Smile in Different Languages
Discover 'Smile' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 5, 2024
Ah, the humble smile - a universal language that transcends borders and cultures. A simple curve of the lips can convey a multitude of emotions, from joy and amusement to warmth and understanding. But did you know that the word 'smile' has many different translations around the world?
In Mandarin Chinese, the word for smile is MIAN XIAO. It's a term that's deeply ingrained in Chinese culture, where a smile is often seen as a sign of respect and politeness. In Japan, the word for smile is HIKARI, which also means 'light' or 'brightness'. It's no wonder then that the Japanese are known for their warm and welcoming smiles!
Exploring the translations of 'smile' in different languages is not only a fascinating journey into the nuances of language and culture, but it's also a reminder of the power of a simple smile to bring people together.
Smile
Smile in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | glimlag | ||
| The word 'glimlag' is derived from the Dutch word 'glimlachen', and also means 'to gleam' or 'to shine' in Afrikaans. | |||
| Amharic | ፈገግ በል | ||
| The word 'ፈገግ በል' literally means 'to swallow the lip' in Amharic, referring to the action of smiling. | |||
| Hausa | murmushi | ||
| In Hausa, the word 'murmushi' refers to a genuine smile accompanied by a slight contraction of the lips and a narrowing of the eyes. | |||
| Igbo | ịmụmụ ọnụ ọchị | ||
| Malagasy | tsiky | ||
| The word "tsiky" in Malagasy can also mean "laugh" or "giggle". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kumwetulira | ||
| Kumwetulira also means "to flash the teeth" in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | kunyemwerera | ||
| Somali | dhoolla caddee | ||
| The Somali word "dhoolla caddee" also means "bright morning" or "new beginning," reflecting the belief that a smile brings light and hope. | |||
| Sesotho | bososela | ||
| Bososela is also a Sesotho word that means 'to make someone laugh' or 'to provoke laughter'. | |||
| Swahili | tabasamu | ||
| The verb “kutabasamu” can apply to both a gentle smile and to a wider, exaggerated grin. | |||
| Xhosa | uncumo | ||
| The word "uncumo" can also mean "laughter" or "a joyful expression" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | rẹrin musẹ | ||
| "Rẹrin musẹ" is also a name given to describe the dimple(s) that form on the face when a person smiles. | |||
| Zulu | ukumamatheka | ||
| The word "ukumamatheka" in Zulu also means "to show one's teeth", referring to the act of smiling. | |||
| Bambara | ka yɛlɛ | ||
| Ewe | alɔgbɔnu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | kumwenyura | ||
| Lingala | komunga | ||
| Luganda | okumweenya | ||
| Sepedi | myemyela | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nwene | ||
Smile in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | ابتسامة | ||
| In Arabic, "ابتسامة" (ibtisama) originally meant "to have a cut" or "to cut," reflecting the way a smile can "cut through" facial features. | |||
| Hebrew | חיוך | ||
| 'חיוך' (smile) also means 'to make alive' or 'to revive' in Hebrew. | |||
| Pashto | موسکا | ||
| The word "موسکا" in Pashto can also mean "grin" or "laughter." | |||
| Arabic | ابتسامة | ||
| In Arabic, "ابتسامة" (ibtisama) originally meant "to have a cut" or "to cut," reflecting the way a smile can "cut through" facial features. | |||
Smile in Western European Languages
| Albanian | buzeqesh | ||
| The word "buzeqesh" comes from the Albanian word "buzë" meaning "lip" and the suffix "-qesh" which means "to laugh". | |||
| Basque | irribarre | ||
| This word originates from the onomatopoeia “irr-irr” and it is related to the verbs “irri egin” (“to laugh”) and “Barre egin” (“to smile”). | |||
| Catalan | somriure | ||
| «Somriure» comes from the Latin word «subridere», meaning to smile slightly or mockingly. | |||
| Croatian | osmijeh | ||
| "Osmijeh" derives from an older word "smijeh" which stems from the Proto-Slavic word *směxъ, meaning "laughter". | |||
| Danish | smil | ||
| In Danish, the word "smil" not only means "smile", but also "the corner of the mouth" or "the small gap between the upper lip and the nose". | |||
| Dutch | glimlach | ||
| The Dutch word "glimlach" also refers to a specific type of smile, characterized by a slight upturn of the corners of the mouth and a twinkle in the eyes, often denoting amusement or affection. | |||
| English | smile | ||
| The English word "smile" derives from the Old English word "smilian," denoting not only a joyful facial expression, but also a gentle wind. | |||
| French | sourire | ||
| The word "sourire" in French derives from the Latin word "subridere" meaning "to laugh softly" and is related to the words "rire" (to laugh) and "ris" (laughter). | |||
| Frisian | laitsje | ||
| The word 'laits' possibly derives from an Old Frisian form of the verb 'to laugh' and refers to a smile or a smirk. | |||
| Galician | sorrir | ||
| Galician's "sorrir" comes from the Latin "subridēre", which also means "to chuckle". | |||
| German | lächeln | ||
| The word "Lächeln" originally referred to the sound of a flowing river and was later applied to the facial expression of smiling. | |||
| Icelandic | brosa | ||
| The Icelandic word "brosa" is derived from the Old Norse word "broska", meaning "crumble" or "break into small pieces". | |||
| Irish | aoibh gháire | ||
| The Old Irish word "gáir" meant "to laugh" or "to shout", a sense retained in the modern Irish word "gáire" meaning "laughter". | |||
| Italian | sorridi | ||
| The Italian word "Sorridi" is derived from the Latin "subridere," meaning "to smile slightly or secretly." | |||
| Luxembourgish | laachen | ||
| "laachen" in Luxembourgish comes from the Greek "gelan" meaning "to laugh" and also shares a common root with "laugh" in English. | |||
| Maltese | tbissima | ||
| The word "tbissima" in Maltese comes from the Italian "bissimo", which means "very twice" and is commonly used to intensify an adjective, such as "beautiful" or "good". | |||
| Norwegian | smil | ||
| In Norwegian, "smil" can also mean a small, bitter grimace, similar to "smirk" in English. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | sorriso | ||
| The word "sorriso" comes from the Latin "subridere", meaning "to laugh slightly". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | gàire | ||
| "Gàire" also means "laughter" or "beam of sunlight" in Scots Gaelic. | |||
| Spanish | sonreír | ||
| Sonreír shares its etymology with the word subridere, from the Latin sub- (under) and ridere (laugh) | |||
| Swedish | leende | ||
| The word "leende" can also refer to a "smiling landscape" or a "smiling expression" in Swedish. | |||
| Welsh | gwenu | ||
| In Welsh poetry, the word 'gwenu' can also refer to a gentle breeze or a pleasant sound, conveying a sense of tranquility and contentment. | |||
Smile in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | ўсмешка | ||
| The word "ўсмешка" is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word "съмЂхъ" (směxъ), meaning "laughter" or "grin". | |||
| Bosnian | osmijeh | ||
| The word 'osmijeh' originates from the Proto-Slavic word 'osmĕхъ', which means 'eight', and refers to the eight teeth that are typically visible when smiling. | |||
| Bulgarian | усмивка | ||
| The word "усмивка" is derived from the verb "усмивам се", meaning "to beam". It can also refer to a "slight curve of the lips", or an "expression of amusement". | |||
| Czech | úsměv | ||
| The word "úsměv" derives from the verb "usmát se" meaning "to smile", and is related to the word "úsměv" meaning "success". | |||
| Estonian | naerata | ||
| The word "naerata" is derived from the Proto-Finnic word "*naara-, *naarat-," meaning "to laugh, to ridicule, to mock" | |||
| Finnish | hymy | ||
| The word "hymy" is also used figuratively in Finnish to express a sense of contentment or satisfaction. | |||
| Hungarian | mosoly | ||
| Mosoly is originally a Romanian word meaning "to pray" and has been used in Hungarian since the 16th century. | |||
| Latvian | smaids | ||
| The word "smaidīt" is derived from the Indo-European root "smei-", meaning "to laugh". It can also mean "to grin" or "to smirk". | |||
| Lithuanian | šypsokis | ||
| Šypsokis is also a name given to the sun, the bringer of warmth and smiles. | |||
| Macedonian | насмевка | ||
| The word "насмевка" in Macedonian can also mean "mockery" or "ridicule". | |||
| Polish | uśmiech | ||
| The word "uśmiech" originally referred to a "look" or "expression" and only later acquired the meaning of "smile". | |||
| Romanian | zâmbet | ||
| The Romanian word "zâmbet" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*zǫbъ", meaning "tooth." | |||
| Russian | улыбка | ||
| The word "улыбка" comes from the Proto-Slavic word "*ulyba", meaning "to curve". | |||
| Serbian | осмех | ||
| The word "осмех" in Serbian can also mean "a joke" or "a funny story." | |||
| Slovak | usmievať sa | ||
| The Slovak word "usmievať sa" derives from the Slavic verb "světati se", meaning "to light up". | |||
| Slovenian | nasmeh | ||
| The word 'nasmeh' comes from 'na smeh' meaning 'for laughter' and is closely related to 'smeh', meaning just that. | |||
| Ukrainian | посмішка | ||
| The Ukrainian word "посмішка" is cognate with the Russian "улыбка" and ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *(s)mei-, meaning "to laugh". | |||
Smile in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | হাসি | ||
| The term 'হাসি' (smile) also refers to the emotion of laughter, especially when it is expressed spontaneously or involuntarily. | |||
| Gujarati | સ્મિત | ||
| The Gujarati word 'સ્મિત', meaning 'smile,' also denotes a graceful, subtle, and pleasing expression or attitude. | |||
| Hindi | मुस्कुराओ | ||
| The word "मुस्कुराओ" also means "to bloom" or "to flourish" in Hindi. | |||
| Kannada | ಸ್ಮೈಲ್ | ||
| The word "ಸ್ಮೈಲ್" can also be derived from the word "ಸ್ಮೃ" (smru), meaning "to remember" or "to recollect" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | പുഞ്ചിരി | ||
| The word 'പുഞ്ചിരി' also refers to a type of laughter in Malayalam, typically used to describe a gentle chuckle or a soft laugh. | |||
| Marathi | स्मित | ||
| The word ''स्मित'' may also refer to the ''act of smiling'' itself or an ''expression with a slight upward curve of the mouth''. | |||
| Nepali | हाँसो | ||
| The word "हाँसो" not only means "smile" but also refers to the act of smiling and the expression of happiness or amusement | |||
| Punjabi | ਮੁਸਕਾਨ | ||
| The term "muskaan" is derived from the Sanskrit word "mitha" (sweet), referring to the pleasant expression associated with smiling. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සිනහව | ||
| "සිනහව" (smile) derives from "සිනම" (to open), suggesting a connection between smiling and the act of opening one's mouth. | |||
| Tamil | புன்னகை | ||
| Telugu | చిరునవ్వు | ||
| చిరునవ్వు is also an affectionate expression used for a child and means "little one". | |||
| Urdu | مسکراہٹ | ||
| In Urdu, the word "مسکراہٹ" can also refer to "a slight or faint smile" or "a pleasant or welcoming expression on the face." | |||
Smile in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 微笑 | ||
| "微笑" also refers to "smiling slightly" and is a more reserved form of smiling than "大笑" (laughing out loud). | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 微笑 | ||
| 微笑 (smile) also means 'faint smile' or 'slight smile' in Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | スマイル | ||
| スマイル (smile) derives from the English word "smile," but can also refer to a facial expression that conveys a range of emotions, not just happiness. | |||
| Korean | 미소 | ||
| The word | |||
| Mongolian | инээмсэглэ | ||
| The word "инээмсэглэ" is an alteration and extension from a Mongolian word that is synonymous with "laugh", suggesting smiling and laughing are interconnected. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အပြုံး | ||
| The word "အပြုံး" (smile) in Myanmar (Burmese) is derived from the Pali word "pamuccā", meaning "to beam with delight". | |||
Smile in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | tersenyum | ||
| Tersenyum's root word 'senyum' comes from the Sanskrit 'hasita' meaning 'smile'. | |||
| Javanese | mesem | ||
| "Mesem" can also mean "to show teeth" or "to grin" in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | ញញឹម | ||
| The word "ញញឹម" can also refer to a flirtatious or cunning expression. | |||
| Lao | ຍິ້ມ | ||
| The word ຍິ້ມ derives from the Mon language, where it carries an additional connotation of politeness and reverence. | |||
| Malay | senyum | ||
| The word "senyum" in Malay can also mean "a slight smile, usually accompanied by a friendly or amused expression." | |||
| Thai | ยิ้ม | ||
| The word "ยิ้ม" comes from the Sanskrit word "smriti" meaning "to remember". | |||
| Vietnamese | nụ cười | ||
| The word "nụ cười" derives from "nụ", meaning "flower bud", implying a blooming smile like a blossoming flower. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ngumiti | ||
Smile in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | təbəssüm | ||
| The word "təbəssüm" is derived from the Arabic word "tabassum" and can also mean "to blush" or "to brighten up" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | күлімсіреу | ||
| The word "күлімсіреу" in Kazakh can also mean "laughter" or "grin". | |||
| Kyrgyz | жылмаюу | ||
| "Жылмаюу" is also used to describe the act of laughing out loud. | |||
| Tajik | табассум | ||
| The Tajik word "табассум" ultimately comes from the Arabic word "تبسم" which means "to smile lightly or briefly." | |||
| Turkmen | ýylgyr | ||
| Uzbek | tabassum | ||
| The word 'tabassum' has the same etymology as the word 'tabassam' in Arabic, and it is also used in Farsi with the same meaning. | |||
| Uyghur | كۈلۈمسىرەڭ | ||
Smile in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | minoʻaka | ||
| The Hawaiian word "minoʻaka" can also refer to a "grin" or a "smirk." | |||
| Maori | ataata | ||
| "Ataata" in Maori can also refer to a first glimpse of the sun at dawn or a state of contentment. | |||
| Samoan | ataata | ||
| The word "ataata" in Samoan is also associated with the notions of laughter and happiness, and can be used in the context of a joke being "ataata tele" (very funny). | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | ngiti | ||
| Ngiti is also an archaic term for a small knife or a razor. | |||
Smile in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | sixsi | ||
| Guarani | pukavy | ||
Smile in International Languages
| Esperanto | ridetu | ||
| The Esperanto word "ridetu" is derived from the Latin word "ridere," meaning "to laugh." | |||
| Latin | ridere | ||
| The verb 'ridēre' has a secondary sense in Classical and Medieval Latin, referring to a particular type of laughter that is associated with mockery or derision. | |||
Smile in Others Languages
| Greek | χαμόγελο | ||
| "Χαμόγελο" is also used colloquially as a synonym for "pleasure" or "joy". | |||
| Hmong | luag | ||
| The word "luag" can also mean "to shine" or "to glow" in Hmong, reflecting the idea that a smile can brighten up a person's face. | |||
| Kurdish | kenn | ||
| The word "kenn" in Kurdish can also mean "to be happy" or "to be glad". | |||
| Turkish | gülümsemek | ||
| The word "gülümsemek" in Turkish is derived from the word "gül" (rose), implying that a smile is as beautiful as a rose. | |||
| Xhosa | uncumo | ||
| The word "uncumo" can also mean "laughter" or "a joyful expression" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | שמייכלען | ||
| The Yiddish word "שמייכלען" (shmaykhelen) also means "to flatter". | |||
| Zulu | ukumamatheka | ||
| The word "ukumamatheka" in Zulu also means "to show one's teeth", referring to the act of smiling. | |||
| Assamese | হাঁহি | ||
| Aymara | sixsi | ||
| Bhojpuri | हँसी | ||
| Dhivehi | ހިނިތުންވުން | ||
| Dogri | हास्सा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ngumiti | ||
| Guarani | pukavy | ||
| Ilocano | isem | ||
| Krio | smayl | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | خەندە | ||
| Maithili | मुस्कुराहट | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯣꯃꯣꯟ ꯅꯣꯛꯄ | ||
| Mizo | nui | ||
| Oromo | qummaaduu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ହସ | ||
| Quechua | asiy | ||
| Sanskrit | स्मितः | ||
| Tatar | елма | ||
| Tigrinya | ሰሓቅ | ||
| Tsonga | n'wayitela | ||