Skin in Different Languages
Discover 'Skin' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Skin is a fascinating and vital part of our bodies, playing a crucial role in protecting us from the outside world. Its significance goes beyond the physical, as it also holds cultural importance across various societies. For instance, in many Indigenous cultures, skin is seen as a sacred canvas, adorned with intricate tattoos that tell stories of heritage, status, and personal achievements.
Moreover, understanding the translation of 'skin' in different languages can provide unique insights into how other cultures perceive and value this vital organ. For example, in Spanish, 'skin' is 'piel', while in French, it's 'peau'. In German, it's 'Haut', and in Japanese, it's 'hadaka'.
Delving into the translations of 'skin' in various languages can also reveal interesting historical contexts. For instance, in Old English, 'skin' was referred to as 'hýdd', which also meant 'hide' or 'pelt'. This connection highlights the historical importance of animal hides in providing warmth and protection, further emphasizing the significance of skin in human survival.
Join us as we explore the translations of 'skin' in a variety of languages, shedding light on the cultural and historical significance of this remarkable organ.
Skin
Skin in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | vel | ||
| The word "vel" can also refer to a pelt or hide, or, figuratively, to someone's appearance or character. | |||
| Amharic | ቆዳ | ||
| The word "ቆዳ" also refers to "the hide or skin of an animal". | |||
| Hausa | fata | ||
| The Hausa word 'fata' not only refers to one's skin, but also carries the metaphorical connotation of 'beauty'. | |||
| Igbo | anụahụ | ||
| In the context of traditional Igbo masks, "anuahu" refers to the "cloth" covering the face. | |||
| Malagasy | hoditra | ||
| The word 'hoditra' can also refer to a 'cover' or 'enclosure,' like the skin that covers an animal's body. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | khungu | ||
| The word 'khungu' in Nyanja has the alternate meanings of 'peel' and 'bark'. | |||
| Shona | ganda | ||
| In Shona, "ganda" can also refer to the surface of a liquid, such as water or milk. | |||
| Somali | maqaarka | ||
| The word 'maqaarka' in Somali is derived from the Proto-Cushitic word *maqaar, which means 'skin, hide' | |||
| Sesotho | letlalo | ||
| In Sesotho, the word "letlalo" can also refer to the outer covering or shell of certain objects, such as eggs or nuts. | |||
| Swahili | ngozi | ||
| The Swahili word "ngozi" also means "beauty" or "charm" and can be used as a compliment. | |||
| Xhosa | ulusu | ||
| In Xhosa, the word "ulusu" has a dual meaning, referring to both "skin" and "people". | |||
| Yoruba | awọ | ||
| The Yoruba word “àwọ” for “skin” can also refer to color, race, or the human body. | |||
| Zulu | isikhumba | ||
| The word "isikhumba" can also refer to a leather object, such as a bag or garment. | |||
| Bambara | golo | ||
| Ewe | ŋutigbalẽ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | uruhu | ||
| Lingala | mposo | ||
| Luganda | omubiri | ||
| Sepedi | letlalo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | wedeɛ | ||
Skin in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | بشرة | ||
| The Arabic word بشرة (biṣarah) not only means 'skin' but can also be used to mean 'complexion' or 'appearance'. | |||
| Hebrew | עור | ||
| The term may originate in the Semitic concept of a boundary or protection against elements. | |||
| Pashto | پوټکی | ||
| The Pashto word "پوټکی" can also refer to the outer layer of a fruit, a piece of leather, or a type of bag or container. | |||
| Arabic | بشرة | ||
| The Arabic word بشرة (biṣarah) not only means 'skin' but can also be used to mean 'complexion' or 'appearance'. | |||
Skin in Western European Languages
| Albanian | lëkurës | ||
| "Lëkurë" also refers to "human nature" (good or evil) or to the surface of something; i.e. land, water, an apple. | |||
| Basque | larruazala | ||
| In some Gipuzkoan and Navarrese dialects, | |||
| Catalan | pell | ||
| The word "pell" in Catalan originates from the Latin "pellis" and also means "sheet" or "sheet of paper." | |||
| Croatian | koža | ||
| "Koža" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*koža", which also means "bark". | |||
| Danish | hud | ||
| The Danish word “hud” can also refer to an animal pelt or a membrane in the body. | |||
| Dutch | huid | ||
| The Dutch word "huid" originates from the Proto-Germanic word "*hud-az", which also means "covering" or "envelope". | |||
| English | skin | ||
| The word 'skin' is derived from the Old English word 'scinu,' which means 'hide' or 'covering'. | |||
| French | peau | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of 'skin,' 'peau' can also refer to a thin, flexible material used for covering or wrapping, such as in 'peau de chagrin' (shagreen) or 'peau d'orange' (orange peel texture). | |||
| Frisian | fel | ||
| Frisian "fel" likely comes from Proto-Germanic "*felljaz", also the origin of English "fell" | |||
| Galician | pel | ||
| Galician "pel" comes from Latin "pellis" and can also refer to animal fur, wool, hair, or fabric made of wool. | |||
| German | haut | ||
| "Haut" is used for "skin" but also for "main part of a musical instrument" or "membrane" | |||
| Icelandic | húð | ||
| The word "húð" in Icelandic can also refer to the layer of fat beneath the skin. | |||
| Irish | craiceann | ||
| The word craiceann can also mean 'membrane' or 'cuticle'. | |||
| Italian | pelle | ||
| The word "pelle" comes from the Latin word "pellis", meaning "animal hide". | |||
| Luxembourgish | haut | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "Haut" can also refer to the surface of a liquid or object, or a membrane covering a body part. | |||
| Maltese | ġilda | ||
| The Maltese word "ġilda" also has the meaning of "cover" or "wrapper". | |||
| Norwegian | hud | ||
| Hud in Norwegian also refers to the body, complexion and face. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | pele | ||
| "Pele" comes from the Latin "pellis", and also means "fur" and "hide". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | craiceann | ||
| The term "craiceann" in Scots Gaelic also refers to a "covering" or "skin" in non-literal contexts, such as "the skin of the earth" (i.e., the planet's surface) or the "skin of the sky" (i.e., the atmosphere). | |||
| Spanish | piel | ||
| The word "piel" in Spanish is derived from the Latin word "pellis", meaning "skin, hide, or hide of an animal". | |||
| Swedish | hud | ||
| In Swedish, "hud" can also refer to the skin of a drum or the surface of a painting. | |||
| Welsh | croen | ||
| The word 'croen' in Welsh is probably derived from the Proto-Celtic *krow- ('skin'), possibly related to 'crwth' ('fiddle'), from the sound the instrument makes when played. | |||
Skin in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | скуры | ||
| The word "скуры" also refers to the membraneous lining of the lungs. | |||
| Bosnian | kože | ||
| Koža, meaning skin in Bosnian, also refers to leather or a hide in other Slavic languages such as Croatian. | |||
| Bulgarian | кожата | ||
| The Bulgarian word "кожата" not only means "skin", but is also a term for the "membrane" that separates the pulp from the seeds in citrus fruit. | |||
| Czech | kůže | ||
| The word "kůže" also means "leather" in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | nahk | ||
| The word "nahk" is also used in Estonian to refer to the cover of a book or other object. | |||
| Finnish | iho | ||
| Finnish word "iho" is a cognate of Proto-Indo-European "*kayt-o-s" that also meant "to hide". | |||
| Hungarian | bőr | ||
| The Hungarian word "bőr" (skin) also refers to the outer layer of a tree or plant, as well as to a layer of liquid or gas on a surface. | |||
| Latvian | āda | ||
| "Āda" is a homonym, meaning both "skin" and "leather". | |||
| Lithuanian | oda | ||
| "Oda" is also Lithuanian for "louse" (singular) or "lice" (plural), and the word's original meaning was "the skin of a louse". | |||
| Macedonian | кожата | ||
| The word 'кожата' ('skin') derives from the Proto-Slavic word 'skora', meaning 'hide' or 'fur'. | |||
| Polish | skóra | ||
| The word "skóra" also means "hide" in Polish. | |||
| Romanian | piele | ||
| The Romanian word "piele" comes from the Latin "pellis," and has the alternate meaning of "coat" or "fabric." | |||
| Russian | кожа | ||
| The Russian word "ко́жа" means not just "skin", but also "leather" and "bark" of a tree. | |||
| Serbian | коже | ||
| The Serbian word "коже" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *korja, which also means "crust" or "bark". | |||
| Slovak | koža | ||
| The word "koža" in Slovak is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*kozja", which is related to the Sanskrit word "कुज्जति" ("kujjati"), meaning "to sting" or "to itch." | |||
| Slovenian | kožo | ||
| In the Prekmurje dialect, "koža" also refers to a "vineyard". | |||
| Ukrainian | шкіри | ||
| In Ukrainian, "шкіри" can also refer to animal hides or furs. | |||
Skin in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ত্বক | ||
| "ত্বক" also refers to the bark of a tree and leather from an animal's hide. | |||
| Gujarati | ત્વચા | ||
| The word "ત્વચા" (skin) in Gujarati originates from Sanskrit and is also related to the Hindi word "त्वचा" (skin). | |||
| Hindi | त्वचा | ||
| The word "त्वचा" (skin) in Hindi is derived from the Sanskrit word "त्वक्" (bark), indicating its protective nature. | |||
| Kannada | ಚರ್ಮ | ||
| "ಚರ್ಮ" word means "elephant hide" in some rural parts of Karnataka." | |||
| Malayalam | തൊലി | ||
| The word "തൊലി" also means "page" in Malayalam, a meaning derived from the use of tree bark as a writing surface in ancient times. | |||
| Marathi | त्वचा | ||
| The word 'त्वचा' can also mean 'bark' or 'rind' of a fruit or vegetable. | |||
| Nepali | छाला | ||
| In addition to "skin," "छाला" can also mean "peel" or "rind" in Nepali. | |||
| Punjabi | ਚਮੜੀ | ||
| The word "ਚਮੜੀ" (skin) in Punjabi is derived from the Sanskrit word "चर्म" (carma), which also means "hide" or "leather". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සම | ||
| The Sinhala word "සම" means not only "skin" but also "equal", "uniform", and "similar". | |||
| Tamil | தோல் | ||
| "தோல்" is derived from the proto-Dravidian root *tōl- "hide, skin," also found in Telugu "tollu." It also has a figurative meaning of "defeat, loss." | |||
| Telugu | చర్మం | ||
| In ancient times, చర్మం referred to animal hide used as clothing. | |||
| Urdu | جلد | ||
| The word "جلد" (skin) in Urdu is derived from the Arabic word "جلد" meaning "to cover" or "to protect". | |||
Skin in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 皮肤 | ||
| The character "肤" in "皮肤" also means "surface". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 皮膚 | ||
| 皮膚 is a combination of two characters: 皮 (pí), meaning 'hide' or 'leather', and 膚 (fū), meaning 'flesh' or 'complexion' | |||
| Japanese | 肌 | ||
| The character "肌" also appears in the word "肌理", which means "skin texture" or "complexion". | |||
| Korean | 피부 | ||
| In Korean, the word 피부 (pronounced | |||
| Mongolian | арьс | ||
| The word "арьс" in Mongolian can also refer to a layer of something, such as the layer of ice on a lake. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အရေပြား | ||
| The word "အရေပြား" (skin) in Myanmar (Burmese) has the same root as the word "ရေ" (water), possibly due to the skin's role in protecting the body from dehydration. | |||
Skin in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kulit | ||
| The Indonesian word 'kulit' derives from proto-Austronesian and also means 'bark' or 'rind'. | |||
| Javanese | kulit | ||
| In Javanese, the word "kulit" can also refer to the surface or outer layer of something, such as the skin of a fruit or the cover of a book. | |||
| Khmer | ស្បែក | ||
| The word "ស្បែក" can also refer to the "rind" of a fruit or vegetable. | |||
| Lao | ຜິວຫນັງ | ||
| Malay | kulit | ||
| Kulit's etymology comes from Austronesian "kulit" with the main meaning "outer layer". | |||
| Thai | ผิวหนัง | ||
| ผิวหนัง in Thai can also refer to the "outer cover" of various things, not just the skin of a living organism. | |||
| Vietnamese | da | ||
| "Da" can also mean "country" or "area" in Vietnamese, showcasing the metaphorical extension of skin as a boundary or covering. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | balat | ||
Skin in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | dəri | ||
| "Dəri" also means "leather" or "hide" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | тері | ||
| The word "тері" in Kazakh has an alternate meaning of "face" or "appearance." | |||
| Kyrgyz | тери | ||
| In Kyrgyz, the word "тери" also refers to the surface of an object or a wound. | |||
| Tajik | пӯст | ||
| Пӯст is borrowed from Middle Persian پوست and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European “*peu-” (“fur, hide”). | |||
| Turkmen | deri | ||
| Uzbek | teri | ||
| "Teri" also means "leaf" in Uzbek. | |||
| Uyghur | تېرە | ||
Skin in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | ʻili | ||
| ʻIli, in addition to its primary meaning of 'skin,' also refers to a layer or covering, such as the bark of a tree. | |||
| Maori | kiri | ||
| The Maori word "kiri" also refers to the surface of water, a membrane, or a boundary. | |||
| Samoan | paʻu | ||
| In Samoan, the word "paʻu" can also refer to the membrane that covers the internal organs. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | balat | ||
| Balát can also mean 'leather' or 'hide' if used to refer to animal skin that has been processed. | |||
Skin in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | janchi | ||
| Guarani | pire | ||
Skin in International Languages
| Esperanto | haŭto | ||
| The word "haŭto" comes from the Latin word "cutis", meaning "hide, skin". | |||
| Latin | pellis | ||
| Although "pellis" means "skin" in Latin, it also refers to any animal skin, fur, or hide. | |||
Skin in Others Languages
| Greek | δέρμα | ||
| The word 'δέρμα' in Greek can also mean 'hide', 'leather', or 'parchment'. | |||
| Hmong | tawv nqaij | ||
| In Hmong, 'tawv nqaij' translates literally as 'the skin of meat', and the compound word can refer to animal hide, human skin, or a plant's outer layer. | |||
| Kurdish | çerm | ||
| The Kurdish word "çerm" has cognates in many Iranian languages, such as Persian "charm" and Sogdian "chrm." | |||
| Turkish | cilt | ||
| The word cilt can also mean 'binding' or 'volume' in Turkish, referring to the skin-like cover of a book. | |||
| Xhosa | ulusu | ||
| In Xhosa, the word "ulusu" has a dual meaning, referring to both "skin" and "people". | |||
| Yiddish | הויט | ||
| In Yiddish, the word "הויט" also has the meaning of "hideout" or "den". | |||
| Zulu | isikhumba | ||
| The word "isikhumba" can also refer to a leather object, such as a bag or garment. | |||
| Assamese | ছাল | ||
| Aymara | janchi | ||
| Bhojpuri | चमड़ी | ||
| Dhivehi | ހަންގަނޑު | ||
| Dogri | चमड़ी | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | balat | ||
| Guarani | pire | ||
| Ilocano | kudil | ||
| Krio | kanda | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | پێست | ||
| Maithili | चमड़ी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯎꯅꯁꯥ | ||
| Mizo | vun | ||
| Oromo | gogaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଚର୍ମ | ||
| Quechua | qara | ||
| Sanskrit | चर्म | ||
| Tatar | тире | ||
| Tigrinya | ቆርበት | ||
| Tsonga | nhlonghe | ||