Sharp in Different Languages
Discover 'Sharp' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'sharp' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting something that is precise, clear, and definitive. Its cultural importance is evident in various aspects, from the sharp notes of a musical instrument to the sharp lines of a modern architectural design. The word 'sharp' has also been used to describe a person with quick wit and a keen intellect.
Moreover, the term 'sharp' has an interesting historical context. In the medieval period, a 'sharp' instrument was considered a symbol of surgical precision, while in the Renaissance, it represented the fine art of portraiture. In the modern era, 'sharp' has become synonymous with innovation and cutting-edge technology.
Given its significance and cultural importance, it's no wonder that someone might want to know its translation in different languages. Here are a few examples:
- German: 'scharf'
- Spanish: 'agudo'
- French: 'aigu'
- Italian: 'aguzzo'
- Japanese: 'するどい (surudoi)'
- Chinese: '锋利 (fēnglì)'
Sharp
Sharp in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | skerp | ||
| The word 'skerp', meaning 'smart', originates from a now-archaic use in German. | |||
| Amharic | ሹል | ||
| "ሹል" refers to a sharp or pointed object, but it also has the alternate meaning of "a small amount" or "a little bit". | |||
| Hausa | kaifi | ||
| "Kaifi" can also mean severe, dangerous, or unpleasant. | |||
| Igbo | nkọ | ||
| The word "nkọ" can also refer to a type of Igbo dance. | |||
| Malagasy | maranitra | ||
| "Maranitra", which means "sharp", can also refer to a sharpened stick used as a weapon. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | lakuthwa | ||
| Lakuthwa, also meaning 'a thing to sharpen with', is derived from the Proto-Bantu root *-kuth- meaning 'cut' or 'pierce'. | |||
| Shona | unopinza | ||
| Unopinza is also used with other words to describe objects or people that are unusually sharp, such as a knife that is unotiza kwazvo (very sharp) or a person who is unopinza (quick-witted). | |||
| Somali | fiiqan | ||
| The word "fiiqan" in Somali shares its etymological root with the word for "fire," highlighting a link between sharpness and the transformative power of heat. | |||
| Sesotho | hlabang | ||
| The word "hlabang" in Sesotho is cognate with the word "hlangu" in Zulu, which also means "sharp", and likely derives from the Proto-Bantu root "-lab-", meaning "to cut." | |||
| Swahili | mkali | ||
| The word "mkali" can also refer to a person who is quick-witted or intelligent. | |||
| Xhosa | ubukhali | ||
| The word "ubukhali" in Xhosa means "sharp" but also refers to the sharpness of intellect or perception. | |||
| Yoruba | didasilẹ | ||
| Didasilẹ, meaning sharp, can also refer to a person who is alert or perceptive. | |||
| Zulu | kubukhali | ||
| In Zulu, kubukhali can also refer to something that is dangerous or difficult to handle. | |||
| Bambara | daduman | ||
| Ewe | ɖaɖɛ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ityaye | ||
| Lingala | mino | ||
| Luganda | -oogi | ||
| Sepedi | bogale | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nam | ||
Sharp in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | حاد | ||
| The word "حاد" can also mean "smart" or "intelligent" in Arabic | |||
| Hebrew | חַד | ||
| The word "חַד" (sharp) also has a meaning of "new" in Hebrew, possibly derived from the Aramaic word "חַדְתָּא" (new). | |||
| Pashto | تېز | ||
| The word "تېز" means "fast" and it is sometimes used with "دماغ" "mind" to express astuteness. | |||
| Arabic | حاد | ||
| The word "حاد" can also mean "smart" or "intelligent" in Arabic | |||
Sharp in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i mprehtë | ||
| The word "i mprehtë" in Albanian is a cognate of the Latin word "acutus", meaning "sharp" or "pointed". | |||
| Basque | zorrotz | ||
| The word derives from the same Proto-Basque root as "sor" ("cut"). | |||
| Catalan | agut | ||
| The word "agut" is derived from the Latin word "acutus", meaning "sharp" or "pointed". | |||
| Croatian | oštar | ||
| The word "oštar" can also refer to a person who is quick-witted or alert. | |||
| Danish | skarp | ||
| Skarp (''sharp'') in Danish also means ''crag'' or ''steep''. | |||
| Dutch | scherp | ||
| Scherp also has the literal meaning 'clean', as in 'to clean' and 'a clean shave'. | |||
| English | sharp | ||
| The word 'sharp' originates from the Old English word 'scearp', meaning 'to cut' or 'to carve'. | |||
| French | tranchant | ||
| The word "tranchant" also means "decisive" or "authoritative" in French. | |||
| Frisian | skerp | ||
| Frisian word "skerp" (sharp) is cognate with English "sharp" and German "scharf", and also means "clean" in Frisian. | |||
| Galician | afiada | ||
| "Afiada" can mean both "sharp" and "stylish" in Galician, likely coming from the French "affil" and the Latin "affilat". | |||
| German | scharf | ||
| In German, "Scharf" can also mean "spicy" or "pungent", with the noun form "Schärfe" referring to the level of spiciness in a dish. | |||
| Icelandic | hvass | ||
| The word "hvass" in Icelandic can also refer to someone who is quick-witted or intelligent. | |||
| Irish | géar | ||
| "Géar" also means "ready" or "eager" and is cognate with the Latin "acer" and the Ancient Greek "akros" | |||
| Italian | acuto | ||
| In Italian, the word "acuto" comes from the Latin "acutus," meaning "sharp" or "pointed," and also refers to high-pitched sounds or sharp angles. | |||
| Luxembourgish | schaarf | ||
| The word "schaarf" in Luxembourgish can also refer to a cutting edge or a knife. | |||
| Maltese | qawwi | ||
| "Qawwi" in Maltese is cognate with the Arabic "qawwiyy", meaning "strong", and is related to the concept of intensity. | |||
| Norwegian | skarp | ||
| Skarp is also an old word for something that 'projects out' or 'sticks out', like a steep cliff. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | afiado | ||
| Portuguese «afiado» is etymologically related to "filo" ("blade") and "afiliar" ("to sharpen"), while in the Brazilian Northeast it can mean "clever" or "intelligent"} | |||
| Scots Gaelic | biorach | ||
| Scots Gaelic "biorach" is derived from Proto-Celtic "*bergos" and "*bheru" meaning "peak" and "point" respectively. | |||
| Spanish | agudo | ||
| Agudo is the past participle of aguzar, which comes from the Latin acus, meaning needle. | |||
| Swedish | skarp | ||
| The word 'skarp' in Swedish also means 'steep' or 'precipitous', sharing a common root with the verb 'skära' (to cut). | |||
| Welsh | miniog | ||
| The word "miniog" in Welsh also means "small, slender, fine, keen, thin, or subtle". | |||
Sharp in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | рэзкі | ||
| Рэзкі ( резкий (ru), sharp (en) ) - cutting , keen , severe , abrupt , rapid , sudden , quick , harsh , acid , caustic , acrid , poignant , piercing , shrill , strident , grating , discordant , dissonant , jarring , offensive , insulting , harsh , bitter , critical , sarcastic . | |||
| Bosnian | oštar | ||
| 'Oštar' is also a noun with the meaning of 'eyebrow' in Croatian. | |||
| Bulgarian | остър | ||
| In Bulgarian, the word "остър" can also mean "acute" or "pungent". | |||
| Czech | ostrý | ||
| The word "ostrý" can also refer to someone who is harsh or severe in their words or actions. | |||
| Estonian | terav | ||
| The word "terav" originated from a Proto-Finnic verb *terä meaning "to scratch", and it also shares a common origin with "tera" in Finnish and "skarp" in Swedish. | |||
| Finnish | terävä | ||
| The word "terävä" can also refer to an "edge" or "point" in the context of geometry, physics, or anatomy. | |||
| Hungarian | éles | ||
| "Éles" is also an archaic term for steel in Hungarian | |||
| Latvian | asa | ||
| The word "asa" also means "blade" and is related to the Lithuanian word "ašis", meaning "axle". | |||
| Lithuanian | aštrus | ||
| The Lithuanian word "aštrus" is related to the verbs "aštrinti" ("to sharpen") and "aštrybėti" ("to become sharp"), suggesting a sense of "acuteness" or "keenness". | |||
| Macedonian | остар | ||
| The word "остар" is also used to describe someone who is intelligent or skilled. | |||
| Polish | ostry | ||
| "Ostry" also means "severe". Hence "ostra zima" means "severe winter", not "sharp winter". | |||
| Romanian | ascuțit | ||
| Etymology and alternate meanings of the word "ascuțit" in Romanian are unknown. | |||
| Russian | острый | ||
| The verb острить originated from the adjective "острый" and means "to make a joke". | |||
| Serbian | оштар | ||
| Oštar is also used metaphorically to describe someone who is clever or quick-witted. | |||
| Slovak | ostrý | ||
| The word "ostrý" in Slovak can have other meanings, such as "alert" or "acute". | |||
| Slovenian | ostro | ||
| The word "ostro" is also a Slavic root meaning "island". | |||
| Ukrainian | різкий | ||
| The word "різкий" can also mean "harsh" or "abrupt" in Ukrainian. | |||
Sharp in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | তীক্ষ্ণ | ||
| "তীক্ষ্ণ" means "sharp" in Bengali, but it also has other meanings such as "acute", "severe", "pungent", "penetrating", "keen", and "piercing". | |||
| Gujarati | તીક્ષ્ણ | ||
| "તીક્ષ્ણ" can also refer to something that is intense or severe, such as pain or criticism. | |||
| Hindi | तेज़ | ||
| In Hindi, "तेज़" can also mean "fast", "speedy", or "intense". | |||
| Kannada | ತೀಕ್ಷ್ಣವಾದ | ||
| Malayalam | മൂർച്ചയുള്ളത് | ||
| This word can also mean "clever" or "intelligent". | |||
| Marathi | तीक्ष्ण | ||
| "तीक्ष्ण" in Marathi means "harsh" or "severe" in addition to "sharp". | |||
| Nepali | तीखो | ||
| "तीखो" also means "sour" in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਤਿੱਖੀ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | තියුණු | ||
| The word "තියුණු" in Sinhala is related to the Tamil word "தீ" ("fire") and the Sanskrit word "तीक्ष्ण" ("sharp, keen"). | |||
| Tamil | கூர்மையான | ||
| The word "கூர்மையான" originally meant "sharp or pointed" in Tamil, but it has also come to mean "severe" or "intense". | |||
| Telugu | పదునైన | ||
| Urdu | تیز | ||
| "تیز" can also mean "speed" or "quickly" in Urdu. | |||
Sharp in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 尖锐 | ||
| 尖锐 may also refer to the sharp point of an object and, figuratively, to a sharp or harsh sound. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 尖銳 | ||
| 尖銳's alternate meaning is 'pointed', and it also means 'sharp' or 'acute' in the context of hearing or vision. | |||
| Japanese | シャープ | ||
| In Japanese, 「シャープ」 can also refer to the musical symbol ♯ or # known as a sharp which raises the note by one semitone. | |||
| Korean | 날카로운 | ||
| The word "날카로운" can also mean "acute" or "pungent" in Korean. | |||
| Mongolian | хурц | ||
| "хурц" (<Mong. "curved, curved knife, sickle, dagger, knife"), i.e. "in a curved manner, bent". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ချွန်ထက် | ||
| ချွန်ထက် means 'to be ahead' or 'to be superior' in a figurative sense, in addition to its literal meaning of 'sharp'. | |||
Sharp in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | tajam | ||
| The word "tajam" in Indonesian also refers to a type of traditional dagger. | |||
| Javanese | landhep | ||
| The word 'landhep' also means 'accurate' or 'precise' in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | មុតស្រួច | ||
| This word is formed by combining 'មុត' (point) and 'ស្រួច' (sharp), meaning 'to have a fine point'. | |||
| Lao | ແຫຼມ | ||
| The word "ແຫຼມ" can also refer to a cape or peninsula. | |||
| Malay | tajam | ||
| In Malay, "tajam" can also mean "acrid" or "piercing" when referring to tastes or sounds, respectively. | |||
| Thai | คม | ||
| The Thai word "คม" (sharp) also has meanings related to clarity, wit, and insight. | |||
| Vietnamese | nhọn | ||
| The word "nhọn" (sharp) in Vietnamese may also refer to the peak of a mountain | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | matalas | ||
Sharp in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | kəskin | ||
| The word "kəskin" is also used to describe someone who is intelligent or quick-witted in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | өткір | ||
| The Kazakh word "өткір" can also mean "piercing" or "penetrating" in addition to its primary meaning of "sharp." | |||
| Kyrgyz | курч | ||
| The Kyrgyz word | |||
| Tajik | тез | ||
| تهز (tez) also means hot in Persian and many other Iranian languages. | |||
| Turkmen | ýiti | ||
| Uzbek | o'tkir | ||
| The word "o'tkir" is derived from the Middle Persian word for "point" or "tip". | |||
| Uyghur | ئۆتكۈر | ||
Sharp in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻoiʻoi | ||
| 'Oi'oi is also a traditional Hawaiian drum. | |||
| Maori | koi | ||
| In Maori, "koi" is a verb meaning "to scratch" or "to cut" and is also used to describe something that is sharp or pointed. | |||
| Samoan | maai | ||
| The word 'maai' also means 'to cut' or 'to divide' in Samoan. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | matalim | ||
| The Tagalog word "matalim" can also refer to a keen intellect or a penetrating gaze. | |||
Sharp in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | salla | ||
| Guarani | hãimbe'e | ||
Sharp in International Languages
| Esperanto | akra | ||
| The word "akra" is also used in Esperanto to refer to the sharp sign ("#"). | |||
| Latin | acri | ||
| The Latin word 'acri' (sharp) is a variant of 'acus' (needle). | |||
Sharp in Others Languages
| Greek | αιχμηρός | ||
| The word "αιχμηρός" also means "pointed" or "sharp-edged". | |||
| Hmong | ntse | ||
| The Hmong word "ntse" also refers to a type of knife. | |||
| Kurdish | tûj | ||
| The word "tûj" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *teuk- or *teuk-w-, meaning "to strike." | |||
| Turkish | keskin | ||
| "Keskin" shares its root with the word "kesmek" (to cut), suggesting a literal meaning of "that which cuts" or "capable of cutting". | |||
| Xhosa | ubukhali | ||
| The word "ubukhali" in Xhosa means "sharp" but also refers to the sharpness of intellect or perception. | |||
| Yiddish | שאַרף | ||
| The word "שאַרף" can also mean "acute", "severe", or "keen" in Yiddish. | |||
| Zulu | kubukhali | ||
| In Zulu, kubukhali can also refer to something that is dangerous or difficult to handle. | |||
| Assamese | চোকা | ||
| Aymara | salla | ||
| Bhojpuri | नुकीला | ||
| Dhivehi | ތޫނު | ||
| Dogri | तेज | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | matalas | ||
| Guarani | hãimbe'e | ||
| Ilocano | natadem | ||
| Krio | shap | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | تیژ | ||
| Maithili | तेज | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯌꯥ ꯊꯣꯕ | ||
| Mizo | hriam | ||
| Oromo | qara | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ତୀକ୍ଷ୍ଣ | | ||
| Quechua | kawchi | ||
| Sanskrit | तीव्र | ||
| Tatar | үткен | ||
| Tigrinya | በሊሕ | ||
| Tsonga | kariha | ||