into various languages, reflecting the universal need for this essential dining item.
Did you know that the ancient Greeks used to decorate their plates with intricate designs and mythological scenes? Or that in Japan, the art of plate-making has been perfected over centuries, resulting in delicate and beautiful porcelain plates? These fascinating facts and more highlight the importance of plates in different cultures around the world.
Whether you're a language enthusiast, a world traveler, or simply curious, learning the translation of 'plate' in different languages can enrich your understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity. Here are a few examples:
- Spanish: plato
- French: assiette
- German: Teller
- Mandarin: 盘 (pán)
- Japanese: platto (plate)
Stay tuned for more translations of the word 'plate' in various languages!
Plate
Plate in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | bord | ||
| In Afrikaans the word "bord" has two homographs which are both nouns: (1) "bord" meaning "plate" and (2) "bord" meaning "board". | |||
| Amharic | ሳህን | ||
| "ሳሀን" is derived from the Arabic "صحن", which also refers to a large courtyard such as the one found at a mosque. | |||
| Hausa | farantin | ||
| The Hausa word 'farantin' is also used metaphorically to describe a flat or wide object. | |||
| Igbo | efere | ||
| The Igbo word 'efere' can also mean 'a flat surface' or 'a tray used to serve food'. | |||
| Malagasy | vilia | ||
| The Malagasy word "vilia" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian root *bilih, meaning "a flat, round object". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mbale | ||
| The word "mbale" also means "a shallow hole in the ground" in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | ndiro | ||
| In Shona, "ndiro" also means "a dish served on a plate". | |||
| Somali | saxan | ||
| The word "saxan" in Somali derives from the Arabic word "sahajān" meaning "large platter" or "baking tray". | |||
| Sesotho | poleiti | ||
| The word “poleiti” also refers to a thin wooden or plastic sheet. | |||
| Swahili | sahani | ||
| In Swahili, 'sahani' also signifies a dish of food, as in 'sahani ya maharage' (a plate of beans). | |||
| Xhosa | isitya | ||
| The Xhosa word "isitya" shares its root with the word "sit" and the concept of "resting", referring to the function of a plate as a place where food rests. | |||
| Yoruba | awo | ||
| The word "awo" in the Yoruba language is a homonym with several distinct meanings, including "plate" as well as several other concepts related to divination, spirituality, and wisdom. | |||
| Zulu | ipuleti | ||
| The Zulu word "ipuleti" is derived from the Nguni root "-pula-" (to winnow), suggesting its original use as a winnowing tray. | |||
| Bambara | asiyɛti | ||
| Ewe | nuɖugba | ||
| Kinyarwanda | isahani | ||
| Lingala | sani | ||
| Luganda | essowaani | ||
| Sepedi | poleiti | ||
| Twi (Akan) | prɛte | ||
Plate in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | طبق | ||
| The Arabic word "طبق" (plate) also has the alternate meaning of "course" in a meal. | |||
| Hebrew | צַלַחַת | ||
| The word צַלַחַת also means 'cymbal' in Hebrew, with the same root meaning 'to strike' or 'to make a sound'. | |||
| Pashto | پلیټ | ||
| The Pashto word "پلیټ" can also refer to a small wooden plank used as a bridge or a thin strip of wood or metal used as a support. | |||
| Arabic | طبق | ||
| The Arabic word "طبق" (plate) also has the alternate meaning of "course" in a meal. | |||
Plate in Western European Languages
| Albanian | pjatë | ||
| The word "pjatë" also means "scale" in Albanian, deriving from the Latin "patella" meaning "small pan" or "shallow dish". | |||
| Basque | plaka | ||
| The Basque word "plaka" also refers to a type of coastal rock formation. | |||
| Catalan | placa | ||
| "Placa" can also refer to a plaque (commemorative or informative) | |||
| Croatian | tanjur | ||
| Tanjur is a word referring to some kind of plate originating from Turkish language - tancer. | |||
| Danish | plade | ||
| In Danish, the word "plade" can refer to a record, a tile, or a plaque. | |||
| Dutch | bord | ||
| The etymology of the Dutch word "bord" traces back to the Old English word "brord" which had the meaning of "rim or edge". | |||
| English | plate | ||
| "plate" comes from Old French "plate" (flat piece of metal) and can also refer to a flat surface or protective layer. | |||
| French | assiette | ||
| The word 'assiette' in French is derived from the Latin word 'assidere', meaning 'to sit' or 'to settle'. In English, 'assiette' can also refer to the manner in which something is set or arranged. | |||
| Frisian | plaat | ||
| The Frisian word "plaat" derives from the Proto-Germanic word for "flat", and also refers to a type of shallow seabed. | |||
| Galician | prato | ||
| In Galician, "prato" also refers to a large, flat surface, such as a meadow or plain. | |||
| German | teller | ||
| Teller also has a figurative meaning referring to a person with no particular characteristics or talents. | |||
| Icelandic | diskur | ||
| Cognate with Old Norse 'diskr', it also refers to a circular plateau or a dish-shaped area of land. | |||
| Irish | pláta | ||
| The Irish word "pláta" can also refer to an armed force or battalion. | |||
| Italian | piatto | ||
| The word "piatto" in Italian also means "flat" or "level" and derives from the Latin word "plattus" with the same meaning. | |||
| Luxembourgish | plack | ||
| The word "Plack" is derived from the Old French word "plaque", which means "a flat piece of metal". | |||
| Maltese | pjanċa | ||
| The Maltese word "pjanċa" originates from the Sicilian word "cianciana", meaning "slab of stone". | |||
| Norwegian | tallerken | ||
| The Norwegian word "tallerken" is derived from the German "Teller", which means a large dish or plate. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | prato | ||
| The Portuguese word "prato" also means a "dish" of food or a "portion" of it. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | truinnsear | ||
| The word "truinnsear" is derived from the Old Irish word "tronnser", meaning "nose". | |||
| Spanish | plato | ||
| Plato also means “conversation” or “topic” in Spanish, after Plato’s dialogues, and is used to refer to main courses in Spanish and other languages. | |||
| Swedish | tallrik | ||
| In earlier times, “tallrik” was a thin bread used as a plate to carry food. | |||
| Welsh | plât | ||
| The Welsh word "plât" originally meant "flat" or "broad" and could refer to various flat objects, including plates, platters, or even flat boats. | |||
Plate in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | талерка | ||
| Belarusian "талерка" (plate) comes from the same root as English "dollar" and "thaler", denoting a coin that was used as a plate in the past. | |||
| Bosnian | ploča | ||
| In Bosnian, the word "ploča" can also refer to a slab of stone or an engraved tablet. | |||
| Bulgarian | плоча | ||
| The Bulgarian word "плоча" (plate) also refers to a record or a stone tablet with an inscription. | |||
| Czech | talíř | ||
| Czech "talíř" comes from Latin "talea" "cutting" referring to the wooden plates of the Middle Ages. | |||
| Estonian | plaat | ||
| Plaat can also mean "record" or "film" in Estonian, which derives from the original meaning of "a flat, thin object". | |||
| Finnish | lautanen | ||
| The loanword lautanen derives from Low German 'latten', ultimately coming from Latin 'lanx' 'platter'. | |||
| Hungarian | tányér | ||
| The Hungarian word "tányér" ("plate") comes from the Turkish word "tabak" (container, pot), which is ultimately derived from the Arabic word "safaḥ" (stone plate, tray). | |||
| Latvian | plāksne | ||
| Latvian "plāksne" derives from the German word "Platte" or the Russian "пластина". In its alternate meaning, it refers to an inscription on stone | |||
| Lithuanian | plokštelę | ||
| "Plokštelę" is derived from the Proto-Baltic root "*plek-/*plak-" meaning "flat" and is related to the cognate words in other Indo-European languages, such as the Old Church Slavonic "plošti" meaning "flat". | |||
| Macedonian | чинија | ||
| "Чинија" derives from the Persian word "cheni" meaning "porcelain". | |||
| Polish | talerz | ||
| The word "talerz" comes from the German "Thaler", a type of coin used as currency in the past. | |||
| Romanian | farfurie | ||
| The word "farfurie" can also refer to a flat surface with a raised rim | |||
| Russian | тарелка | ||
| "Тарелка" also means "flying saucer" in the Russian language. | |||
| Serbian | тањир | ||
| "Тањир" (plate) is borrowed from Turkish "tabak" and also means "basin" or"tray" in Serbian | |||
| Slovak | tanier | ||
| The word "tanier" comes from the Latin verb "tenere", meaning "to hold" | |||
| Slovenian | ploščo | ||
| The word "plošča" also refers to a flat surface, such as a table or a floor. | |||
| Ukrainian | плита | ||
| The word "плита" in Ukrainian can also refer to a tombstone, a slab, or a printing plate. | |||
Plate in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | প্লেট | ||
| "প্লেট" (plate) came to Bengali from English and was borrowed from French "platel" meaning "small dish". | |||
| Gujarati | પ્લેટ | ||
| પ્લેટ, meaning a flat shallow dish, comes from the Low German word "platte" meaning a flat surface. | |||
| Hindi | प्लेट | ||
| The word "प्लेट" (plate) in Hindi can also refer to a metal sheet used for covering roofs or in construction. | |||
| Kannada | ಪ್ಲೇಟ್ | ||
| The word "plate" comes from the Middle French word "platte," which in turn comes from the Latin word "plattus," which means "flat."} | |||
| Malayalam | പാത്രം | ||
| The word 'പാത്രം' in Malayalam is the cognate for 'patra' in Sanskrit and can also mean 'cup', 'vessel', or 'container'. | |||
| Marathi | प्लेट | ||
| The word प्लेट ('plate') also refers to a thin, flat piece of metal, or a sheet of paper used to write on. | |||
| Nepali | प्लेट | ||
| The word "प्लेट" in Nepali is also used to refer to a flat piece of metal used as armor. | |||
| Punjabi | ਪਲੇਟ | ||
| The Punjabi word "plate" is derived from the English word "plate". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | තහඩුව | ||
| The word "තහඩුව" can also refer to a flat surface or a slab. | |||
| Tamil | தட்டு | ||
| தட்டு (thattu) can also refer to a thin metal sheet, a shallow dish, or to spread out. | |||
| Telugu | ప్లేట్ | ||
| In some Indian dialects, 'plate' can also refer to a bowl or dish made of leaves. | |||
| Urdu | پلیٹ | ||
| Urdu "پلیٹ" (plate) is derived from the English word "plate" and also means a metal sheet used to protect the breast in armor. | |||
Plate in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 盘子 | ||
| 盘子 (pánzi) could also refer to a musical cymbal or a coil. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 盤子 | ||
| 盤子 (plate) also means a naive, easy-to-deceive person. | |||
| Japanese | プレート | ||
| The word "プレート" can also mean "fault" or "crack" in geology. | |||
| Korean | 플레이트 | ||
| 플레이트(plate)는 영어에서 유래한 외래어로 '접시' 외에 '판', 'แผ่น', '금속판' 등의 의미를 가진다. | |||
| Mongolian | хавтан | ||
| In addition to the meaning of 'plate', 'хавтан' can also mean 'roof' or 'lid' in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပန်းကန် | ||
| The word ပန်းကန် can also mean a round tray-like container and can be traced back to the Pali word "paṅkana". | |||
Plate in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | piring | ||
| The word "piring" in Indonesian is derived from the Sanskrit word "pari" meaning "around" or "circular". | |||
| Javanese | piring | ||
| "Piring" comes from the word "piping", meaning a flat surface, and also refers to a tray used to serve food. | |||
| Khmer | ចាន | ||
| The Khmer word "ចាន" (plate) is derived from the Sanskrit word "पात्र" (container), which also refers to a bowl or vessel. | |||
| Lao | ແຜ່ນ | ||
| The word "ແຜ່ນ" can also refer to a flat surface such as a sheet of paper or the surface of a table. | |||
| Malay | pinggan | ||
| The Malay word "pinggan" also refers to a type of traditional metal gong. | |||
| Thai | จาน | ||
| The word "จาน" in Thai can also refer to a disk-shaped Buddhist begging bowl. | |||
| Vietnamese | đĩa | ||
| The word "đĩa" is derived from the Old Vietnamese word "đế" meaning "base" and the Sino-Vietnamese word "dĩa" meaning "tray or plate". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | plato | ||
Plate in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | boşqab | ||
| The word "boşqab" in Azerbaijani is likely derived from the Persian word "boshghab", meaning "empty dish". | |||
| Kazakh | табақша | ||
| In Kazakh, “табақша” can also mean a “small cup” such as those used for serving tea. | |||
| Kyrgyz | табак | ||
| The word «табак» also means a flat and low stand and a wide dish (such as a plate). | |||
| Tajik | табақ | ||
| The word "табақ" is thought to be derived from the Persian word "tabāq", which originally meant "layer" or "stratum". | |||
| Turkmen | tabak | ||
| Uzbek | plastinka | ||
| The word "plastinka" in Uzbek originates from the French word "plaque", meaning a flat piece of material. | |||
| Uyghur | تەخسە | ||
Plate in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pā | ||
| The Hawaiian word "pā" refers not only to a plate or dish, but also to a fortified enclosure or rampart used in warfare. | |||
| Maori | pereti | ||
| The Maori word "pereti" may have originated from the English word "plate". | |||
| Samoan | ipu ipu | ||
| In Samoan, 'ipu ipu' not only means 'plate' but also refers to a traditional cooking pot made of coconut shells. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | plato | ||
| In Filipino, the word "plato" originally meant "dish" but later also came to refer to the flatware used for eating it. | |||
Plate in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | plaka | ||
| Guarani | ña´ẽmbe | ||
Plate in International Languages
| Esperanto | telero | ||
| The word "telero" also means "planet" or "disc" in Esperanto, reflecting the round shape of a typical plate. | |||
| Latin | laminam | ||
| The Latin word "laminam" can also refer to a thin sheet of metal, a layer of tissue, or a leaf of a book. | |||
Plate in Others Languages
| Greek | πλάκα | ||
| The word "πλάκα" (plate) in Greek also means "joke" or "trick" and derives from the Ancient Greek word "πλακόω" (plakoo), meaning "to make flat" or "to pave"} | |||
| Hmong | phaj | ||
| In Hmong, the word "phaj" also refers to a flat surface, such as a table or a playing board. | |||
| Kurdish | temsîk | ||
| The word "temsîk" in Kurdish also refers to a written document or a legal paper. | |||
| Turkish | tabak | ||
| "Tabak" means dish, and it's a Persian word "tapāg" meaning "saucer, plate" | |||
| Xhosa | isitya | ||
| The Xhosa word "isitya" shares its root with the word "sit" and the concept of "resting", referring to the function of a plate as a place where food rests. | |||
| Yiddish | טעלער | ||
| The Yiddish word 'טעלער' ('plate') is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *tel-, meaning 'to spread out'. It is cognate with the Russian word 'тарелка' ('plate'). | |||
| Zulu | ipuleti | ||
| The Zulu word "ipuleti" is derived from the Nguni root "-pula-" (to winnow), suggesting its original use as a winnowing tray. | |||
| Assamese | কাঁহী | ||
| Aymara | plaka | ||
| Bhojpuri | थरिया | ||
| Dhivehi | ތަށި | ||
| Dogri | प्लेट | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | plato | ||
| Guarani | ña´ẽmbe | ||
| Ilocano | pinggan | ||
| Krio | plet | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | قاپ | ||
| Maithili | प्लेट | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯨꯈꯝ | ||
| Mizo | thleng | ||
| Oromo | gabatee | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଥାଳି | ||
| Quechua | pukullu | ||
| Sanskrit | स्थालिका | ||
| Tatar | тәлинкә | ||
| Tigrinya | ሸሓነ | ||
| Tsonga | ndyelo | ||