Updated on March 6, 2024
A 'tie' is a wardrobe staple, a symbol of professionalism in many cultures. More than just a piece of clothing, it carries historical significance and cultural importance. The tie's origins can be traced back to the 17th century Croatian mercenaries who wore a piece of cloth around their necks as part of their uniform. This fashion accessory was later adopted by the French upper class, evolving into what we now know as the tie.
Interestingly, the tie is also a symbol of solidarity and support. In 1926, a group of American tie manufacturers started the 'Red Tie Day' to support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Today, red ties are often worn to raise awareness about this disease.
Understanding the translation of 'tie' in different languages can be a fun way to explore cultural diversity. For instance, in Spanish, it's 'corbata', in French - 'cravate', in German - 'Krawatte', and in Japanese - 'NECKTIE'.
Afrikaans | das | ||
The word "das" also means "it" or "that" in German, which is likely where the Afrikaans word originated. | |||
Amharic | ማሰሪያ | ||
Derived from the root word "ሠረ" meaning "to bind" or "to join," "ማሰሪያ" can also refer to a "joint," "hinge," or "bracelet." | |||
Hausa | ƙulla | ||
The word ƙulla in Hausa can also mean 'a group of people with a common purpose' or 'a group of people bound together by a common interest or goal'. | |||
Igbo | tie | ||
In Igbo, 'tie' can also mean a type of drum or a traditional dance with accompanying music. | |||
Malagasy | tie | ||
In Malagasy, "tie" can also refer to a type of cloth worn around the waist or a rope used for binding. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | tayi | ||
In some contexts, "tayi" is also interchangeable with "gwirani." | |||
Shona | tai | ||
Somali | xiro | ||
The word "xiro" also means "string" or "rope" in Somali. | |||
Sesotho | tlama | ||
In Sesotho, the word "tlama" can also refer to the act of binding or attaching something. | |||
Swahili | funga | ||
Other than "tie," the word "funga" in Swahili can refer to "seal" or "close a lid on something." | |||
Xhosa | iqhina | ||
The word "iqhina" can also mean "to tighten" or "to press down on something" in Xhosa. | |||
Yoruba | tai | ||
The word "tai" in Yoruba also refers to a type of traditional fabric worn by men. | |||
Zulu | uthayi | ||
In Zulu, "uthayi" can also mean "a small amount of something tied together," akin to a bundle or a bunch. | |||
Bambara | ka siri | ||
Ewe | sa kᴐ | ||
Kinyarwanda | karavati | ||
Lingala | cravate | ||
Luganda | okusiba | ||
Sepedi | bofa | ||
Twi (Akan) | kyekyere | ||
Arabic | ربطة عنق | ||
ربطة العنق هي اسم آخر لـ 'العنق'، وهي قطعة قماش تُربط حول الرقبة. | |||
Hebrew | עניבה | ||
"עניבה" is derived from the word "עונב" which means "grape" in Hebrew. | |||
Pashto | ټای | ||
The word ټای "tie" comes from the Persian word "tas" which itself comes from the Old Turkish "taç". The Persian word "tas\” also means "bowl" and "plate" which are both circular in shape like a tie. | |||
Arabic | ربطة عنق | ||
ربطة العنق هي اسم آخر لـ 'العنق'، وهي قطعة قماش تُربط حول الرقبة. |
Albanian | kravatë | ||
In Albanian, "kravatë" comes from the Italian word "cravatta" and is also used to refer to a "neckerchief". | |||
Basque | gorbata | ||
The Basque word "gorbata" also means "knot" and "ribbon"} | |||
Catalan | corbata | ||
The Catalan word "corbata" originally referred to a "piece of animal skin"} | |||
Croatian | kravata | ||
The word 'kravata' likely originates from the Croatian soldiers who wore neckerchiefs during the Thirty Years' War, and the French soldiers adopted this fashion and named their own scarves 'cravates'. | |||
Danish | binde | ||
"binde" in Danish also means "to bind, to bandage, to book, to engage, to hook, to pack, to put in a bundle, to tie up, to wrap up." | |||
Dutch | binden | ||
The Dutch word "binden" (to tie) is cognate with the English word "bind". | |||
English | tie | ||
The word "tie" can refer to a piece of clothing worn around the neck, a draw in a competition, or a wooden beam. | |||
French | attacher | ||
"Attacher" also means "fasten" in its most general sense, to link one thing to another (e.g. a hook to a wall). | |||
Frisian | bine | ||
In Frisian, "bine" can also mean "to bind" or "to fasten". | |||
Galician | empate | ||
In Galician, "empate" can also refer to a draw or standstill in a competition or game. | |||
German | krawatte | ||
"Krawatte" in German originates from the Croatian word "hrvat" which means "Croatian" and refers to the neckerchiefs worn by Croatian mercenaries in the 17th century. | |||
Icelandic | binda | ||
The Old Norse word "binda" also meant "to fight". | |||
Irish | carbhat | ||
In Irish folklore, ''carbhat'' also refers to the magical cord used by midwives to protect a newborn baby. | |||
Italian | cravatta | ||
The Italian word "cravatta" may derive from the Croatian "cravata," referring to a scarf worn by soldiers during the 17th century's Thirty Years' War. | |||
Luxembourgish | krawatt | ||
The word "Krawatt" is derived from the French word "cravate", which in turn comes from the Croatian word "hrvat", meaning "Croat". | |||
Maltese | tie | ||
In Maltese, | |||
Norwegian | slips | ||
The Norwegian word "slips" can refer to the strap of a backpack, a slip of the tongue, or a type of pastry that resembles a bow tie. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | gravata | ||
The word "gravata" originally referred to a type of fabric that was used to fasten collars in the late 16th century. | |||
Scots Gaelic | ceangail | ||
The word "ceangail" can also mean "obligation" or "responsibility" in Scots Gaelic. | |||
Spanish | corbata | ||
The origin of the word "corbata" is uncertain, but it may derive from the French "cravate", a scarf worn by Croatian mercenaries in the 17th century. | |||
Swedish | slips | ||
"Slips derives from "slip" or "slap", meaning "to slide" or "to glide". | |||
Welsh | tei | ||
The Welsh word "tei" also means "to pour" in the context of pouring liquid into a container. |
Belarusian | гальштук | ||
The word "гальштук" is derived from the German word "Halstuch" meaning "neck cloth". | |||
Bosnian | kravata | ||
"Kravat" is originally the French word for "Croat" as the cravat, a type of neck item, was first brought west by 17th-century Croatian mercenaries. | |||
Bulgarian | вратовръзка | ||
The word вратовръзка literally means "neck binder" and is related to the words врат (neck) and върж (tie). | |||
Czech | kravata | ||
Kravaty vznikly jako součást vojenských uniforem chorvatských žoldnéřů, z čehož pochází i jejich název. | |||
Estonian | lips | ||
In Estonian, "lips" can also refer to a bond or a knot, reflecting its original meaning as a "binding" or "fastening device." | |||
Finnish | solmio | ||
The word "solmio" also refers to a musical tie; its name refers to the knot of a necktie worn under a musical bow tie. | |||
Hungarian | nyakkendő | ||
"Nyák" was an old Hungarian word for "neck" (meaning 'gullet' today), but it's preserved in expressions such as "nyaktörő nehéz" (literally: neckbreakingly hard). | |||
Latvian | kakla saite | ||
"Kakla saite" is cognate with "necklace" and "necktie" in English, and likely derives from the Proto-Indo-European root *nek- "to bind, tie". | |||
Lithuanian | kaklaraištis | ||
This Lithuanian word may possibly originate from Proto-Baltic, and it has a related form in Latvian - "kaklarota". | |||
Macedonian | вратоврска | ||
The word 'vra tovrska' in Macedonian, meaning 'tie,' originates from the Proto-Slavic word 'vratъ,' meaning 'neck,' and 'vъrsti,' meaning 'to twist' or 'to tie'. | |||
Polish | wiązanie | ||
Wiązanie (bind) in polish can also refer to the act of joining, connecting, or attaching something. | |||
Romanian | cravată | ||
The word "cravată" is derived from the word "cravate", which means "croatian" in French, as the cravat was originally a style of neckerchief worn by Croatian mercenaries in the 17th century. | |||
Russian | галстук | ||
The Russian word 'галстук' ('tie') comes from 'галс' ('bowline'), a term for a knot that secures the sails of a ship. | |||
Serbian | кравата | ||
Кравата does not literally mean a cow in Serbian and does not refer to the animal. | |||
Slovak | zaviazať | ||
In Eastern Slovak dialects, it can also mean 'to start something', 'to initiate'. | |||
Slovenian | kravata | ||
The word "kravata" in Slovenian is derived from the French word "cravate", which in turn comes from the Croatian word "hrvat", meaning "Croatian". | |||
Ukrainian | краватка | ||
The same word can also mean "beautiful, pretty", and it has the same meaning in the Polish cognate "krawat". |
Bengali | টাই | ||
The word "টাই" can also refer to the "time" in Bengali, like "আমি সকাল ৮ টায় বের হব" (I'll leave at eight in the morning). | |||
Gujarati | ટાઇ | ||
The word 'tie' can also refer to a situation or bond that connects two or more people or things. | |||
Hindi | गुलोबन्द | ||
"गुलोबन्द" is an ornamental band worn around the neck of a horse, and is derived from the Persian words "gul" (flower) and "band" (bond). | |||
Kannada | ಕಟ್ಟು | ||
Malayalam | ടൈ | ||
The Malayalam word "ടൈ" can also mean "time" or "appointment". | |||
Marathi | टाय | ||
In Marathi, "टाय" can also mean a "bandage" or a "tourniquet". | |||
Nepali | टाई | ||
The word "टाई" can also mean "draw" or "equality" in a competition or contest. | |||
Punjabi | ਟਾਈ | ||
The word "ਟਾਈ" in Punjabi can also refer to a draw or a tie-breaker in a game. | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ටයි | ||
The word ටයි, besides meaning "tie", can also mean "draw" or "equality" in Sinhala. | |||
Tamil | கட்டு | ||
Tamil word 'கட்டு' (tie) also means 'a piece of cloth', 'a bundle', 'a book', 'a section', 'a limit', 'a rule', 'a method', 'a law', 'a covenant', 'a contract', 'a bond', 'a connection', 'a link', 'a relationship', 'an assembly', 'a group', 'a party', 'a society', 'an organization', 'an institution', 'a system', 'a structure', 'a framework', 'a pattern', 'a design', 'a plan', 'a scheme', 'a project', 'a program', 'a strategy', 'a tactic', 'a technique', 'a method', 'a way', 'a means', 'a mode', 'a device', 'a contraption', 'a gadget', 'a tool', 'an instrument', 'a machine', 'an apparatus', 'a device', 'a fixture', 'a fitting', 'a component', 'a part', 'a piece', 'a bit', 'a scrap', 'a fragment', 'a portion', 'a segment', 'a section', 'a division', 'a chapter', 'a paragraph', 'a sentence', 'a word', 'a letter', 'a character', 'a symbol', 'a mark', 'a sign', 'a note', 'a message', 'a communication', 'a conversation', 'a discussion', 'a debate', 'a dialogue', 'a talk', 'a lecture', 'a speech', 'a sermon', 'a performance', 'a show', 'a display', 'a demonstration', 'an exhibition', 'a presentation', 'a production', 'a work', 'a creation', 'a thing', 'a stuff', 'a matter', 'a substance', 'a material', 'a property', 'a quality', 'a characteristic', 'a feature', 'a trait', 'a nature', 'a disposition', 'a tendency', 'a habit', 'a custom', 'a tradition', 'a culture', 'a civilization', 'a world | |||
Telugu | టై | ||
In Telugu, “టై” (tie) can also refer to a boundary or an appointment. | |||
Urdu | ٹائی | ||
The Urdu word "ٹائی" can also refer to a "dam" or a "lock." |
Chinese (Simplified) | 领带 | ||
领带在汉语中也指“领口”或“脖领”,指衣领周边的部分。 | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 領帶 | ||
領帶的「領」也有圍繞、包覆的意思,在古代是男性服飾中披在頸部或肩上的布料 | |||
Japanese | ネクタイ | ||
"ネクタイ" is a Japanese word derived from the French "cravate" (neckwear) and "ne" (neck). | |||
Korean | 넥타이 | ||
The Korean word "넥타이" (necktie) is derived from the English word "neckcloth", which was a type of scarf worn around the neck in the 17th century. | |||
Mongolian | зангиа | ||
The Mongolian word "зангиа" also means "rope" or "string", and is etymologically related to the Turkish word "zangi" with the same meaning. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | လည်စည်း | ||
လည်စည်း is also the name of a kind of food made from rice, coconut and sugar |
Indonesian | dasi | ||
The word "dasi" in Indonesian can also refer to a type of musical instrument, specifically a traditional Sundanese violin. | |||
Javanese | dasi | ||
The word "dasi" in Javanese can also refer to a "scarf" or a "headband". | |||
Khmer | ចង | ||
The Khmer word 'ចង' can also refer to a type of musical instrument or a traditional dance. | |||
Lao | ຖີ້ມ | ||
The word "ຖີ້ມ" (tie) in Lao is also a slang term for "throw away". | |||
Malay | tali leher | ||
"Tali leher" also refers to the noose used in executions. | |||
Thai | ผูก | ||
ผูก (phuk) comes from the Mon word "pauk" or the Khmer word "bauh, | |||
Vietnamese | cà vạt | ||
"Cà vạt" originates from Chinese "jia wei" (假歪), meaning "crooked fake knot". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | itali | ||
Azerbaijani | qalustuk | ||
The word "qalustuk" in Azerbaijani could also mean "collar" or "bow tie". | |||
Kazakh | галстук | ||
Галстук is derived from the Dutch word | |||
Kyrgyz | галстук | ||
"Галстук" also means "to choke" in Kyrgyz. | |||
Tajik | галстук | ||
"Галстук" originally referred to a small piece of fabric used to hold pants in place. | |||
Turkmen | galstuk | ||
Uzbek | taqish | ||
In Farsi, the word "taqish" also means "a small amount of food or money that is given to someone as a gift or a reward." | |||
Uyghur | گالىستۇك | ||
Hawaiian | nakinaki | ||
The word “nakinaki” can also mean “to connect” or “to unite” in Hawaiian. | |||
Maori | herea | ||
The word "herea" may also refer to a bond or connection in a non-physical sense, such as a relationship or agreement. | |||
Samoan | nonoa | ||
In Tuvaluan and several Polynesian languages, “nonoa” means “tie together” or "fasten" while in some Polynesian languages, “nonoa” means “fragrant”. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | itali | ||
In Tagalog, the word "itali" also means "belt" or "strap." |
Aymara | chinuntaña | ||
Guarani | ñapytĩ | ||
Esperanto | kravato | ||
The Esperanto word "kravato" is derived from the French word "cravate" and also means "scarf" in some contexts. | |||
Latin | colligationem | ||
In Latin, "colligatio" can also refer to a bond, union, or alliance. |
Greek | γραβάτα | ||
Γραβάτα derives from Croat and initially denoted a part of the Croatian national costume. | |||
Hmong | khi | ||
"Khi", besides meaning "tie", is also a Hmong name that translates to "hope". | |||
Kurdish | girêdan | ||
"Girêdan" also means "to surround" or "to circle" in Kurdish | |||
Turkish | kravat | ||
The word “kravat” comes from Serbo-Croatian “kravata” which means “Croat” because the first “tie” or “cravat-like” scarf was seen around the necks of Croatian mercenaries fighting for the French in the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648). | |||
Xhosa | iqhina | ||
The word "iqhina" can also mean "to tighten" or "to press down on something" in Xhosa. | |||
Yiddish | בונד | ||
The Yiddish word 'בונד' ('tie') originates from the German 'Bund', meaning 'alliance' or 'covenant', due to its use to fasten two pieces of clothing together. | |||
Zulu | uthayi | ||
In Zulu, "uthayi" can also mean "a small amount of something tied together," akin to a bundle or a bunch. | |||
Assamese | বন্ধা | ||
Aymara | chinuntaña | ||
Bhojpuri | कंठलँगोट | ||
Dhivehi | ގޮށްޖެހުން | ||
Dogri | टाई | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | itali | ||
Guarani | ñapytĩ | ||
Ilocano | igalot | ||
Krio | tay | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | بۆیناغ | ||
Maithili | बान्हब | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯨꯟꯕ | ||
Mizo | suih | ||
Oromo | hidhuu | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ବାନ୍ଧ | | ||
Quechua | corbata | ||
Sanskrit | बन्ध | ||
Tatar | галстук | ||
Tigrinya | ከረባታ | ||
Tsonga | boha | ||