Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'raw' holds a unique significance in our vocabulary, representing the unprocessed and unaltered state of things. It's a term that transcends cultural boundaries and is recognized in various languages worldwide. In English, 'raw' is often used to describe food in its most natural state, but it can also refer to an emotional or physical state that is unprotected and vulnerable.
Throughout history, the concept of 'raw' has been essential in various cultural contexts. For instance, in traditional societies, raw foods like meat and fish were often consumed for their nutritional value. Moreover, the idea of raw creativity and talent is highly valued in many artistic communities, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and originality.
Given the cultural significance of the word 'raw,' it's no surprise that people might be interested in its translation in different languages. For example, in Spanish, 'raw' translates to 'crudo,' while in French, it's 'cru.' In German, the word for 'raw' is 'roh,' and in Japanese, it's ' Najimi' (生).
Understanding the translation of 'raw' in different languages can help us appreciate the cultural nuances that shape our perception of this concept. Join us as we explore the fascinating world of language and culture through the lens of this simple yet powerful word.
Afrikaans | rou | ||
The Afrikaans word "rou" also means "silent" or "quiet" in Dutch. | |||
Amharic | ጥሬ | ||
The word 'ጥሬ' is also used to describe something that is incomplete or not ready. | |||
Hausa | danye | ||
The Hausa word "danye" also connotes the idea of freshness or naturalness, as opposed to something that is processed or artificial. | |||
Igbo | nke ndu | ||
The word "nke ndu" can also refer to something that is unprocessed or natural. | |||
Malagasy | manta | ||
The word "manta" can also refer to a type of wild boar in Madagascar. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | yaiwisi | ||
It is sometimes used to describe anything that is not prepared, uncooked, or natural. | |||
Shona | mbishi | ||
The word 'mbishi' comes from the Proto-Bantu root '*biʃi', meaning 'become visible' or 'appear'. | |||
Somali | ceyriin | ||
The word "ceyriin" in Somali can also mean "not ripe" or "uncooked". | |||
Sesotho | e tala | ||
The Sesotho word 'e tala' can also refer to the initial stages of a project or undertaking. | |||
Swahili | mbichi | ||
The word "mbichi" derives from the Proto-Bantu word "*bik(i)", which also means "new", "young", or "virgin". | |||
Xhosa | eluhlaza | ||
The Xhosa word 'eluhlaza' not only means 'raw', but also refers to 'fresh', 'green', and 'unripe' things. | |||
Yoruba | aise | ||
In addition to "raw," "aise" can also mean "uncooked" or "unprocessed." | |||
Zulu | okuluhlaza | ||
"Okuluhlaza" can also mean "inexperienced" or "naïve" in Zulu. | |||
Bambara | kɛnɛ | ||
Ewe | mumu | ||
Kinyarwanda | mbisi | ||
Lingala | basaleli nanu te | ||
Luganda | -bisi | ||
Sepedi | tala | ||
Twi (Akan) | saa ara | ||
Arabic | الخام | ||
In Arabic, "الخام" (raw) also signifies a "horse without a saddle or bridle." | |||
Hebrew | גלם | ||
The Hebrew word "גלם" (raw) also means "embryo" or "fetus" in some contexts. | |||
Pashto | خام | ||
The Pashto word "خام" also means "green" or "unripe". | |||
Arabic | الخام | ||
In Arabic, "الخام" (raw) also signifies a "horse without a saddle or bridle." |
Albanian | të papërpunuara | ||
Basque | gordinak | ||
The word "gordinak" also means "in vain" or "fruitless" in Basque. | |||
Catalan | crua | ||
The word "crua" in Catalan also means "hard" or "difficult". | |||
Croatian | sirovo | ||
The word 'sirovo' can also mean 'uncultivated' or 'wild', as in 'sirovo meso' ('wild meat'). | |||
Danish | rå | ||
The word "rå" in Danish can also refer to an unprocessed or unfinished material or idea. | |||
Dutch | rauw | ||
"Rauw" can also mean "uncultivated", "wild", "rough", "naive", or "coarse". | |||
English | raw | ||
"Raw" can also mean unprocessed, inexperienced, or emotionally intense. | |||
French | brut | ||
The French word "brut" derives from the Latin "brutus", meaning "heavy" or "dull", indicating its rough, unrefined qualities. | |||
Frisian | rau | ||
The Frisian word "rau" can also mean "harsh," "rough," or "violent." | |||
Galician | cru | ||
Galician "cru" is derived from "crudo" in Latin, and also means "hard, harsh" or "intense". | |||
German | roh | ||
The German word "roh" can also mean "rough" or "crude" in English, and it's related to the English word "rough". | |||
Icelandic | hrátt | ||
In Old Norse, 'hrátt' referred to a person who was quick and agile. | |||
Irish | amh | ||
Amh can also mean 'sore' or 'tender' and derives from Proto-Celtic *am- ('raw, unripe'). | |||
Italian | crudo | ||
"Crudo" also means "harsh" in Italian, as in "un commento crudo" ("a harsh comment"), as it derives from a Latin root that refers to something uncooked and hard. | |||
Luxembourgish | réi | ||
Maltese | nej | ||
"Nej" can also mean "untamed" or "wild". | |||
Norwegian | rå | ||
The word "rå" in Norwegian initially meant "untouched by civilization". | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | cru | ||
The word "cru" in Portuguese can also mean "unripe" or "undercooked," and comes from the Latin word "crudus," meaning "raw" or "uncooked." | |||
Scots Gaelic | amh | ||
In Scots Gaelic, "amh" can also refer to "flesh" or "skin". | |||
Spanish | crudo | ||
The word "crudo" also means "harsh" or "offensive" in Spanish, and it comes from the Latin word "crudus," meaning "raw" or "unripe." | |||
Swedish | rå | ||
The Swedish word "rå" has also been used historically to mean "coarse" or "rough", and more recently to mean "cool" or "awesome". | |||
Welsh | amrwd | ||
The word "amrwd" in Welsh is derived from the Proto-Celtic root *amrawdo-, meaning "unripe" or "green". |
Belarusian | сырая | ||
"Сырая" can also refer to "damp" or "uncooked" in Belarusian. | |||
Bosnian | sirovo | ||
The word 'sirovo' in Bosnian also means 'fresh' or 'uncooked'. | |||
Bulgarian | суров | ||
The word "суров" can also mean "harsh," "severe," or "austere" in Bulgarian. | |||
Czech | drsný | ||
The Czech word "drsný" can also refer to something that is rough, harsh, or severe. | |||
Estonian | toores | ||
Toores can also mean 'immature', 'inexperienced', or 'naive'. | |||
Finnish | raaka | ||
It can also mean harsh, severe, or vulgar | |||
Hungarian | nyers | ||
Nyers is also the name of a Hungarian white grape used in making wine | |||
Latvian | neapstrādāts | ||
The word "neapstrādāts" is derived from the Proto-Baltic word *neprāt- "to cook, to boil", cognate with Sanskrit "pra-sthā- "to boil", Lithuanian "neprātùs" "not cooked", and Slavic "*pratiti" "to fry". In some contexts, it can also mean "unprocessed", "unrefined", or "untreated". | |||
Lithuanian | žalias | ||
"Žalias" (Lithuanian for "raw") also means immature or not fully developed, akin to "green" in other languages. | |||
Macedonian | суровини | ||
The word "суровини" (raw materials) is also used in the context of "raw oil" or "unrefined materials". | |||
Polish | surowy | ||
In Polish, the word "surowy" not only means "raw" but also "severe", "harsh", or "strict". | |||
Romanian | brut | ||
"Brut" (raw or uncooked) can also mean "ugliness" (like an ugly or brutal act). | |||
Russian | сырой | ||
The word "сырой" can also mean "damp" or "unripe." | |||
Serbian | сиров | ||
The word "сиров" in Serbian comes from the Proto-Slavic word "syrъ", which also means "cheese". | |||
Slovak | surový | ||
"Surový" also means "harsh" in Slovak. | |||
Slovenian | surov | ||
Slovenian word "surov" has alternate meanings of "rough", "cruel", "unrefined" and "hard". | |||
Ukrainian | сирий | ||
The word "сирий" in Ukrainian also means "fresh and unripe". |
Bengali | কাঁচা | ||
"কাঁচা" also means immature or inexperienced, and "কাঁচা রং" refers to a dull shade without lustre. | |||
Gujarati | કાચો | ||
The word "કાચો" (raw) in Gujarati is derived from the Sanskrit word "krudha", which also means "cruel" or "unfeeling". | |||
Hindi | कच्चा | ||
The word "कच्चा" also means "unripe" or "immature" in Hindi. | |||
Kannada | ಕಚ್ಚಾ | ||
The word "ಕಚ್ಚಾ" can also refer to something unripe, immature, or lacking experience. | |||
Malayalam | അസംസ്കൃത | ||
"അസംസ്കൃത" originated from Sanskrit "asanskrita" meaning "not polished" and also denotes "uneducated." | |||
Marathi | कच्चा | ||
Though in modern Marathi "कच्चा" primarily means uncooked, unripe, unskilled, etc., its original meaning was simply unripe. | |||
Nepali | कच्चा | ||
The word "कच्चा" can also mean "immature" or "inexperienced" in Nepali, just like the English word "raw." | |||
Punjabi | ਕੱਚਾ | ||
In its literal sense, 'ਕੱਚਾ' is an antonym of 'ਪੱਕਾ' ('ripe') but its figurative extension is to describe something incomplete, unfinished, rough or immature. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | අමු | ||
The word "අමු" in Sinhala is cognate with the word "अम" in Sanskrit and "raw" in English, all meaning "uncooked". It can also refer to "unripe" or "immature" in some contexts. | |||
Tamil | பச்சையாக | ||
Telugu | ముడి | ||
The word "ముడి" can also mean "knot" or "obstacle" in Telugu. | |||
Urdu | کچا | ||
"کچا" also means unripe or inexperienced in Urdu. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 生的 | ||
In Chinese, “生的” (raw) is also used to mean “unprocessed,” “untrained,” or “natural”. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 生的 | ||
生的 (shēng de) also means "not ripe" or "alive". | |||
Japanese | 生 | ||
"生" also means "fresh" and can refer to something that is alive or natural. | |||
Korean | 노골적인 | ||
"노골적인" means "bald-faced", "unvarnished", or "unabashed". | |||
Mongolian | түүхий | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) | ကုန်ကြမ်း | ||
Indonesian | mentah | ||
The word "mentah" in Indonesian is likely derived from the Proto-Austronesian word *mantaq, which means "uncooked". The word mentaq is also found in other Austronesian languages, such as Malay, Javanese, and Tagalog. | |||
Javanese | mentah | ||
The Javanese word "mentah" also means "unripe" or "not cooked". | |||
Khmer | ឆៅ | ||
In Khmer, "ឆៅ" ('chhau') also means "unripe" or "immature". | |||
Lao | ດິບ | ||
The Lao word ດິບ is also used to describe something that is not fully developed or mature. | |||
Malay | mentah | ||
"Mentah" also means "fresh" or "green" and is related to the word "mentaga" (butter). | |||
Thai | ดิบ | ||
The Thai word "ดิบ" (raw) can also be used to describe something that is not yet refined or polished, such as a painting or a sculpture. | |||
Vietnamese | thô | ||
"Thô" also means "unrefined or natural," as in "đá thô" (uncut stone). | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | hilaw | ||
Azerbaijani | xam | ||
"Xam" is also used in Azerbaijani as an intensifier, to signify a raw deal or intense anger. | |||
Kazakh | шикі | ||
The word "шикі" can also mean "green" or "unripe" in Kazakh, referring to its raw state. | |||
Kyrgyz | чийки | ||
The Kyrgyz word "чийки (chiyki)" can also mean "fresh," "uncooked," or "green," depending on the context. | |||
Tajik | хом | ||
The Tajik word "хом" ("raw") also has the meanings "unripe" and "green". | |||
Turkmen | çig | ||
Uzbek | xom | ||
In Uzbek, "xom" can also mean "unripe" or "green". | |||
Uyghur | خام | ||
Hawaiian | maka | ||
'Maka' is used to describe the rawness of food, as well as the initial stage of a growth, a creation, a thought, or an action. | |||
Maori | raw | ||
The word "raw" in Māori, often spelled "rau," primarily means "leaf" or "foliage," but can also refer to "fresh" or "undercooked." | |||
Samoan | mata | ||
The Samoan word 'mata' also means 'eye'. This is because the eye is seen as the window to the soul, and therefore contains the person's true essence. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | hilaw | ||
The Tagalog word "hilaw" also means "green" or "immature". |
Aymara | ch'uqi | ||
Guarani | pýra | ||
Esperanto | kruda | ||
The Esperanto word "kruda" is derived from the Latin word "crudus" which means "raw, uncooked". | |||
Latin | rudis | ||
Rudis derives from the term for 'untouched by civilization' and is the source of the words 'rude' and 'rudimentary'. |
Greek | ακατέργαστος | ||
In Byzantine times, the meaning of 'ακατέργαστος' also meant 'unfinished', 'unready' or 'in the rough' in the context of a work in progress, rather than a raw material in its primary form. | |||
Hmong | nyoos | ||
Nyoo also commonly refers to uncooked meat or fish in a dish, which is more specifically "nyoos tshib". | |||
Kurdish | xavî | ||
The Kurdish word "xavî" is also used to mean "unripe" or "immature". | |||
Turkish | çiğ | ||
Ciğ can also refer to an expression or idea that is fresh and unedited, like a raw draft. | |||
Xhosa | eluhlaza | ||
The Xhosa word 'eluhlaza' not only means 'raw', but also refers to 'fresh', 'green', and 'unripe' things. | |||
Yiddish | רוי | ||
The Yiddish word "רוי" ("roy") is derived from the Old High German word "rōh," meaning "rough" or "untamed". | |||
Zulu | okuluhlaza | ||
"Okuluhlaza" can also mean "inexperienced" or "naïve" in Zulu. | |||
Assamese | কেঁচা | ||
Aymara | ch'uqi | ||
Bhojpuri | काँच | ||
Dhivehi | ރޯ | ||
Dogri | कच्चा | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | hilaw | ||
Guarani | pýra | ||
Ilocano | naata | ||
Krio | nɔ kuk | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | ڕێز | ||
Maithili | कांच | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯍꯤꯛꯕ | ||
Mizo | hel | ||
Oromo | dheedhii | ||
Odia (Oriya) | କଞ୍ଚା | | ||
Quechua | kinranpa | ||
Sanskrit | अपक्व | ||
Tatar | чимал | ||
Tigrinya | ዘይበሰለ | ||
Tsonga | mbisi | ||