Shirt in Different Languages
Discover 'Shirt' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
A shirt is a wardrobe staple, a simple piece of clothing that has managed to weave its way into the cultural fabric of societies around the world. From the classic white button-down to the graphic tee, shirts are a versatile and essential part of our daily lives. But have you ever stopped to consider the significance of this humble garment, or wondered how it's translated in different languages?
The shirt has a rich and varied history, dating back thousands of years. In ancient Egypt, for example, linen shirts were worn by both men and women as a symbol of cleanliness and social status. And in medieval Europe, the shirt was often worn as an undershirt, providing a layer of warmth and protection against sweat and dirt.
Today, the shirt remains a powerful cultural symbol, reflecting our personal style, our beliefs, and our identity. And as our world becomes increasingly interconnected, it's more important than ever to be able to communicate across language barriers. That's why knowing the translation of 'shirt' in different languages can be so useful, whether you're traveling abroad or simply looking to expand your cultural horizons.
Here are just a few examples of how 'shirt' is translated in different languages:
- French: chemise
- Spanish: camisa
- German: Hemd
- Italian: camicia
- Japanese: シャツ (shatsu)
- Chinese: 衬衫 (chènshān)
- Russian: рубашка (rubashka)
Shirt
Shirt in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | hemp | ||
| The word "hemp" in Afrikaans also refers to the plant Cannabis sativa. | |||
| Amharic | ሸሚዝ | ||
| "ሸሚዝ" originally meant "piece of cloth". | |||
| Hausa | riga | ||
| The word "riga" is also used to refer to a variety of garments, such as dresses, gowns, and robes. | |||
| Igbo | uwe elu | ||
| Uwe elu can also mean 'a piece of cloth worn around the waist' or 'a wrapper' | |||
| Malagasy | akanjonao | ||
| AKANJONAO, meaning "shirt", derives from the prefix "akanjo" and the suffix "-nao", the later coming from the French word "chemise". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | malaya | ||
| The word "malaya" can also mean "uniform" or "tunic". | |||
| Shona | hembe | ||
| The word "hembe" can also mean "skin" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | shaati | ||
| The Somali word 'shaati' is derived from the Arabic word 'thawb', meaning a 'robe' or 'garment'. | |||
| Sesotho | hempe | ||
| The word "hempe" is also used to refer to a garment worn by women, similar to a blouse or a dress. | |||
| Swahili | shati | ||
| The word "shati" in Swahili can also mean "cloth" or "fabric." | |||
| Xhosa | ihempe | ||
| The Xhosa word "ihempe" also has historical meanings such as "to sew" and "to patch". | |||
| Yoruba | seeti | ||
| In Yoruba, 'seti' or 'seeri' also refers to a large, flowing gown typically worn by men and women during special occasions. | |||
| Zulu | ihembe | ||
| The word "ihembe" in Zulu can also mean a "uniform". | |||
| Bambara | duloki | ||
| Ewe | awu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ishati | ||
| Lingala | chemise | ||
| Luganda | saati | ||
| Sepedi | gempe | ||
| Twi (Akan) | hyɛɛte | ||
Shirt in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | قميص | ||
| The word "قميص" ("shirt") in Arabic likely derives from the Coptic word "kamise", originally meaning "linen garment" or "tunic." | |||
| Hebrew | חוּלצָה | ||
| "חוּלצָה" derives from the Aramaic word "חלתא" (halta), meaning a "garment of the poor and sick" | |||
| Pashto | کميس | ||
| The word "کميس" also refers to a long tunic worn by men in the Middle East and South Asia. | |||
| Arabic | قميص | ||
| The word "قميص" ("shirt") in Arabic likely derives from the Coptic word "kamise", originally meaning "linen garment" or "tunic." | |||
Shirt in Western European Languages
| Albanian | këmishë | ||
| The term 'këmishë' derives from Latin 'camisia' (shirt) and can also refer to a woman's chemise. | |||
| Basque | alkandora | ||
| The word "alkandora" is thought to derive from the Arabic word "al-qandura", which means "a garment worn by men and women". | |||
| Catalan | camisa | ||
| The Catalan word "camisa" also means "nightgown" or "nightshirt". | |||
| Croatian | košulja | ||
| "Košulja" originates from the Latin word "camisiola", and in some Slavic languages it also means "nightgown". | |||
| Danish | skjorte | ||
| In Old Norse, 'skjorta' referred to a short undershirt worn by men and women | |||
| Dutch | overhemd | ||
| "Overhemd" is a compound of "over" (over) and "hemd" (shirt), and can thus also refer to a jacket worn on top of a shirt. | |||
| English | shirt | ||
| The word "shirt" originated from the Old English word "scyrte," which referred to a short tunic worn by men. | |||
| French | chemise | ||
| The French word "chemise" is derived from the Latin word "camisia," which also refers to a type of undergarment. | |||
| Frisian | shirt | ||
| It's derived from the Late Latin word 'camisia' (a type of undergarment), and is related to the German 'hemd'. | |||
| Galician | camisa | ||
| In Galician, "camisa" can also refer to a nightgown or a nightshirt. | |||
| German | hemd | ||
| The German word "Hemd" comes from the West Germanic "hemitha", meaning "garment" or "skin." | |||
| Icelandic | bolur | ||
| In Icelandic, 'bolur' can also refer to a round, bowl-shaped object. | |||
| Irish | léine | ||
| The word léine also meant 'a woman's chemise', 'a shroud' and a 'baby's christening-robe'. | |||
| Italian | camicia | ||
| The word 'camicia' originally meant 'nightshirt' or 'undergarment' and was derived from the Latin word 'camisia'. | |||
| Luxembourgish | hiem | ||
| The word "Hiem" in Luxembourgish not only refers to a shirt, but also to a type of men's tunic worn in the Middle Ages. | |||
| Maltese | qmis | ||
| "Qmis" derives from the Arabic word "qamis", meaning "long linen garment with full sleeves". | |||
| Norwegian | skjorte | ||
| In Swedish, the word is written "skjorta" and can also mean "dress". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | camisa | ||
| In Portuguese, "camisa" does not refer to an undershirt or blouse, but only to a formal or casual overshirt worn on top.} | |||
| Scots Gaelic | lèine | ||
| In Scots Gaelic, "lèine" means "shirt" and can also refer to a "linen shirt" or a "tunic." | |||
| Spanish | camisa | ||
| "Camisa" derives from the Latin "camisia" or Arabic "qamīṣ" and can refer to a garment worn under clothing or as a nightgown. | |||
| Swedish | skjorta | ||
| The word "skjorta" derives from the Old Norse "skyrta", meaning "short tunic", and is also related to the English "shirt" and German "Schurz". | |||
| Welsh | crys | ||
| The Welsh word "crys" is cognate with the Irish "crios" and the Scottish Gaelic "craos", all meaning "belt" or "girdle". | |||
Shirt in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | кашуля | ||
| The word "кашуля" originates from the Proto-Slavic word *košulja, which also meant "shirt". | |||
| Bosnian | košulja | ||
| "Košulja" is a Proto-Slavic word originally meaning "undergarment" or "tunic", from which the word "koža" ("skin") also derives. | |||
| Bulgarian | риза | ||
| {"text": "The Bulgarian word риза ("shirt") is borrowed from Old Church Slavonic, where it originally meant "robe" and is related to the Old Persian "riza" ("cover, garment"). It has cognates in many Slavic and Baltic languages."} | |||
| Czech | košile | ||
| The word 'košile' also had the secondary meanings of 'nightgown' or 'shift' in Old Czech. | |||
| Estonian | särk | ||
| The Estonian word "särk" is derived from the Proto-Finnic word *särki, which originally meant "piece of fabric" or "patch". | |||
| Finnish | paita | ||
| The word 'paita' may derive from the Old Norse 'peita', meaning 'tunic', or from the Russian 'рубашка' ('rubashka'), meaning 'shirt'. | |||
| Hungarian | ing | ||
| In Old Hungarian "ing" also meant "gown", and the word persisted in that sense in some compound words, e.g. "ingváll" (literally: "gown-shoulder" = hanger). | |||
| Latvian | krekls | ||
| The word "krekls" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*krek", meaning "to twist" or "to weave". | |||
| Lithuanian | marškiniai | ||
| "Marškiniai" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*merg-", meaning "to rub". | |||
| Macedonian | кошула | ||
| In Macedonian, a "кошула" ("shirt") refers to a traditional long shirt worn by both men or women | |||
| Polish | koszula | ||
| The word 'koszula' is of Slavic origin and also means 'dress' in certain contexts. | |||
| Romanian | cămaşă | ||
| "Cămaşă" derives from the Latin word "camisia", which also gave rise to the Spanish word "camisa" and the French word "chemise." | |||
| Russian | рубашка | ||
| The Russian word "Рубашка" (shirt) ultimately derives from the ancient Proto-Slavic term *rub-, related to the verb for "cut" and the noun for a "scar". Its alternate meaning "gambler's luck" is derived from the practice of Russian peasants carrying their money in a shirt tied to their waist. | |||
| Serbian | кошуља | ||
| The word "кошуља" in Serbian comes from the Proto-Slavic word "*kosolьja", which originally meant "longsleeved tunic". | |||
| Slovak | košeľa | ||
| The word "košeľa" (shirt) originates from the Old Czech word "košiele", which in turn comes from the Latin word "camisia" | |||
| Slovenian | majica | ||
| The word 'majica' comes from the Italian word 'maglietta' which means 'little shirt'. | |||
| Ukrainian | сорочка | ||
| The word "сорочка" in Ukrainian can also refer to a type of women's dress. | |||
Shirt in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | শার্ট | ||
| The word "শার্ট" is derived from the Hindi word "कमीज़" (kamīz), which in turn originates from the Arabic word "قميص" (qamīṣ). | |||
| Gujarati | શર્ટ | ||
| The Gujarati word "શર્ટ" is derived from the English word "shirt" and can also refer to a coat or tunic. | |||
| Hindi | कमीज | ||
| The Hindi word "कमीज" derives from the Persian word "qamis", meaning "long tunic". It can also refer to a short, loose garment worn by women in South Asia. | |||
| Kannada | ಅಂಗಿ | ||
| "ಅಂಗಿ" in Kannada can also refer to a short, sleeveless jacket or a vest | |||
| Malayalam | ഷർട്ട് | ||
| The word "ഷർട്ട്" ("shirt") in Malayalam has various Sanskrit origins and regional variations. | |||
| Marathi | शर्ट | ||
| In Marathi, "शर्ट" can also refer to a type of blouse for women, particularly one with a loose fit | |||
| Nepali | शर्ट | ||
| "शर्ट" can also refer to the Hindi word for "bet". | |||
| Punjabi | ਕਮੀਜ਼ | ||
| The word "ਕਮੀਜ਼" (shirt) in Punjabi is derived from the Persian word "qamis", which originally meant "a long tunic worn by men or women". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කමිසය | ||
| The Sinhala word ''කමිසය'' (''kamisaya'') originally comes from the Portuguese word ''camisa'' (''shirt'') which was introduced to Sinhala during the Portuguese rule of Sri Lanka (1597–1658). | |||
| Tamil | சட்டை | ||
| The word சட்டை ('shirt') comes from the Sanskrit word 'chatta', which means 'to cover' or 'to wrap'. | |||
| Telugu | చొక్కా | ||
| Historically chokka meant armour, and was also worn by courtesans. Today it refers to a formal shirt | |||
| Urdu | قمیض | ||
| The Urdu word "قمیص" (shirt) is derived from the Arabic word "قميص" (tunic), which in turn is derived from the Coptic word "ϣⲙⲓⲥ" (linen garment). | |||
Shirt in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 衬衫 | ||
| 衬衫“一词可能源自英语“shirt”，又因其形状酷似古代将士胸前皮甲，故称作“胸衣”，后谐音演变为“衬衫” | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 襯衫 | ||
| The Traditional Chinese character "襯" in "襯衫" implies protection, and the character "衫" refers to a type of clothing, thus together meaning a protective garment. | |||
| Japanese | シャツ | ||
| "シャツ" was originally borrowed from Portuguese "camisa" and "camisa" has roots in the Arabic "qamis" which also gave rise to French "chemise". | |||
| Korean | 셔츠 | ||
| The Korean word "셔츠" (shirt) is derived from the English word "shirt" and was originally used to refer to a garment worn by men. | |||
| Mongolian | цамц | ||
| "цамц" is a Mongolian word of Turkic origin that is found in almost all Turkic languages. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ရှပ်အင်္ကျီ | ||
Shirt in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kemeja | ||
| The Indonesian word "kemeja" is derived from the Portuguese word "camisa" and also refers to a type of traditional Malay blouse worn by women. | |||
| Javanese | klambi | ||
| "Klambi" also means "clothing" or "garment" in general. | |||
| Khmer | អាវ | ||
| The word "អាវ" in Khmer can also refer to a "robe" or a "gown". | |||
| Lao | ເສື້ອ | ||
| The term "ເສື້ອ" is also used in Lao to refer to a tiger, due to the stripes on its skin reminiscent of a shirt. | |||
| Malay | baju | ||
| Derived from Persian (پارچه), 'baju' also means "cloth" or "fabric" besides "shirt" in the Malay language. | |||
| Thai | เสื้อ | ||
| The Thai word "เสื้อ" (shirt) originates from the Sanskrit word "svastika", meaning "well-being" or "good luck." | |||
| Vietnamese | áo sơ mi | ||
| The word "áo sơ mi" in Vietnamese comes from the French word "chemise". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kamiseta | ||
Shirt in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | köynək | ||
| The word "köynək" is a cognate of the Armenian word "կինեկ" (kineg), which means "shirt" and ultimately derives from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰei̯-n-k- "to bend, fold" (cf. Welsh "gwnio" 'to sew'). | |||
| Kazakh | көйлек | ||
| The word "көйлек" is also used to refer to a type of traditional Kazakh dress worn by both men and women. | |||
| Kyrgyz | рубашка | ||
| In ancient times, the word "рубашка" had many meanings: a long gown, a robe, an undershirt, and a nightgown. | |||
| Tajik | ҷома | ||
| The word "ҷома" (shirt) in Tajik is derived from the Old Persian word "ҷāma" which also means "clothing" or "garment". | |||
| Turkmen | köýnek | ||
| Uzbek | ko'ylak | ||
| Etymology: Possibly related to the Old Uyghur word "koilag", meaning "dress" or "robe". | |||
| Uyghur | كۆڭلەك | ||
Shirt in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pālule | ||
| Pālule is of English origin, from “pants.” | |||
| Maori | koti | ||
| The Maori word "koti" derives from the European word "coat" and also means "tunic" or "frock". | |||
| Samoan | ofutino | ||
| Ofutino is also a term used to describe a type of traditional Samoan wrap-around skirt worn by men and women. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kamiseta | ||
| "Kamiseta" is a Spanish word for "shirt," which then evolved into a common noun for "shirt" in Tagalog. | |||
Shirt in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | kamisa | ||
| Guarani | kamisa | ||
Shirt in International Languages
| Esperanto | ĉemizo | ||
| Esperanto "ĉemizo" (shirt) comes from French "chemise" (shirt), which in turn comes from Latin "camisia" (linen tunic). | |||
| Latin | shirt | ||
| In Latin, "shirt" translates to "tunica," signifying an undergarment, or "camisia," an outer garment worn with a belt. | |||
Shirt in Others Languages
| Greek | πουκάμισο | ||
| The word 'πουκάμισο' derives from the Medieval Greek phrase 'ποδήρης κάμισος', meaning 'long tunic' | |||
| Hmong | lub tsho | ||
| The Hmong word "lub tsho" also means "clothing" or "attire" and is related to the Zhuang word "lwb sw", which has the same meaning. | |||
| Kurdish | berdilk | ||
| "Berdik" in Kurdish means "a piece of cloth worn over the shoulders" and "a sackcloth worn by dervishes" | |||
| Turkish | gömlek | ||
| "Gömlek" originates from the Mongolian word "kömle" and later "gömle," which means "garment" or "dress." | |||
| Xhosa | ihempe | ||
| The Xhosa word "ihempe" also has historical meanings such as "to sew" and "to patch". | |||
| Yiddish | העמד | ||
| The Yiddish word העמד, which means "shirt," also refers to a shirt cuff, or a shirt collar. | |||
| Zulu | ihembe | ||
| The word "ihembe" in Zulu can also mean a "uniform". | |||
| Assamese | চাৰ্ট | ||
| Aymara | kamisa | ||
| Bhojpuri | कमीज | ||
| Dhivehi | ޤަމީސް | ||
| Dogri | कमीज | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kamiseta | ||
| Guarani | kamisa | ||
| Ilocano | bado | ||
| Krio | shat | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | کراس | ||
| Maithili | अंगा | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯐꯨꯔꯤꯠ | ||
| Mizo | kawr | ||
| Oromo | qomee | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସାର୍ଟ | ||
| Quechua | unku | ||
| Sanskrit | युतक | ||
| Tatar | күлмәк | ||
| Tigrinya | ከናቲራ | ||
| Tsonga | hembhe | ||