Rich in Different Languages
Discover 'Rich' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'rich' is more than just a term to describe financial wealth. It signifies abundance, prosperity, and fertility across various cultures and languages. The concept of richness is not limited to material possessions; it can also refer to one's intellectual, emotional, or spiritual well-being. Throughout history, rich individuals have been patrons of the arts, driving cultural movements and leaving lasting legacies.
For instance, in English, 'rich' describes someone who has an abundance of resources. In Spanish, 'rico' (masculine) or 'rica' (feminine) conveys the same meaning. In French, 'riche' is used, reflecting the language's shared roots with English. In Mandarin Chinese, '富' (fù) represents wealth and prosperity. In Japanese, '豊か' (yutaka) signifies richness in a broad sense, encompassing abundance in various aspects of life.
Explore the many facets of 'rich' in different languages and broaden your understanding of this versatile word. Delve into the cultural significance of richness across the globe, and discover how the translation of this single term can open up a world of fascinating traditions and customs.
Rich
Rich in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | ryk | ||
| "Ryk" in Afrikaans comes from the Middle Dutch "rijk", meaning "powerful, influential, or wealthy". | |||
| Amharic | ሀብታም | ||
| The word ሀብታም (habtam) is related to the word for "giving" (habtu), suggesting that wealth is something that should be shared. | |||
| Hausa | mai arziki | ||
| "Mai arziki" in Hausa means "rich" and it is derived from the Arabic word "ma'ruf" meaning "known" or "famous". | |||
| Igbo | bara ọgaranya | ||
| Igbo bara ọgaranya, meaning “wealthy or rich,” is etymologically linked to the terms bara (to have) and ọgaranya (abundance). | |||
| Malagasy | manan-karena | ||
| The Malagasy word "manan-karena" also contains older ideas of wealth in the possession of precious metals and rice. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | olemera | ||
| Nyanja's 'olemera' also means "wealthy" and derives from the root 'lemera', meaning "to be heavy". | |||
| Shona | mupfumi | ||
| In Shona, "mupfumi" can also refer to a fertile area of land. | |||
| Somali | hodan | ||
| Hodan derives from the Arabic word awdan, meaning 'vessel,' indicating a vessel of wealth | |||
| Sesotho | ruile | ||
| (Sesotho) ruile also means 'fat, abundant, or fertile' (esp. in the physical sense), and even 'good' or 'handsome'. | |||
| Swahili | tajiri | ||
| From the Arabic 'taajir, meaning 'trader' | |||
| Xhosa | sisityebi | ||
| The word 'sisityebi' in Xhosa has connotations of 'fatness' or 'wealth' and is often used to describe animals or land. | |||
| Yoruba | ọlọrọ | ||
| The word "ọlọrọ" is derived from the verbs "ọ" (to have) and "rọ" (to ask), implying that a wealthy person is someone who has and can give to others. | |||
| Zulu | ocebile | ||
| The word "ocebile" has an alternative meaning of "a person of wealth". | |||
| Bambara | nafolotigi | ||
| Ewe | kpᴐ ga | ||
| Kinyarwanda | abakire | ||
| Lingala | mozwi | ||
| Luganda | obugagga | ||
| Sepedi | humile | ||
| Twi (Akan) | sikanya | ||
Rich in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | غني | ||
| The word "غني" in Arabic also means to be self-sufficient or independent. | |||
| Hebrew | עָשִׁיר | ||
| The word עָשִׁיר derives from an ancient root meaning "to remain," suggesting wealth as a sign of enduring stability. | |||
| Pashto | بډای | ||
| The word "بډای" not only means "wealthy" in Pashto, but also refers to a man who has reached a state of spiritual fulfillment and contentment. | |||
| Arabic | غني | ||
| The word "غني" in Arabic also means to be self-sufficient or independent. | |||
Rich in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i pasur | ||
| The word "i pasur" ultimately comes from the Latin word "pecunia" meaning "money". Therefore it is a cognate of the English word "pecuniary". | |||
| Basque | aberatsa | ||
| The word "aberatsa" originally meant "strong" or "noble" in Basque before coming to mean "rich" | |||
| Catalan | ric | ||
| Catalan word "ric" comes from Latin word "dives" meaning "wealthy," and also means "tasty" in Catalan. | |||
| Croatian | bogat | ||
| The word 'bogat' in Croatian is derived from Proto-Indo-European *bʰog- ( | |||
| Danish | rig | ||
| The Danish word "rig" can also refer to a ship's sails or rigging. | |||
| Dutch | rijk | ||
| "Rijk" in Dutch also refers to an administrative division in the Netherlands. | |||
| English | rich | ||
| The word "rich" comes from the Old English word "rice" meaning "powerful" or "wealthy". | |||
| French | riches | ||
| In French, "riches" can also refer to wealth or material possessions. | |||
| Frisian | ryk | ||
| The Old Frisian word "ryk" also referred to wealth, power, and honor, and is derived from the Proto-Germanic root "*rīkijaz," meaning "powerful" or "ruler." | |||
| Galician | rico | ||
| In Galician, "rico" can also mean "tasty" or "beautiful", highlighting the connection between wealth and sensory pleasure or aesthetic appeal. | |||
| German | reich | ||
| It derives from Middle High German "rîche," which originally signified territory and still does (in modern German as Reich). | |||
| Icelandic | ríkur | ||
| The Icelandic word "ríkur" is also used to mean "powerful" or "influential." | |||
| Irish | saibhir | ||
| Historically, "saibhir" could also refer to wealth given by the church, or a "bishop's gift". | |||
| Italian | ricco | ||
| The word "ricco" in Italian also means "abundant" or "opulent". | |||
| Luxembourgish | räich | ||
| Maltese | sinjur | ||
| The word "sinjur" in Maltese comes from the Italian word "signore", meaning "lord" or "master". | |||
| Norwegian | rik | ||
| Rik was derived from two separate Norwegian words: "ríkja" (realm or kingdom) and "ríkr" (powerful). | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | rico | ||
| In Portuguese, "rico" can also mean "delicious" or "luscious". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | beairteach | ||
| "Beathairteach" is a word primarily used in Highland and Western dialects of Scottish Gaelic, unlike the more standardised "giullach". | |||
| Spanish | rico | ||
| The word "Rico" in Spanish can also mean "delicious" or "attractive". | |||
| Swedish | rik | ||
| The word "rik" in Swedish can also mean "realm" or "empire". | |||
| Welsh | cyfoethog | ||
| The word "cyfoethog" has its roots in the Proto-Celtic word "*komed" meaning "a treasure". | |||
Rich in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | багаты | ||
| The word богаты "bagaty" also has the following meanings in Belarusian: 1) a wealthy person; 2) a large number; 3) an abundance. | |||
| Bosnian | bogat | ||
| "Bogat" also means a brave warrior in old Slavic languages. | |||
| Bulgarian | богат | ||
| The Bulgarian word "богат" also refers to "God" as the supreme authority possessing supreme power and resources. | |||
| Czech | bohatý | ||
| Czech "bohatý" is cognate with Old Church Slavonic "bogatъ" (wealthy), which is of Turkic origin. | |||
| Estonian | rikas | ||
| While "rikas" normally means "wealthy" in Estonian, it can also refer to a "row" or a "line". | |||
| Finnish | rikas | ||
| The word "rikas" in Finnish originally meant "wealth in animals" and is related to the word "riista" for "wild game". | |||
| Hungarian | gazdag | ||
| The word "gazdag" in Hungarian is derived from the Turkish word "kazyk", meaning "gold" or "wealth". | |||
| Latvian | bagāts | ||
| The Latvian word “bagāts” also means "fertile soil." | |||
| Lithuanian | turtingas | ||
| "Turtingas" is derived from "turtas", which can also mean "wealth" or "fortune". | |||
| Macedonian | богати | ||
| The word "богати" in Macedonian can also mean "wealthy" or "affluent". | |||
| Polish | bogaty | ||
| "Bogaty" (rich) is etymologically related to "bóg" (God) or "bogowie" (deities) due to the Slavic idea of god-given riches. | |||
| Romanian | bogat | ||
| The word "bogat" in Romanian is also used to describe someone who is abundant or generous. | |||
| Russian | богатый | ||
| "Богатый" comes from "бог" ("god") and relates to blessings and bounty. | |||
| Serbian | богат | ||
| The word "богат" (rich) is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *bogatъ, which also meant "God" or "wealth". | |||
| Slovak | bohatý | ||
| The Slovak word "bohatý" also means abundant or plentiful. | |||
| Slovenian | bogati | ||
| The word 'bogati' is derived from a Proto-Slavic word '*bogatъ', cognate with 'bog' (god), meaning 'blessed' or 'favored by fortune'. | |||
| Ukrainian | багатий | ||
| The word "багатий" comes from the Proto-Slavic word *bogatъ, which means "wealthy" or "abundant". | |||
Rich in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ধনী | ||
| "ধনী" is also used as a term of respect for elders. | |||
| Gujarati | શ્રીમંત | ||
| The word "શ્રીમંત" comes from the Sanskrit word "śrimanta", which means "auspicious" or "fortunate". | |||
| Hindi | धनी | ||
| The word "धनी" can also mean "intelligent" or "wise" in Hindi. | |||
| Kannada | ಶ್ರೀಮಂತ | ||
| The word "ಶ್ರೀಮಂತ" was also used as an honorary title given to respected and learned persons in ancient Kannada literature. | |||
| Malayalam | സമ്പന്നൻ | ||
| The word "സമ്പന്നൻ" (rich) is derived from the root word "സമ്പത്" (wealth), and can also refer to prosperity or affluence. | |||
| Marathi | श्रीमंत | ||
| "श्रीमंत" (rich) is a Marathi word that comes from Sanskrit and has the same meaning in both languages, and it can also mean "auspicious" or "prosperous." | |||
| Nepali | धनी | ||
| The word 'धनी' in Nepali is derived from the Sanskrit word 'धन' which means 'wealth' or 'prosperity'. It also has a secondary meaning of 'master' or 'lord'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਅਮੀਰ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਅਮੀਰ" not only means "rich" but also refers to a wealthy, noble, or influential person. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පොහොසත් | ||
| The word "පොහොසත්" (rich) in Sinhala (Sinhalese) is derived from the Pali word "puthu" (much, abundant). | |||
| Tamil | பணக்கார | ||
| The word "பணக்கார" is derived from the root word "பணம்" (money), and also means "lender" or "moneylender". | |||
| Telugu | ధనవంతుడు | ||
| The word "ధనవంతుడు" comes from the Sanskrit word "dhana" meaning wealth and "vant" meaning possessing. | |||
| Urdu | امیر | ||
| The Urdu word "امیر" can also refer to a ruler, a commander, or a prince. | |||
Rich in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 丰富 | ||
| The character 丰 in 丰富 also means "abundant," while 富 means "wealthy." | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 豐富 | ||
| The character "丰" in "豐富" originally depicted a vessel filled with offerings, implying abundance and wealth. | |||
| Japanese | リッチ | ||
| The word "リッチ" can also mean "luxurious" or "elaborate" in Japanese. | |||
| Korean | 풍부한 | ||
| "풍부한" is an adjective that means abundant, plentiful, or ample. It also has a figurative meaning of deep or powerful. | |||
| Mongolian | баян | ||
| "Баян" is also a popular Mongolian first name, often given to children born into wealthy families. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကြွယ်ဝသော | ||
| The word ကြွယ်ဝသော is derived from Pali, where it means 'rich in qualities', and is also used in Myanmar (Burmese) to denote 'abundant' or 'prosperous'. | |||
Rich in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kaya | ||
| In some Indonesian dialects, "kaya" also means "to possess or own something". | |||
| Javanese | sugihe | ||
| "Sugihe" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian term "suji" meaning essence, and is cognate with the Malay word "sugih" meaning wealth. | |||
| Khmer | អ្នកមាន | ||
| The Khmer word "អ្នកមាន" can also refer to someone who has a high social or economic status, or someone who is wealthy. | |||
| Lao | ອຸດົມສົມບູນ | ||
| Malay | kaya | ||
| The word "kaya" in Malay shares the same root with the Sanskrit word "kosha" meaning "treasury" or "treasure". | |||
| Thai | รวย | ||
| "รวย" is also used to describe a situation or person with a lot of something, such as friends, knowledge, or experience. | |||
| Vietnamese | giàu có | ||
| The word "giàu có" derives from the Old Vietnamese word "giàu," meaning "abundant" or "plentiful." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mayaman | ||
Rich in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | zəngin | ||
| The Azerbaijani word "zəngin" is derived from the Persian word "zang", which means "bell" or "treasure." | |||
| Kazakh | бай | ||
| The word "бай" derives from the Turkic root "bay", meaning "lord" or "chief". | |||
| Kyrgyz | бай | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "бай" (rich) is possibly derived from the Turkic word "bay" (lord) or the Mongolian word "bai" (wealth). | |||
| Tajik | бой | ||
| The word "бой" is cognate with the Persian word "بای" (bāy) meaning "lord". | |||
| Turkmen | baý | ||
| Uzbek | boy | ||
| The word "boy" in Uzbek can also refer to a "lad" or "young man". | |||
| Uyghur | باي | ||
Rich in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | waiwai | ||
| In the Hawaiian language, "waiwai" denotes not only wealth but also abundance and prosperity. | |||
| Maori | taonga | ||
| The Maori word "taonga" can also refer to treasured possessions or heirlooms. | |||
| Samoan | mauoa | ||
| In Samoan mythology, "mauoa" also refers to a type of demon or evil spirit. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | mayaman | ||
| Mayaman comes from Arabic word "ma-yamin" which means luck, fortune, or wealth. | |||
Rich in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | muxsa | ||
| Guarani | iviruhetáva | ||
Rich in International Languages
| Esperanto | riĉa | ||
| The Esperanto word 'riĉa' derives from the Old Church Slavonic word 'ričь' meaning 'great' or 'wealthy'. | |||
| Latin | dives | ||
| The word "dives" in Latin can also mean "godlike" or "divine", suggesting a connection between wealth and deity. | |||
Rich in Others Languages
| Greek | πλούσιος | ||
| πλούσιος derives from the adjective πλέος, | |||
| Hmong | nplua nuj | ||
| In Hmong, "nplua nuj" is also a metaphor for "wealthy in spirit" or "blessed with good fortune." | |||
| Kurdish | dewlemend | ||
| The word "dewlemend" in Kurdish is derived from the Persian word "daulatmand," meaning "wealthy" or "prosperous." | |||
| Turkish | zengin | ||
| The word 'zengin' in Turkish, originally 'dîngîn,' evolved from a similar Persian word meaning 'lively, strong'. | |||
| Xhosa | sisityebi | ||
| The word 'sisityebi' in Xhosa has connotations of 'fatness' or 'wealth' and is often used to describe animals or land. | |||
| Yiddish | רייך | ||
| The Yiddish word "רייך" also means "large" or "generous". | |||
| Zulu | ocebile | ||
| The word "ocebile" has an alternative meaning of "a person of wealth". | |||
| Assamese | ধনী | ||
| Aymara | muxsa | ||
| Bhojpuri | धनी | ||
| Dhivehi | މުއްސަނދި | ||
| Dogri | अमीर | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | mayaman | ||
| Guarani | iviruhetáva | ||
| Ilocano | nabaknang | ||
| Krio | jɛntri | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | دەوڵەمەند | ||
| Maithili | धनी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯏꯅꯥꯛ ꯈꯨꯟꯕ | ||
| Mizo | hausa | ||
| Oromo | sooressa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଧନୀ | ||
| Quechua | qullqisapa | ||
| Sanskrit | धनिकः | ||
| Tatar | бай | ||
| Tigrinya | ሓፍታም | ||
| Tsonga | rifumo | ||