Rule in Different Languages
Discover 'Rule' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'rule' carries significant weight in our vocabulary, shaping our understanding of governance, order, and systems. Its cultural importance is evident in every society, as we establish laws, norms, and guidelines to govern our behavior. But what happens when we venture beyond our native tongue? Understanding the translation of 'rule' in different languages can open up a world of cultural discovery and appreciation.
For instance, did you know that 'rule' translates to 'régle' in French, reflecting the country's rich history of monarchy and bureaucracy? Or that in Japanese, 'rule' becomes '規則' (kisoku), a term that also denotes a sense of harmony and balance in society? These translations offer a glimpse into the values and beliefs of different cultures, shedding light on how they view authority and structure.
Whether you're a language enthusiast, a world traveler, or a cultural scholar, exploring the translation of 'rule' in different languages is a fascinating journey. Keep reading to discover more fascinating translations and insights!
Rule
Rule in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | heers | ||
| "Heers" comes from Middle Dutch and can also mean "sway", "authority", or "dominion". | |||
| Amharic | ደንብ | ||
| The Amharic word "ደንብ" can also refer to the "law of God" or "religious law" and has been incorporated into other languages such as Tigrinya and Ge'ez. | |||
| Hausa | mulki | ||
| Hausa mulki (< Arabic malik 'king' < Hebrew melek 'king', 'angel', 'messenger', 'counselor') has the same root as 'malaki' 'angel' borrowed from Arabic. | |||
| Igbo | na-achị | ||
| The term "na-achị" in Igbo language also means "control, authority, or dominion over a particular area or subject." | |||
| Malagasy | fitsipika | ||
| The Malagasy word "fitsipika" is derived from the French word "fixer", meaning "to establish" or "to determine." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | lamulo | ||
| The word lamulo (rule) in Nyanja (Chichewa) may also refer to the "line of descent" of matrilineal societies. | |||
| Shona | mutemo | ||
| The word "mutemo" can have different meanings depending on its context, such as "law," "regulation," or "principle." | |||
| Somali | xukun | ||
| The Somali word "xukun" also means "judgment" or "sentence" in a legal context. | |||
| Sesotho | busa | ||
| The Sesotho word 'busa' can also refer to the act of 'driving' a vehicle or 'leading' a group. | |||
| Swahili | sheria | ||
| Related to the Arabic word 'shari'a' ('law') and 'shara' ('a way'), 'sheria' was borrowed via Islam. | |||
| Xhosa | umgaqo | ||
| The word "umgaqo" can also refer to a code of conduct or a set of principles. | |||
| Yoruba | ofin | ||
| In Yoruba, 'ofin' can also mean 'law', 'commandment', or 'regulation'. | |||
| Zulu | umthetho | ||
| Umthetho means 'rule' and also 'justice'. | |||
| Bambara | sariya | ||
| Ewe | se | ||
| Kinyarwanda | amategeko | ||
| Lingala | mobeko | ||
| Luganda | okufuga | ||
| Sepedi | molao | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nhyehyɛeɛ | ||
Rule in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | قاعدة | ||
| The Arabic word "قاعدة" (rule) also means "foundation" or "base" in a physical sense, and "principle" or "axiom" in a figurative sense. | |||
| Hebrew | כְּלָל | ||
| The word כְּלָל can also refer to a general principle or concept, or to an object used as a standard for measurement. | |||
| Pashto | قانون | ||
| The word "قانون" in Pashto can also mean "law", "principle", or "method". | |||
| Arabic | قاعدة | ||
| The Arabic word "قاعدة" (rule) also means "foundation" or "base" in a physical sense, and "principle" or "axiom" in a figurative sense. | |||
Rule in Western European Languages
| Albanian | rregulli | ||
| The Albanian word 'rregulli' originally meant 'straight line' but its meaning has since been extended to 'rule' in general. | |||
| Basque | arau | ||
| "Arautu" is a common Basque verb in the sense of "to get ready." | |||
| Catalan | regla | ||
| Croatian | pravilo | ||
| In Croatian, 'Pravilo' also means a 'straightener' or a 'ruler' used for drawing straight lines. | |||
| Danish | herske | ||
| Herske has Old Germanic origins and is related to the words 'her' (army) and 'hari' (lord) | |||
| Dutch | regel | ||
| The Dutch word "regel" can also refer to the menstrual cycle or a line of writing. | |||
| English | rule | ||
| The word "rule" is derived from the Latin word "regula," which also means "straight edge" or "ruler." | |||
| French | règle | ||
| Règle can also mean 'period' (menstruation), as a calque from the English, and 'ruler' (geometry). | |||
| Frisian | regel | ||
| The word "regel" also has the alternate meaning of "line" or "row" in Frisian. | |||
| Galician | regra | ||
| The word "regra" also means the menstrual cycle, probably deriving from the medieval Latin word regula, which referred to the monastic daily schedule. | |||
| German | regel | ||
| In German, 'Regel' also refers to a woman's menstrual cycle, as in 'die Menstruationsregel'. | |||
| Icelandic | ráða | ||
| The word "ráða" also means "advise" and "decide" in Icelandic | |||
| Irish | riail | ||
| The word "riail" in Irish can also mean "law" or "custom. | |||
| Italian | regola | ||
| "Regola" also means "ruler" in English, an instrument used to draw straight lines. | |||
| Luxembourgish | regéieren | ||
| Maltese | regola | ||
| The word "regola" derives from the Italian word "regola", which means rule, line or regulation | |||
| Norwegian | regel | ||
| In Norwegian, "regel" and "menstrual cycle" have the same etymology: "regulate". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | regra | ||
| The plural of "regra" in Portuguese, "regras", is also a common term used in a variety of card games to refer to the established set of guidelines for gameplay | |||
| Scots Gaelic | riaghailt | ||
| The Gaelic word “riaghailt” not only means “rule”, but also implies the establishment of the order of the natural world; it’s related to the Irish Gaelic verb riagail (“to order”). | |||
| Spanish | regla | ||
| The word "regla" in Spanish comes from the Latin word "regula," which means "straight line" or "guiding principle." | |||
| Swedish | regel | ||
| In Swedish, "regel" can also refer to a specific pattern in music or menstruation. | |||
| Welsh | rheol | ||
| "Rheol" can also refer to a principle, law, order, regulation, way or path. | |||
Rule in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | правіла | ||
| "правіла" comes from the Proto-Slavic root *pravъ, meaning "correct," "righteous," or "true." | |||
| Bosnian | pravilo | ||
| In Croatian, "pravilo" also means "measure", while in Russian, "правило" can also mean "straightedge" or "ruler". | |||
| Bulgarian | правило | ||
| The word правило also means a T-square ruler used by carpenters and draftsmen. | |||
| Czech | pravidlo | ||
| In old Czech the word "pravidlo" used to mean only the "ruler" (a measuring instrument) and its meaning has changed over time. | |||
| Estonian | reegel | ||
| The Estonian word "reegel" originates from the German word "Regel", but also refers to a specific type of song in Estonian folk music. | |||
| Finnish | sääntö | ||
| In Finnish, "sääntö" is also an archaic term for "weather". | |||
| Hungarian | szabály | ||
| The Hungarian word "szabály" also has the meanings "regulation", "prescription", and "pattern". | |||
| Latvian | likums | ||
| The word "likums" in Latvian is related to the word "likums" in Lithuanian, both sharing a common root meaning "to order, to arrange." | |||
| Lithuanian | taisyklė | ||
| 'Taisyklė' is a derivative of the word 'taisyti,' which means 'to correct' or 'to fix,' suggesting its primary function as a guide or standard for rectifying errors. | |||
| Macedonian | правило | ||
| "Правило" is also used in the context of architecture, meaning "a carpenter's square". | |||
| Polish | reguła | ||
| Po polsku "reguła" to także „menstruacja”. | |||
| Romanian | regulă | ||
| In Latin, "regula" was a carpenter's measuring tool, hence its modern Romanian meaning as a straightedge, yardstick, ruler, or guideline. | |||
| Russian | правило | ||
| The Russian word "правило" (rule) comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *reg-, meaning "to stretch" or "to direct." | |||
| Serbian | правило | ||
| In Serbian, "правило" (rule) also means "a pattern" or "a method of doing something" | |||
| Slovak | pravidlo | ||
| The noun "pravidlo" also means "ruler" (measuring), "straight edge", and "law." | |||
| Slovenian | pravilo | ||
| The word "pravilo" in Slovenian comes from the Proto-Slavic word *pravilь, which meant "something straight". | |||
| Ukrainian | правило | ||
| "Правило" also means a measuring instrument like a ruler. | |||
Rule in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | নিয়ম | ||
| The Bengali word "নিয়ম" can also mean "order", "law", or "regulation." | |||
| Gujarati | નિયમ | ||
| The Gujarati word "નિયમ" also means a principle, law, or regulation. | |||
| Hindi | नियम | ||
| The word "नियम" in Hindi, meaning "rule", also refers to a measure in dance or music that dictates the tempo and rhythm. | |||
| Kannada | ನಿಯಮ | ||
| The Kannada word "ನಿಯಮ" comes from the Sanskrit word "नियम" (niyama), meaning "restraint", "law", or "discipline". | |||
| Malayalam | ഭരിക്കുക | ||
| The word 'ഭരിക്കുക' is derived from the Proto-Dravidian word '*par-, *para-' meaning 'to protect, defend'. | |||
| Marathi | नियम | ||
| "नियम" (niyam) also means "restriction" or "regulation" in Marathi. | |||
| Nepali | नियम | ||
| The Nepali word 'नियम' derives from the Sanskrit root 'niyam', meaning 'restraint' or 'discipline'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਨਿਯਮ | ||
| The word "ਨਿਯਮ" derives from the Sanskrit word "niyama," which means "restraint," "control," or "prescription." | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | නීතිය | ||
| The Sinhala word "නීතිය" is derived from the Sanskrit word "नीति" meaning "code of conduct" or "principle." | |||
| Tamil | ஆட்சி | ||
| Telugu | పాలన | ||
| The word 'పాలన' also has alternate meanings including 'nourishment' or 'fosterling'. | |||
| Urdu | حکمرانی | ||
| The word “حکمرانی” (rule) is derived from Arabic and has an alternate meaning of "judgement with authority" in Urdu. | |||
Rule in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 规则 | ||
| The secondary meaning of 规则 (rule) in Chinese is to regulate or discipline. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 規則 | ||
| 規則 in Chinese (Traditional) can also refer to a law, regulation, or pattern. | |||
| Japanese | ルール | ||
| The word "ルール" (rule) is derived from the Portuguese word "rool" (rule), which was introduced to Japan during the Meiji period (1868-1912). | |||
| Korean | 규칙 | ||
| A rule's Korean cognate 규칙 also means 'law' or 'principle' when used in legal contexts. | |||
| Mongolian | дүрэм | ||
| The word "дүрэм" originated from the verb "дүрэмт", which means to arrange or put in order. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | စည်းမျဉ်း | ||
Rule in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | aturan | ||
| The word "aturan" can also mean "custom" or "norm" in Indonesian. | |||
| Javanese | aturan | ||
| The term 'aturan' in Javanese also refers to customary regulations or guidelines passed down through generations. | |||
| Khmer | ច្បាប់ | ||
| The Khmer word "ច្បាប់" (rule) comes from the Sanskrit word "śāstra", meaning "precept" or "law". | |||
| Lao | ກົດລະບຽບ | ||
| Malay | peraturan | ||
| "Peraturan" can also mean "law", "regulation", "ordinance", or "statute" in Malay. | |||
| Thai | กฎ | ||
| "กฎ" derives from the Pali word "kaṭa" meaning "order" or "decree", and also "law" in the sense of a natural law or principle. | |||
| Vietnamese | qui định | ||
| "Qui định" is a Sino-Vietnamese word derived from the Chinese word "規定" (guīdìng), which can also mean "regulation" or "statute". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tuntunin | ||
Rule in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | qayda | ||
| In Azerbaijani, the word "qayda" comes from the Persian word "qā'edeh", which also means "rule" or "regulation". | |||
| Kazakh | ереже | ||
| "Ереже" also means "line" or "row" in Kazakh. | |||
| Kyrgyz | эреже | ||
| The word "эреже" can also refer to a regulation, statute, or decree. | |||
| Tajik | ҳукмронӣ | ||
| The word "hukmronī" derives from the Persian language, where it means "sovereignty" or "dominion". | |||
| Turkmen | düzgün | ||
| Uzbek | qoida | ||
| "Qoida" (rule) is also used in Uzbek to refer to a person's behavior or character. | |||
| Uyghur | قائىدە | ||
Rule in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | lula | ||
| "Lula" can also mean "to control" or "to restrain". | |||
| Maori | ture | ||
| The Maori word "ture" can also refer to a law, custom, or way of life. | |||
| Samoan | tulafono | ||
| The word 'tulafono' is derived from the words 'tula' (meaning 'pillar' or 'support') and 'fono' (meaning 'law' or 'decree'). | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | panuntunan | ||
Rule in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | tupuña | ||
| Guarani | mbojojaha | ||
Rule in International Languages
| Esperanto | regulo | ||
| The Esperanto word "regulo" derives from the Latin word "regula", meaning "ruler, rule, or principle." | |||
| Latin | lex | ||
| The word "lex" in Latin can also refer to a law, statute, or proposal. | |||
Rule in Others Languages
| Greek | κανόνας | ||
| The word κανόνας comes from the Semitic root K-N-N, meaning 'to establish' and refers to a straight rod, such as a carpenter's rule | |||
| Hmong | txoj cai | ||
| The word "txoj cai" comes from the Chinese word "zŏo kăi (佐关)" meaning "way out" or "method." | |||
| Kurdish | rêz | ||
| The Kurdish word "rêz" can also refer to a line, boundary, or limit. | |||
| Turkish | kural | ||
| "Kural" derives from the Old Turkic word "ḳur" meaning "to assemble" and "to establish". | |||
| Xhosa | umgaqo | ||
| The word "umgaqo" can also refer to a code of conduct or a set of principles. | |||
| Yiddish | הערשן | ||
| The Yiddish word "הערשן" ultimately derives from the Latin word "regere," meaning "to lead" or "to direct." | |||
| Zulu | umthetho | ||
| Umthetho means 'rule' and also 'justice'. | |||
| Assamese | নিয়ম | ||
| Aymara | tupuña | ||
| Bhojpuri | नियम | ||
| Dhivehi | ވެރިކަންކުރުން | ||
| Dogri | निजम | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tuntunin | ||
| Guarani | mbojojaha | ||
| Ilocano | alagaden | ||
| Krio | rul | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ڕێسا | ||
| Maithili | नियम | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯥꯡꯂꯣꯟ | ||
| Mizo | dan | ||
| Oromo | bulchuu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ନିୟମ | | ||
| Quechua | tupuna | ||
| Sanskrit | नियम | ||
| Tatar | кагыйдә | ||
| Tigrinya | ስርዓት | ||
| Tsonga | nawu | ||