Rice in Different Languages
Discover 'Rice' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Rice
Afrikaans rys | ||
Albanian oriz | ||
Amharic ሩዝ | ||
Arabic أرز | ||
Armenian բրինձ | ||
Assamese ভাত | ||
Aymara arusa | ||
Azerbaijani düyü | ||
Bambara malo | ||
Basque arroza | ||
Belarusian рыс | ||
Bengali ভাত | ||
Bhojpuri चाऊर | ||
Bosnian pirinač | ||
Bulgarian ориз | ||
Catalan arròs | ||
Cebuano bugas | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 白饭 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 白飯 | ||
Corsican risu | ||
Croatian riža | ||
Czech rýže | ||
Danish ris | ||
Dhivehi ބަތް | ||
Dogri चौल | ||
Dutch rijst | ||
English rice | ||
Esperanto rizo | ||
Estonian riis | ||
Ewe mᴐli | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) kanin | ||
Finnish riisi | ||
French riz | ||
Frisian rys | ||
Galician arroz | ||
Georgian ბრინჯი | ||
German reis | ||
Greek ρύζι | ||
Guarani arro | ||
Gujarati ચોખા | ||
Haitian Creole diri | ||
Hausa shinkafa | ||
Hawaiian laiki | ||
Hebrew אורז | ||
Hindi चावल | ||
Hmong txhuv | ||
Hungarian rizs | ||
Icelandic hrísgrjón | ||
Igbo osikapa | ||
Ilocano innapoy | ||
Indonesian nasi | ||
Irish rís | ||
Italian riso | ||
Japanese ご飯 | ||
Javanese sega | ||
Kannada ಅಕ್ಕಿ | ||
Kazakh күріш | ||
Khmer អង្ករ | ||
Kinyarwanda umuceri | ||
Konkani तांदूळ | ||
Korean 쌀 | ||
Krio res | ||
Kurdish birinc | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) برنج | ||
Kyrgyz күрүч | ||
Lao ເຂົ້າ | ||
Latin rice | ||
Latvian rīsi | ||
Lingala loso | ||
Lithuanian ryžiai | ||
Luganda omuceere | ||
Luxembourgish reis | ||
Macedonian ориз | ||
Maithili भात | ||
Malagasy -bary | ||
Malay nasi | ||
Malayalam അരി | ||
Maltese ross | ||
Maori raihi | ||
Marathi तांदूळ | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯆꯦꯡ | ||
Mizo buhfai | ||
Mongolian будаа | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) ဆန် | ||
Nepali चामल | ||
Norwegian ris | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) mpunga | ||
Odia (Oriya) ଚାଉଳ | | ||
Oromo ruuzii | ||
Pashto وريجي | ||
Persian برنج | ||
Polish ryż | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) arroz | ||
Punjabi ਚੌਲ | ||
Quechua arroz | ||
Romanian orez | ||
Russian рис | ||
Samoan araisa | ||
Sanskrit तांडुलः | ||
Scots Gaelic rus | ||
Sepedi raese | ||
Serbian пиринач | ||
Sesotho raese | ||
Shona mupunga | ||
Sindhi چانور | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) සහල් | ||
Slovak ryža | ||
Slovenian riž | ||
Somali bariis | ||
Spanish arroz | ||
Sundanese sangu | ||
Swahili mchele | ||
Swedish ris | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) bigas | ||
Tajik биринҷ | ||
Tamil அரிசி | ||
Tatar дөге | ||
Telugu బియ్యం | ||
Thai ข้าว | ||
Tigrinya ሩዝ | ||
Tsonga rhayisi | ||
Turkish pirinç | ||
Turkmen tüwi | ||
Twi (Akan) ɛmo | ||
Ukrainian рис | ||
Urdu چاول | ||
Uyghur گۈرۈچ | ||
Uzbek guruch | ||
Vietnamese cơm | ||
Welsh reis | ||
Xhosa irayisi | ||
Yiddish רייַז | ||
Yoruba iresi | ||
Zulu irayisi |
Etymology & Notes
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | The Afrikaans word for "rice" ("rys") is likely a corruption of the Indonesian word "nasi", which can refer to cooked rice, a meal or even a ceremony. |
| Albanian | The word "oriz" in Albanian, meaning "rice," is derived from the Medieval Latin word "oryza," which in turn originated from the Greek word "oryza." |
| Amharic | ሩዝ ('ruz') comes from the Arabic "ruzz" which also has the meanings "provisions of sustenance" |
| Arabic | 'أرز' in Arabic is of Persian origin, and its original meaning is 'food', 'provisions', 'nourishment', or 'sustenance'. |
| Armenian | The word "բրինձ" can also refer to the "grain of rice" or the "rice plant" in Armenian. |
| Azerbaijani | "Düyü," meaning "rice" in Azerbaijani, derives from the Proto-Turkic word "tü" meaning "grain". |
| Basque | The word "arroza" in Basque may derive from Arabic and originally meant "food". |
| Belarusian | The word "рыс" (rice) in Belarusian is cognate with the Russian word "рис" (rice) and the English word "rice". It is also related to the Latin word "oryza", which is the source of the English word "oryza". |
| Bengali | The Bengali equivalent of 'rice,' ভাত ('bhat'), originally signified cooked food in general. |
| Bosnian | The word 'pirinač' is a loanword from Turkish that originally meant 'boiled wheat'. |
| Bulgarian | "Ориз" comes from the Proto-Slavic word *oryzъ, which is derived from the Greek word ὄρυζα (óryza). |
| Catalan | The Catalan word "arròs" comes from the Arabic word "al-ruzz", meaning "cooked grain" or "cooked barley". |
| Cebuano | Bugas is a synonym for pamay which means a type of rice that is unhusked and unpounded. |
| Chinese (Simplified) | "白饭" in Chinese also refers to a plain meal without any dishes. |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 白飯 is also used informally to refer to plain, boring, or uninspired writing or speech. |
| Corsican | The word "risu" also means "the beard of a plant" and is used to name a type of wheat in Corsican. |
| Croatian | The word "riža" is derived from Proto-Slavic "ryža" and can also refer to a type of porridge made from rice. |
| Czech | The Czech word "rýže" is thought to derive from an old German term for rice that is related to the word "Roggen," which means rye. |
| Danish | The word "ris" in Danish can also refer to twigs or branches used in traditional Danish building techniques. |
| Dutch | In Dutch the word "rijst" not only means rice, but also refers to a popular Dutch dish consisting of rice boiled in milk or water and often served with cinnamon and sugar |
| Esperanto | The word "rizo" is a borrowing from Italian, and ultimately comes from Arabic "ruzz". |
| Estonian | Riis is etymologically related to the English word "rice" but also refers to "rag". |
| Finnish | In Finnish, the word "riisi" is also used to refer to any type of grain. |
| French | In Old French, "riz" also referred to a type of grain used to make flour. |
| Frisian | In Frisian the word "rys" has the same Germanic origin as the words "rye" and "rushes" in English. |
| Galician | The name “arroz” is of Arabic origin and has the same root as “ruzz” in Persian, “ruaj” in Hebrew, and “oryza” in Greek |
| Georgian | The Georgian word "ბრინჯი" derives from Sanskrit, having similar etymologies to the Persian "برنج" (berenj) and the English "rice". The root term, "*bhr-", is likely related to boiling or cooking. |
| German | The German word "Reis" originally meant "journey", but later took on the meaning of "rice" due to its importance as a trade good. |
| Greek | The word "ρύζι" is ultimately derived from Sanskrit "vrīhí", which refers to a specific type of rice known as wild rice. |
| Gujarati | The Gujarati word "ચોખા" is derived from Sanskrit "चरु" meaning cooked rice, boiled cereals, or food in general. |
| Haitian Creole | Diri is also used figuratively in Haitian Creole to refer to money or wealth. |
| Hausa | Shinkafa, meaning rice in Hausa, may have originated from the word 'shin' which means to plant, or from the Berber word 'shnf' referring to wheat or barley. |
| Hawaiian | Laiki is also the Hawaiian word for "to live". |
| Hebrew | The Hebrew word "אורז" (orez) comes from the Arabic word "أرز" (ʾruzz), which in turn derives from the ancient Greek word "ὄρυζα" (óryza). |
| Hindi | - "चावल" can also refer to "paddy". |
| Hmong | The term "txhuv" is derived from proto-Hmong-Mien word "tsʰu", meaning "rice" or "edible grain". |
| Hungarian | In Hungarian, the word "rizs" also figuratively means "a lot". |
| Icelandic | "Hrísgrjón" can also be used to refer to any small, round grain, such as barley, oats or rye. |
| Igbo | While osikapa is the common word for rice, it also means "food" or "sustenance" in Igbo. |
| Indonesian | "Nasi" derives from Sanskrit "Shali," meaning "husked rice," also yielding "nasi" in Malay. |
| Irish | rís (rice) stems from an Old Irish word for "provision" and is cognate with "wheat" in other Celtic languages. |
| Italian | In some parts of Italy, “riso |
| Japanese | The word “ご飯” (pronounced “gohan”) means “cooked rice” in Japanese, but it can also be used figuratively to refer to a meal in general. |
| Javanese | The word "sega" in Javanese is an Old Javanese word for "boiled rice", and the root word likely relates to the act of steaming or boiling rice. |
| Kannada | The word "ಅಕ್ಕಿ" (rice) is derived from the Proto-Dravidian word "*akki" meaning "grain" or "food." |
| Kazakh | The Kazakh word "күріш" also refers to a type of wrestling known as "kazaksha kures" or "Kazakh wrestling". |
| Khmer | "អង្ករ" can be translated into "rice" but also designates the ancient city of Angkor or Angkor Wat |
| Korean | The word "쌀" can also refer to the husk of rice, or to the process of threshing rice. |
| Kurdish | The word "birinc" in Kurdish also refers to a type of pilaf dish made with rice. |
| Kyrgyz | It is a loanword from the Persian word |
| Lao | The Lao word 'ເຂົ້າ' shares an etymology with the Thai word 'ข้าว' ('rice'), both of which derive from the Proto-Tai word 'khaw' meaning 'to eat'. |
| Latin | In Latin, “rice” is also known as “oriza”, which derives from the Greek word “ὄρυζα” (orýza). |
| Latvian | The word "rīsi" can also refer to "cereals" or "grains" in Latvian, not just "rice". |
| Lithuanian | The word "ryžiai" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₃reyh₃-, meaning "to rub". This reflects the traditional method of preparing rice, where the husks are removed by rubbing the grains together. |
| Luxembourgish | Luxembourgish "Reis" comes from Late Latin "risum" (to laugh) |
| Macedonian | The word "ориз" ultimately comes from Greek "ὄρυζα" |
| Malagasy | -BARY also means "paddy fields" or "rice fields" in Malagasy. |
| Malay | The word 'nasi' can also refer to cooked rice with various seasonings or dishes, such as 'nasi goreng' (fried rice) or 'nasi lemak' (coconut rice). |
| Malayalam | "അരി" (ari) also means "grains" or "particles", and is used as a suffix or prefix for words relating to such meanings, such as "മണലരി" (manalari, "grains of sand"). |
| Maltese | The word "ross" is derived from the Arabic word "ar-ruzz", which refers to uncooked rice. |
| Maori | The Maori word "raihi" is derived from the Proto-Polynesian word "*lahi", meaning "cooked food". |
| Marathi | "तांदूळ" has multiple meanings including the plant itself as well as the grain that is a staple food for much of the world. |
| Mongolian | The Mongolian word "будаа" also refers to the "meal" consumed at noon. |
| Myanmar (Burmese) | The word "ဆန်" also has the alternate meaning of "raw rice". |
| Nepali | The word चामल derives from the Sanskrit word शालि (śāli), meaning 'rice plant or paddy'. |
| Norwegian | The word "ris" can also mean "brush" or "twig" in Norwegian. |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | In the Nyanja dialect of the Bantu language, mpunga is referred to as 'Mphopi' and comes from the root word 'fupha' which means 'to dream'. |
| Pashto | Derived from Persian "beryānj" and Sanskrit "vrīhi". |
| Persian | The word "برنج" also refers to the Iranian currency "rial" |
| Polish | Etymology of Ryż: from the Proto-Slavic word *ryžь, most likely of Iranian origin. |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | In Brazil, the word “arroz” can also refer to the rice and beans dish, a staple of Brazilian cuisine. |
| Punjabi | The word "ਚੌਲ" (rice) in Punjabi is derived from the Sanskrit word "चावल" (cāvala), which itself is derived from the Dravidian word "சோறு" (cōṟu). |
| Romanian | The word "orez" (rice) in Romanian is derived from the Latin word "oryza" through the Old Church Slavonic "orĭz". |
| Russian | "Рис" comes from the Sanskrit word "vrihi" or "vrizi" that means "best grain." |
| Samoan | In Samoan, 'araisa' is a shortened form of the word 'la'au 'araisa' meaning 'rice plant'. As a noun it means 'rice grains'. Its verb form also means 'to cultivate rice' or 'to plant rice'. |
| Scots Gaelic | The Gaelic word "rus" also means "bark" in relation to a tree. |
| Serbian | The word "пиринач" can also refer to a type of bird known as a rice bird, or oryzornis. |
| Sesotho | The word "raese" also means "a grain or food made from rice" |
| Shona | The word 'mupunga' in Shona is derived from the Proto-Bantu word '*punga', meaning 'dry' or 'withered'. |
| Sindhi | In Sindhi, "چانور" can also refer to "boiled rice" or "cooked rice". |
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | The word සහල් (rice) in Sinhala originated from the Sanskrit word "sali". |
| Slovak | The Slovak word "ryža" originates from the Persian word "brinj" meaning "rice plant". |
| Slovenian | The word 'riž' also refers to the plant species 'Oryza sativa' and the grain produced by it. |
| Somali | The word bariis comes from the Arabic word barīz, meaning |
| Spanish | In some countries, |
| Sundanese | The word "sangu" also refers to the rice plant and various rice dishes (e.g. sangu awug). |
| Swahili | The word "Mchele" can also refer to small stones or gravel in Swahili, due to their resemblance to rice grains. |
| Swedish | The word "ris" in Swedish can also mean "scratch" or "incision", likely derived from the Old Norse word "risa". |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | "Bigas" is an Old Javanese word that originally means "cooked food" but now specifically means "cooked rice". Thus the related word "bahao," now meaning rice pudding in Tagalog, comes from another Old Javanese word, "bhawa," that meant "wet cooked food". |
| Tajik | The Tajik word "биринҷ" is borrowed from Persian and is ultimately derived from Sanskrit "vrihi-." Sanskrit cognate "vrihi-" is also at the root of the English words "bread" and "brew." |
| Tamil | The word 'அரிசி' ('rice') is derived from the proto-Dravidian word 'அறு' ('to cut') and refers to the process of removing the husk from the rice grains. |
| Telugu | The word "బియ్యం" can also mean "grain" or "seed" in Telugu. |
| Thai | ข้าว is also a unit of measurement in Thailand, equivalent to 15 kilograms. |
| Turkish | The word "pirinç" is derived from the Persian word "bīrj" and is related to the Greek word "πυρός" (puros), meaning "wheat" or "grain". |
| Ukrainian | The word "рис" comes from German "reis", which in turn comes from the Greek "oryza". |
| Urdu | The word "चावल" or "چاول" is derived from Sanskrit and originally meant "moving" or "shaking". |
| Uzbek | The word |
| Vietnamese | "Cơm" also means "meal" or "food" in Vietnamese, highlighting the central role of rice in Vietnamese cuisine. |
| Welsh | The word 'reis' in Welsh is also used as a synonym for 'king' or 'chief'. |
| Xhosa | In isiZulu, irayisi also refers to a rice-like maize porridge made using a stamping block and mortar. |
| Yiddish | In Yiddish, "רייַז" also refers to the grains of barley and oats. |
| Yoruba | The Yoruba word "ìrẹsì" can also refer to the husked grain of any type of cereal or legume. |
| Zulu | The Zulu word "irayisi" may have derived from the Portuguese "arroz" meaning "rice". |
| English | In Middle English, 'rice' also referred to any rich or powerful person, likely from Old French 'riche,' meaning 'wealthy'. |