Rock in Different Languages
Discover 'Rock' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Rock. It's a small word with a big meaning. In its most basic sense, a rock is a natural substance, a hard, solid mineral material that occurs naturally. But the word 'rock' carries a lot more weight than that. It's a cultural icon, a symbol of endurance and stability. It's the foundation upon which we build our homes, our cities, and our lives.
Think of the famous saying, 'to rock something', meaning to make something successful or impressive. Or the phrase 'rock and roll', which symbolizes rebellion, freedom, and youthful spirit. And who can forget the classic lullaby, 'Rock-a-bye Baby', which has soothed generations to sleep?
Given its significance, it's no wonder that people might want to know the translation of 'rock' in different languages. After all, language is more than just words - it's a reflection of culture and history. So, let's explore the translations of 'rock' in various languages, from Spanish and French to Chinese and Arabic.
Rock
Rock in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | rots | ||
| "Rots" in Afrikaans comes from the Dutch word "rots", meaning "rock" or "cliff", but can also refer to something rotten or decaying. | |||
| Amharic | ዐለት | ||
| The word "ዐለት" can also refer to a "foundation" or "base". | |||
| Hausa | dutse | ||
| The word "dutse" can also refer to a place where granite stones are quarried. | |||
| Igbo | nkume | ||
| **nkume** may also refer to **a stone building**. | |||
| Malagasy | vatolampy | ||
| The word "vatolampy" likely comes from the Proto-Austronesian "batulampung" or "batulangpung", meaning "flat rock". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | thanthwe | ||
| The word "thanthwe" in Nyanja (Chichewa) originates from the verb "kuthanthwa" meaning "to be ground down", likely referring to the process of erosion that forms rocks. | |||
| Shona | dombo | ||
| The word "dombo" in Shona also refers to a hill or mound, highlighting the connection between rocks and elevated landforms in the region's landscape. | |||
| Somali | dhagax | ||
| Sesotho | lefika | ||
| "Lefika" can also refer to a stone that is used to grind other stones to make them smooth. | |||
| Swahili | mwamba | ||
| The Swahili word "mwamba" (rock) can also mean "shield" or "fortress". | |||
| Xhosa | iliwa | ||
| The word 'Iliwa' also refers to a 'place of refuge', due to the protective nature of rocks. | |||
| Yoruba | apata | ||
| "Apata," meaning "stone" in Yoruba, is a metaphor for strength, resilience, and unyielding spirit. | |||
| Zulu | idwala | ||
| Zulu word "idwala" may originate from Old Zulu "u-dwala" or "udwara", meaning "mountain" or "peak". | |||
| Bambara | farakurun | ||
| Ewe | ahliha | ||
| Kinyarwanda | urutare | ||
| Lingala | libanga | ||
| Luganda | olwaazi | ||
| Sepedi | letlapa | ||
| Twi (Akan) | botan | ||
Rock in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | صخرة | ||
| The word "صخرة" ('rock') comes from the verb 'صخر' meaning to 'strike' or 'harden', which is also the root of the word 'صخر' ('stone'). | |||
| Hebrew | סלע | ||
| Hebrew סלע ("rock") can also refer to a currency, a unit of weight, and a coin. | |||
| Pashto | راک | ||
| The word "راک" can have meanings of "stone", "boulder", and "hill" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | صخرة | ||
| The word "صخرة" ('rock') comes from the verb 'صخر' meaning to 'strike' or 'harden', which is also the root of the word 'صخر' ('stone'). | |||
Rock in Western European Languages
| Albanian | shkëmb | ||
| The word "shkëmb" in Albanian can also refer to a fort, fortress or fortification | |||
| Basque | harkaitza | ||
| "Harkaitza" also means "difficult situation" in Basque. | |||
| Catalan | roca | ||
| The word "roca" can have the alternative meanings "castle" or "fortress" in Catalan. | |||
| Croatian | stijena | ||
| The Croatian word "stijena" comes from the Proto-Slavic word *stěna, meaning "wall" or "cliff", which is also the origin of the English word "stone" and the Russian word "стена" (stena). | |||
| Danish | klippe | ||
| The Danish word "klippe" also refers to a "large stone", "an outcrop", or "a cliff". | |||
| Dutch | rots | ||
| There is an obscure meaning of "rots" in Dutch which means "to pull apart" or "to take apart" e.g. "Rots dat ding eens" which means "Take that thing apart". | |||
| English | rock | ||
| The word "rock" derives from Old English "roc" meaning "stone" and has evolved to encompass meanings like music genre and solid motionless object. | |||
| French | roche | ||
| In Old French, "Roche" could refer to a fortress on top of a rock. | |||
| Frisian | rots | ||
| The Frisian word "rots" can also refer to a piece of hard candy. | |||
| Galician | rocha | ||
| The Galician word "rocha" derives from the Latin "rostrum", which means "beak" or "nose." | |||
| German | felsen | ||
| The German word "Felsen" not only denotes a large, isolated rock formation, but also figuratively means "an insurmountable obstacle" and can refer to "unyielding opposition". | |||
| Icelandic | berg | ||
| The Icelandic word "berg" can also refer to an iceberg or a peninsula | |||
| Irish | carraig | ||
| The Irish word "carraig" can also refer to a pillar stone or megalithic monument. | |||
| Italian | roccia | ||
| In architecture, roccia is a term indicating a natural or rough stone used as a construction material. | |||
| Luxembourgish | rock | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "Rock" can also refer to a type of skirt or a type of dance. | |||
| Maltese | blat | ||
| The word 'blat' in Maltese is of Semitic origin, possibly deriving from the Phoenician/Hebrew word 'blt'. | |||
| Norwegian | stein | ||
| The Norwegian word "stein" also means "stone" or "pebble". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | rocha | ||
| Originating from the Latin word "roca", "Rocha" is also an ancient name for a type of castle or fortress in Portugal and Brazil. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | chreag | ||
| The word "chreag" in Scots Gaelic is often found in place names which describe rocky outcrops. | |||
| Spanish | rock | ||
| The Spanish word 'rock' can also refer to a type of music. | |||
| Swedish | sten | ||
| The word "sten" in Swedish can also refer to a small stone or a piece of jewelry. | |||
| Welsh | roc | ||
| Welsh "roc" can derive from *rak-, "stone, heap of stones," but can also refer to "castle" in later use. | |||
Rock in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | рок | ||
| In Belarusian, "рок" also means "fate" or "destiny". | |||
| Bosnian | rock | ||
| In Bosnian, "rock" can also refer to a large stone, a fortress, or a type of music. | |||
| Bulgarian | рок | ||
| Bulgarian "рок" comes from German, where "рок" means "a skirt" (plural "röcke") and originally referred to a type of music and dance originating from the mid 19th century in which men dressed up as women (in skirts). | |||
| Czech | skála | ||
| The word "skála" also has a metaphorical meaning of "firm basis" or "pillar". | |||
| Estonian | rokk | ||
| "Rokk" in Estonian derives from the Swedish word "rocka" meaning "to swing". | |||
| Finnish | rock | ||
| The Finnish word "kallio" can refer to a rock, a cliff or even a stone hill. | |||
| Hungarian | szikla | ||
| "Szikla" also means "a person who is stubborn or unyielding". | |||
| Latvian | akmens | ||
| "Akmens" can also be used to describe a type of bread or baked goods in the shape of a stone in Latvian. | |||
| Lithuanian | rokas | ||
| In Lithuanian mythology, Rokas is also a name of the god of the underworld. | |||
| Macedonian | карпа | ||
| The word "карпа" is also used in a figurative sense to refer to a hard and unyielding person or situation. | |||
| Polish | skała | ||
| The term 'skała' can also refer to a 'cliff', a 'crag' or a 'precipice' | |||
| Romanian | stâncă | ||
| "Stâncă" comes from the Slavic "stan", meaning "to stand", signifying the firm, stable nature of a rock. | |||
| Russian | рок | ||
| "Рок" (rock) in Russian is also a synonym for "fate" or "destiny" and can be used in the expression "горькая рок" ("bitter fate") or the proverb "от судьбы не уйдёшь, как от рока" ("you can't escape destiny, just as you can't escape fate"). | |||
| Serbian | стена | ||
| The word "стена" can also mean "wall" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | skala | ||
| Slovak "skala" shares its etymology with the Italian "scala" and can also refer to a scale, or even the scale of a fish. | |||
| Slovenian | skala | ||
| The Slovenian word "skala" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*skolā", meaning "cleft" or "split", and is related to the English word "scale". | |||
| Ukrainian | рок | ||
| The word "рок" (rock) in Ukrainian also means "fate" or "destiny". | |||
Rock in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | শিলা | ||
| The Bengali word "শিলা" has multiple meanings, including a flat stone slab, a sharpening stone, or a stone used in traditional games like Ludo. | |||
| Gujarati | ખડક | ||
| "ખડક" is also synonymous with "obstacle" or "hardship" in Gujarati. | |||
| Hindi | चट्टान | ||
| The Hindi word "चट्टान" is related to the Sanskrit words "chhatra" (umbrella) and "chhat" (roof) due to the protective nature of a rock. | |||
| Kannada | ಬಂಡೆ | ||
| This word is also used in the sense of a large building, like the Mysore Jaganmohan Palace. | |||
| Malayalam | പാറ | ||
| "പാറ" (rock) in Malayalam has alternate meanings such as a type of boat, a type of drum, and a slang term for a large amount of money. | |||
| Marathi | रॉक | ||
| In Marathi, "rock" can refer to both a hard substance or a musical genre, derived from the English word "rock" and Sanskrit "rocana" meaning "bright or shining." | |||
| Nepali | चट्टान | ||
| The word "चट्टान" (rock) in Nepali is derived from the Sanskrit word "chaṭṭa" meaning "a rock, a stone, a slab". | |||
| Punjabi | ਚੱਟਾਨ | ||
| ਚੱਟਾਨ (Punjabi) originates from Sanskrit word 'Shilatan', meaning 'made from stone' or 'stone-like'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පාෂාණය | ||
| In Sinhala, the word "පාෂාණය" can also refer to a type of jewel or a gem. | |||
| Tamil | பாறை | ||
| "பாறை" (rock): from Proto-Dravidian *para- "stone, rock, mountain", also Dravidian root word for "big, great". | |||
| Telugu | రాక్ | ||
| The Telugu word రాక్ (rock) comes from the English word | |||
| Urdu | پتھر | ||
| پتھر can also mean "a jewel" or "a precious stone". | |||
Rock in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 岩 | ||
| 岩 can also mean 'cliff' or 'promontory', and is a component of various place names, such as 雁岩 (Yan'an). | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 岩石 | ||
| 岩石 originated as the name for a jade rock found specifically in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period. | |||
| Japanese | 岩 | ||
| In Japanese, "岩" can also refer to a person's determination or will. | |||
| Korean | 록 | ||
| The Korean word 록 (rock) is loanword from English, but has alternate meanings, including "rock music" or "drug-induced unconsciousness." | |||
| Mongolian | чулуу | ||
| The Mongolian word "чулуу" comes from the Proto-Mongolic root "*čuluɣ", which can be traced back to the Middle Mongolian term for "stone." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ကျောက် | ||
Rock in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | batu | ||
| Batu is an ancient Indonesian word that can refer to a stone, rock, or even a hill. | |||
| Javanese | watu | ||
| "Watu" in Javanese also refers to a type of traditional herbal medicine made from ground rock or stone. | |||
| Khmer | ថ្ម | ||
| The term "ថ្ម" can also refer to a precious stone or a hard material. | |||
| Lao | ກ້ອນຫີນ | ||
| Malay | batu | ||
| In Indonesia and Malaysia, "batu" can also refer to a flat tombstone or gravestone. | |||
| Thai | ร็อค | ||
| The word "ร็อค" (rock) in Thai can also mean "to swing" or "to shake". | |||
| Vietnamese | đá | ||
| In Vietnamese, "đá" also refers to "ice" and "drugs". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | bato | ||
Rock in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | qaya | ||
| The word "qaya" in Azerbaijani can also mean a solid and strong thing or a courageous person. | |||
| Kazakh | рок | ||
| In Kazakh, "рок" can also refer to the "day of judgement" or "fate". | |||
| Kyrgyz | тек | ||
| The word "тек" also means "foundation" in Kyrgyz. | |||
| Tajik | санг | ||
| Tajik “санг” is a loanword from Persian “sang”, deriving from Middle Persian “sang”, Old Persian “θaŋa”, Proto-Indo-European “*kʰeng-”, also related to Latin “cingere” (to surround) and “salex” (willow). | |||
| Turkmen | gaýa | ||
| Uzbek | tosh | ||
| The word "tosh" can also refer to a stone house or a stone monument in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | تاش | ||
Rock in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pōhaku | ||
| The word "pōhaku" has alternate meanings such as "anchor" and "testicle". | |||
| Maori | toka | ||
| The word 'toka' is a loanword from Polynesian languages and also means 'altar' in Maori. | |||
| Samoan | papa | ||
| In astronomy, "papa" refers to the dark part of the surface of the moon or Venus. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | bato | ||
| The Tagalog word "bato" can also mean "bullet" or "dice", and is related to the Indonesian word "batu" meaning "stone" | |||
Rock in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ruk | ||
| Guarani | itaguasu | ||
Rock in International Languages
| Esperanto | roko | ||
| "Roko" is a Esperanto word for "rock". It is probably derived from some root word that means "stone", such as the Proto-Indo-European word "rek-" which means "rock". | |||
| Latin | petram | ||
| Petram can also mean 'a stony place' in Greek, or 'a small part' or 'a bit'. | |||
Rock in Others Languages
| Greek | βράχος | ||
| The Greek word "βράχος" not only means "rock", but also "crag", "cliff", or "precipice". | |||
| Hmong | pob zeb | ||
| The Hmong word "pob zeb" not only means "rock" but also has meanings related to "weight", "burden", and "hard work". | |||
| Kurdish | teht | ||
| The Kurdish word "teht" is also used to refer to a "stone" or "boulder" and comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*tek-," meaning "to make hard." | |||
| Turkish | kaya | ||
| The word "Kaya" also has the alternate meaning of "father-in-law" or "brother-in-law" in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | iliwa | ||
| The word 'Iliwa' also refers to a 'place of refuge', due to the protective nature of rocks. | |||
| Yiddish | שטיין | ||
| Yiddish 'שטיין' ('stein') also refers to a clay pot, like the ones used for stewing fruit and vegetables. | |||
| Zulu | idwala | ||
| Zulu word "idwala" may originate from Old Zulu "u-dwala" or "udwara", meaning "mountain" or "peak". | |||
| Assamese | শিল | ||
| Aymara | ruk | ||
| Bhojpuri | चट्टान | ||
| Dhivehi | ހިލަ | ||
| Dogri | कुप्पड़ | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | bato | ||
| Guarani | itaguasu | ||
| Ilocano | bato | ||
| Krio | ston | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بەرد | ||
| Maithili | पाथर | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯅꯨꯡ | ||
| Mizo | lung | ||
| Oromo | dhagaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ପଥର | ||
| Quechua | rumi | ||
| Sanskrit | चट्टानं | ||
| Tatar | кыя | ||
| Tigrinya | ከውሒ | ||
| Tsonga | ribye | ||