Tip in Different Languages
Discover 'Tip' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'tip' holds a significant place in our daily conversations, often used to describe a small piece of advice or a contribution given as a reward for services. Its cultural importance is evident in various traditions and customs around the world, such as tipping servers in restaurants or leaving a tip for hotel housekeeping. But did you know that the word 'tip' has fascinating historical contexts too? It is believed to originate from the Old English word 'typpian,' meaning 'to touch lightly.'
Understanding the translation of 'tip' in different languages can open up new dimensions of communication and cultural appreciation. For instance, in Spanish, 'tip' translates to 'propina,' in French, it's 'pourboire,' and in German, it's 'Trinkgeld.'
Explore the list below to learn more about how 'tip' is translated in various languages, enhancing your global cultural vocabulary.
Tip
Tip in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | wenk | ||
| In some parts of South Africa, "wenk" is used to refer to a small, portable container used to measure out wine or milk. | |||
| Amharic | ጠቃሚ ምክር | ||
| Hausa | tip | ||
| In Hausa, the word "tip" also means "to pick up" or "to take." | |||
| Igbo | n'ọnụ ọnụ | ||
| The word "n'ọnụ ọnụ" can also refer to the protruding snout of a pig or the pointed end of a spear, further emphasizing its association with pointed or protruding objects. | |||
| Malagasy | tendron'ny | ||
| It is related to the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian word *tudjuŋ, meaning "to point out". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | nsonga | ||
| The word "nsonga" in Nyanja has the additional meaning of "nose". | |||
| Shona | muromo | ||
| The word "muromo" in Shona can also refer to the tip of a hill or a spear, and may be related to the Proto-Bantu root *-(p)ulu* meaning "head" or "top." | |||
| Somali | caarad | ||
| The word "caarad" also means "advice" or "information" in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | ntlha | ||
| The word "ntlha" can also refer to the top or point of something, or to the goal or objective of an action. | |||
| Swahili | ncha | ||
| The word "ncha" in Swahili can also refer to a small coin or a type of bird. | |||
| Xhosa | ingcebiso | ||
| This word originally meant 'a small thing' and is closely related to the verb ukungena, meaning 'to put in'. | |||
| Yoruba | sample | ||
| In Yoruba, the word 'sample' can also mean 'an example of something', as in 'He showed me a sample of his work'. | |||
| Zulu | ithiphu | ||
| The Zulu word "ithiphu" commonly means "tip", but it can also refer to the "top" of something or to "advice". | |||
| Bambara | laadilikan | ||
| Ewe | nunana | ||
| Kinyarwanda | inama | ||
| Lingala | toli | ||
| Luganda | kawuna | ||
| Sepedi | ntlha | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ano | ||
Tip in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | تلميح | ||
| The word "تلميح" can also mean "hint" or "allusion". | |||
| Hebrew | עֵצָה | ||
| The Hebrew word עֵצָה can also mean "advice" or "counsel" | |||
| Pashto | اشاره | ||
| The word "اشاره" in Pashto can also mean "indication" or "hint". | |||
| Arabic | تلميح | ||
| The word "تلميح" can also mean "hint" or "allusion". | |||
Tip in Western European Languages
| Albanian | bakshish | ||
| The word 'bakshish' comes from the Persian word 'bakhshish', meaning 'a gift'. | |||
| Basque | propina | ||
| The word "propina" is derived from the Latin word "prae-finire", meaning "to finish beforehand", and was originally used to refer to the act of giving a small gift to someone who had done a service. | |||
| Catalan | propina | ||
| The Catalan word "propina" originally referred to a gift given to a superior, but its meaning evolved to include the modern sense of a gratuity given for service. | |||
| Croatian | savjet | ||
| The word "savjet" (tip) in Croatian also means "advice". | |||
| Danish | tip | ||
| Danish 'tip' (tip) comes from the old Norse word 'tipr' meaning 'point' or 'peak'. | |||
| Dutch | tip | ||
| In Dutch, the word "tip" can also mean "toe", "point", or "top". | |||
| English | tip | ||
| The word "tip" can also refer to the metal point on a shoe or boot that prevents wear. | |||
| French | pointe | ||
| Derived from Latin "puncta, punctae", "point, sharp point or puncture", in turn from "pungere", "to prick", ultimately deriving from the PIE root "*(s)peik-", meaning "sharp point, pointed, spike." | |||
| Frisian | punt | ||
| In Frisian, "punt" can also refer to a point in a game or a small amount of money. | |||
| Galician | propina | ||
| "Propina" derives from Latin "propinare", "to drink to sb's health," akin to English "toast". | |||
| German | trinkgeld | ||
| The word "Trinkgeld" in German is derived from the older phrase "Trinck geldt," meaning "drinking money," as it was originally given to innkeepers to secure better service. | |||
| Icelandic | þjórfé | ||
| The word "þjórfé" originally meant "thief's money" in Icelandic. | |||
| Irish | tip | ||
| In Irish, "tip" can also mean a "drop," "a sip," or "a small amount of a liquid." | |||
| Italian | mancia | ||
| The Italian word 'mancia' (tip) derives from the Latin 'manus' (hand), referring to the act of giving money into someone's hand. | |||
| Luxembourgish | tipp | ||
| The word "Tipp" in Luxembourgish can also refer to a small amount of money or a friendly piece of advice. | |||
| Maltese | ponta | ||
| The word "ponta" in Maltese derives from the Italian "punta" meaning "point" or "tip", and it can also refer to a mountain peak or promontory. | |||
| Norwegian | tips | ||
| The word "tips" comes from the Proto-Germanic term "tippuz," which also means "point" or "peak." | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | dica | ||
| "Dica" also means „clue, hint, advice, point, guide". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | tip | ||
| The Scots Gaelic word "tip" means "drop", but it can also refer to a small hill or mound. | |||
| Spanish | propina | ||
| In Spain, propina also means "bonus" or "bribe" | |||
| Swedish | dricks | ||
| Drick is the Swedish word for beverage and it's not uncommon to also use it informally when referring to giving a tip as in "lämna en dricks". | |||
| Welsh | tip | ||
| In Welsh, "tip" (Welsh tip) can be used to describe both the "tip" or point of something as well as a "heap" (Welsh tas) of material. | |||
Tip in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | наканечнік | ||
| The word "наканечнік" in Belarusian can also refer to the end of a thread, strand, or rope. | |||
| Bosnian | tip | ||
| The word “tip” in Bosnian can also refer to a small bird. | |||
| Bulgarian | бакшиш | ||
| The word бакшиш derives from an Old Persian root that also gave us "gift," while in Turkish the word means "to give"} | |||
| Czech | spropitné | ||
| In Czech slang, "spropitné" also means a bribe or a payment for a favor. | |||
| Estonian | vihje | ||
| The Estonian word "vihje" derives from the Proto-Finnic word "*vïhe" meaning "hook", referring to the way a tip hooks the receiver's attention. | |||
| Finnish | kärki | ||
| In Finnish, "kärki" also refers to the leader or forefront of a group or movement, or to a sharp or pointed end of an object. | |||
| Hungarian | tipp | ||
| In Hungarian, "tipp" can also refer to a wager, prediction, or guess. | |||
| Latvian | padoms | ||
| The word "padoms" in Latvian derives from the verb "padot" (to give) and originally meant a "gift" or "donation". | |||
| Lithuanian | patarimas | ||
| In Lithuanian, the word "patarimas" is derived from the verb "patarti," meaning "to advise" or "to recommend," and carries the connotation of providing guidance or instruction rather than a financial reward. | |||
| Macedonian | совет | ||
| The word "совет" in Macedonian can also refer to an advice or a suggestion | |||
| Polish | wskazówka | ||
| "Wskazówka" can also mean "hand" in Polish as it is derived from the verb "wskazywać" (to point). | |||
| Romanian | bacsis | ||
| Derived from the Turkish "baksheesh", meaning "a gift given in return for service." | |||
| Russian | наконечник | ||
| "наконечник" (tip) can also mean the tip or head of an arrow, spear, etc. | |||
| Serbian | савет | ||
| The word "Савет" can also mean "advice" or "suggestion" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | tip | ||
| The Slovak word "tip" can also mean "kind" or "sort". | |||
| Slovenian | nasvet | ||
| The word "nasvet" also means "advice". | |||
| Ukrainian | порада | ||
| In Russian, the noun "пора" means "time" as a time interval. | |||
Tip in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | টিপ | ||
| The word 'টিপ' (tip) in Bengali can also refer to 'a small amount of money' or 'a piece of advice'. | |||
| Gujarati | ટીપ | ||
| The Gujarati word "ટીપ" (tip) derives from the Sanskrit word "दिश" (dis), meaning "direction" or "guidance." | |||
| Hindi | टिप | ||
| "टिप" is also used in Hindi as a colloquial term for a 'small amount of money' given as a gratuity. | |||
| Kannada | ತುದಿ | ||
| ತುದಿ (tip) means both the end of an object as well as a piece of advice given for a reward in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | നുറുങ്ങ് | ||
| "നുറുങ്ങ്" can also mean a small piece or fragment of something. | |||
| Marathi | टीप | ||
| "टीप" in Marathi can also refer to a short note or memorandum. | |||
| Nepali | टिप | ||
| The word "टिप" in Nepali can also mean "advice" or "suggestion". | |||
| Punjabi | ਟਿਪ | ||
| The Punjabi word "ਟਿਪ" can also refer to advice or information. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ඉඟිය | ||
| The Sinhala word ඉඟිය also refers to a 'point' or 'end' of something, not just the 'tip'. | |||
| Tamil | முனை | ||
| The Tamil word "முனை" not only means "tip" but also denotes a "beginning", "aim" or "purpose". | |||
| Telugu | చిట్కా | ||
| The word "చిట్కా" can also mean "small piece" or "a little bit" in Telugu. | |||
| Urdu | نوک | ||
| In Urdu, "نوک" (tip) also means a "bird's beak". | |||
Tip in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 小费 | ||
| 小费在中文中还有“好处费”和“茶钱”的意思，反映出其在历史上的角色转变。 | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 小費 | ||
| The word "小費" literally means "small fees" in Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | ヒント | ||
| "ヒント (hintou)" comes from "hinto," which is short for "hintyō." "Hintyō" has a few meanings, so depending on the context, "ヒント" could also mean a sign, a cue, or a signal. | |||
| Korean | 팁 | ||
| The word 'tip' in Korean is a homonym, meaning it can have different meanings depending on the context, including 'tip' (noun) and 'to tip' (verb). | |||
| Mongolian | үзүүр | ||
| The word "үзүүр" also means "edge" or "point" in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သိကောင်းစရာ | ||
| There is no commonly accepted Burmese etymology, but it is commonly hypothesized to have been derived from the Mon language or a variant of Old Mon, but this is disputed. | |||
Tip in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | tip | ||
| The Indonesian word "tip" comes from the Dutch word "tip", meaning "point" or "end". | |||
| Javanese | pucuk | ||
| Pucuk, a Javanese word also meaning 'young and immature', might stem from an ancient form of 'pupuk' ('fertilizer') as plants fertilized tend to bud more. | |||
| Khmer | ព័ត៌មានជំនួយ | ||
| The word "tip" can also refer to a piece of advice or a useful hint. | |||
| Lao | ປາຍ | ||
| The word ປາຍ can also refer to the end of a period of time or an event. | |||
| Malay | petua | ||
| The word 'petua' in Malay can also refer to advice or a traditional remedy, originating from the Javanese word 'pethuk' meaning 'to meet' or 'to encounter'. | |||
| Thai | เคล็ดลับ | ||
| In addition to "tip" as in "advice," "เคล็ดลับ" can also mean “secret" or "trick." | |||
| Vietnamese | tiền boa | ||
| "Tiền boa" literally means "gratitude money" | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tip | ||
Tip in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | ucu | ||
| The word "ucu" has an alternate meaning of "end" and can also be used to refer to "the point of a weapon or tool". | |||
| Kazakh | ұшы | ||
| The Kazakh word "ұшы" can also mean "far end, extremity" or "point of a weapon or tool". | |||
| Kyrgyz | учу | ||
| It is a Turkic loanword from Persian "uč" meaning "sharp pointed end" through Old Turkic "uć" meaning "point". | |||
| Tajik | нӯги | ||
| The word "нӯги" is also used to mean "peak," "point," or "edge." | |||
| Turkmen | maslahat | ||
| Uzbek | uchi | ||
| The word "uchi" in Uzbek can also refer to a mountain summit or a sharp point on a cutting tool. | |||
| Uyghur | tip | ||
Tip in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pihi | ||
| In Hawaiian, 'pihi' is an alternate spelling of 'pihi' meaning 'pointed, sharp, or protruding'. | |||
| Maori | matamata | ||
| Matamata can also mean a 'gathering' or 'meeting place' | |||
| Samoan | tumutumu | ||
| In Samoan, 'tumutumu' can also refer to a top or summit, and is related to the word 'tumu', meaning 'foundation' or 'base'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | tip | ||
| In Tagalog, "tip" can also refer to "advice" or "warning". | |||
Tip in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | amuyt'a | ||
| Guarani | virujopói | ||
Tip in International Languages
| Esperanto | konsileto | ||
| "Konsileto" literally means "small counsel", and was first seen in 1905, before it was later adopted in French to mean "tip". | |||
| Latin | tip | ||
| In Latin, "tip" means a "pointed end" and can refer to a mountain peak or a weapon's point. | |||
Tip in Others Languages
| Greek | υπόδειξη | ||
| In Greek, the origin of "υπόδειξη" is "υπό (hypo, below)" + "δείκνυμι (deiknymi, show)", as a "sign" or "indication" that can have different interpretations. | |||
| Hmong | ntsis | ||
| The word "ntsis" can also refer to the point or peak of something. | |||
| Kurdish | bexşîş | ||
| The word "bexşîş" in Kurdish shares its etymology with "baksheesh" in Turkish, both deriving from the Persian "bakhshi"," meaning 'gift' or 'present'. | |||
| Turkish | i̇pucu | ||
| "İpucu" (which is the way "tip" is said in Turkish) originally derives from "upu" | |||
| Xhosa | ingcebiso | ||
| This word originally meant 'a small thing' and is closely related to the verb ukungena, meaning 'to put in'. | |||
| Yiddish | עצה | ||
| The Yiddish word "עצה" (etse) can also mean "advice" or "plan". | |||
| Zulu | ithiphu | ||
| The Zulu word "ithiphu" commonly means "tip", but it can also refer to the "top" of something or to "advice". | |||
| Assamese | কিটিপ | ||
| Aymara | amuyt'a | ||
| Bhojpuri | नोक | ||
| Dhivehi | ކޮޅު | ||
| Dogri | नोक | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | tip | ||
| Guarani | virujopói | ||
| Ilocano | singasing | ||
| Krio | ɛp | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | سەرنج | ||
| Maithili | नोंक | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯇꯣꯟ | ||
| Mizo | hmawr | ||
| Oromo | moggaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଟିପ୍ପଣୀ | ||
| Quechua | yanapay | ||
| Sanskrit | अग्र | ||
| Tatar | киңәш | ||
| Tigrinya | መቅሹሽ | ||
| Tsonga | makumu | ||