Updated on March 6, 2024
Tissue, a word with such simplicity yet profound significance, is a term that has transcended borders and languages. Its cultural importance is evident in various fields, from biology to everyday life. In biology, tissue refers to a group of cells that perform a specific function, such as the lining of the gut or the skin. In everyday life, tissues are those soft, absorbent sheets we use to blow our noses or wipe our hands.
Moreover, the word 'tissue' has an interesting history. It originates from the Latin word 'texere,' which means 'to weave.' This is fitting, as tissues in the body are indeed intricately woven networks of cells. But did you know that the first paper tissues were invented in the late 19th century by a man named Kimberly-Clark?
Understanding the translation of tissue in different languages can be both fascinating and useful. For instance, in Spanish, tissue is 'tejido,' in French, it's 'tissu,' and in German, it's 'Gewebe.' By knowing these translations, you not only expand your vocabulary but also gain a deeper appreciation for the cultural significance of this word.
Afrikaans | sneesdoekie | ||
The Afrikaans word "sneesdoekie" (tissue) comes from the Dutch word "snee", meaning "sneeze", and "doek", meaning "cloth". In some parts of South Africa, "sneesdoekie" also refers to a handkerchief. | |||
Amharic | ቲሹ | ||
In Amharic, "ቲሹ" can also refer to a handkerchief or cleaning cloth made of paper or fabric, akin to its English usage. | |||
Hausa | nama | ||
The word "nama" in Hausa is derived from the Arabic word "numa," meaning "moist" or "liquid". | |||
Igbo | anụ ahụ | ||
Malagasy | sela | ||
"Sela" also means "to sow" in Malagasy, and the two words share the same root. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | minofu | ||
In Nyanja, "minofu" is specifically paper tissue, not other types of tissues. | |||
Shona | tishu | ||
The word `tishu` or `chishu` in Shona means both `tissue paper` and the `human skin`, and also connotes tenderness. | |||
Somali | nudaha | ||
The word 'nudaha' in Somali is also used to refer to a type of traditional cloth or fabric. | |||
Sesotho | dinama tse nyenyane | ||
Swahili | tishu | ||
Tishu may also refer to a type of traditional Maasai attire | |||
Xhosa | izihlunu | ||
Izihlunu is derived from the Xhosa verb 'zihla', meaning 'to cover' or 'to lay out', and refers to the lining of cells covering a surface or lining a cavity. | |||
Yoruba | àsopọ | ||
Àsopọ also refers to a type of masquerade and a meeting in Yoruba language | |||
Zulu | izicubu | ||
The Zulu word "izicubu" is derived from the Proto-Bantu root *-c(w)ubu, which also appears in languages such as Xhosa and Swati. | |||
Bambara | fìnimugu | ||
Ewe | ayi | ||
Kinyarwanda | tissue | ||
Lingala | elamba | ||
Luganda | busimu bwomubiri | ||
Sepedi | tlhalenama | ||
Twi (Akan) | nam | ||
Arabic | نسيج | ||
The word "نسيج" ("tissue") in Arabic comes from the root "نسج" which means "to weave", suggesting its origin as a woven fabric. | |||
Hebrew | רִקמָה | ||
The word 'רִקמָה' ('tissue') in Hebrew also means 'embroidery' and is related to the Arabic word 'raqam', meaning 'to weave' or 'to embroider'. | |||
Pashto | نسج | ||
"The Pashto word for 'tissue,' نسج, can also refer to the act or process of weaving or constructing something." | |||
Arabic | نسيج | ||
The word "نسيج" ("tissue") in Arabic comes from the root "نسج" which means "to weave", suggesting its origin as a woven fabric. |
Albanian | indeve | ||
In Albanian, "indeve" comes from the Proto-Albanian word "*endhë" which also means "stomach". | |||
Basque | ehuna | ||
The word "ehuna" in Basque can also mean "the soul" or "essence" of something. | |||
Catalan | teixit | ||
In Catalan, the word "teixit" derives from the Latin "texere," meaning to weave or intertwine, and can also refer to a network or a fabric. | |||
Croatian | tkivo | ||
In Croatian, the word "tkivo" shares the same Indo-European root "tek" with English "textile," highlighting its connection to weaving. | |||
Danish | væv | ||
The word "væv" can also mean "web" or "net" in Danish. | |||
Dutch | zakdoek | ||
The word "zakdoek" in Dutch can also mean a "handkerchief" or a "scarf". | |||
English | tissue | ||
"Tissue" can also refer to interwoven strands, or interwoven threads or fabric. | |||
French | tissu | ||
The French word "tissu" comes from the Latin word "texere", meaning "to weave" and can also refer to a fabric or a web. | |||
Frisian | weefsel | ||
In Frisian, “weefsel” originally referred to the material woven on a loom, and still has this meaning in some contexts. | |||
Galician | tecido | ||
No Galician, "tecido" also means "fabric" or "cloth". | |||
German | gewebe | ||
The German word "Gewebe" also refers to a woven structure, and is related to the English word "weave" and the Indo-European root "webh-". | |||
Icelandic | vefjum | ||
In Icelandic, the word "vefjum" can also mean "to weave" or "to interlace". | |||
Irish | fíochán | ||
The term "fíochán" can also refer to a strip of cloth or bandage used for medical purposes, or to the act of binding or wrapping something. | |||
Italian | tessuto | ||
Tessuto in Italian can also mean 'fabric' or 'structure'. | |||
Luxembourgish | tissu | ||
In Luxembourgish, "tissu" also refers to a piece of fabric or cloth. | |||
Maltese | tessut | ||
Maltese "tessut" is derived from Italian "tessuto" which means both "fabric" and "tissue". | |||
Norwegian | vev | ||
In Old Norse, "vev" also referred to a woven or knitted textile, providing insight into the word's association with interlacing fibers within a fabric. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | tecido | ||
Portuguese "tecido" also means "fabric" in both Brazil and Portugal and derives from the Latin "textus", meaning "fabric" or "woven material". | |||
Scots Gaelic | clò | ||
The Gaelic word "clò" can refer to any delicate thin material, such as cloth, tissue paper, or the skin that wraps meat. | |||
Spanish | tejido | ||
The Spanish word "tejido" derives from the Latin term "texere," meaning "to weave," and is related to terms for "weave" or "textile" in other languages, like the English word "textile." | |||
Swedish | vävnad | ||
The word "vävnad" comes from the Old Swedish word "väfva", meaning "to weave"", referring to the interwoven structure of tissues. | |||
Welsh | meinwe | ||
The word "meinwe" in Welsh is cognate with its counterpart in Irish "méinne" but also means "mind, consciousness, memory, recollection, opinion" |
Belarusian | тканіны | ||
The word "тканіны" in Belarusian is derived from the Old Slavic word "тканъ" meaning "web" or "textile". | |||
Bosnian | tkivo | ||
"Tkivo" comes from the Proto-Slavic word "tъkъvъ" which also means "to weave". | |||
Bulgarian | тъкан | ||
"Тъкан" in Bulgarian can also mean "fabric". | |||
Czech | tkáň | ||
In Czech, "tkáň" also refers to a kind of textile, similar to a gossamer or a gauze. | |||
Estonian | pabertaskurätik | ||
The word "pabertaskurätik" is derived from the German word "Papiertaschentuch," which means "paper handkerchief." | |||
Finnish | kudos | ||
In Finnish, "kudos" has two alternate meanings: "tissue" and "credit”. It is not related to the Greek "κῦδος" (kudos) meaning "glory" or "renown". | |||
Hungarian | szövet | ||
"Szövet" also means "fabric" in Hungarian and both words come from the Proto-Indo-European root *tek- meaning "to weave". | |||
Latvian | audi | ||
The word "audi" is related to the verb "audēt" (to weave), which is of Indo-European origin and is found in other languages such as German ("weben") and English ("weave"). | |||
Lithuanian | audinio | ||
"Audinio" is derived from the word "audinius" meaning "weave", so it can also mean "fabric" or "material." | |||
Macedonian | ткиво | ||
The word "тканива" in Macedonian can also mean fabric, material, cloth, or substance. | |||
Polish | tkanka | ||
"Tkanka" also means "plot" or "fabric" in Polish. | |||
Romanian | țesut | ||
The Romanian word "țesut" ultimately derives from the Latin "texere" which means "to weave" and is also related to "text" which is a woven fabric inscribed with writing. | |||
Russian | ткань | ||
Ткань (''tkan' '') also means "fabric" in Russian. | |||
Serbian | ткива | ||
"Ткива" comes from an Indo-European word meaning "to weave", indicating its original meaning as a woven fabric. | |||
Slovak | tkanivo | ||
The word "tkanivo" in Slovak comes from the Old Slavic word "tъkati", meaning "to weave", akin to the Latin word "texere" and the English word "texture". | |||
Slovenian | tkivo | ||
The word tkiva in Slovenian is related to verbs like 'weave' and 'knit', referring to the interconnectedness of its components. | |||
Ukrainian | тканина | ||
The Ukrainian word "тканина" also means "fabric". |
Bengali | টিস্যু | ||
The word "টিস্যু" can also mean a group of people or organizations united by a common interest or purpose. | |||
Gujarati | પેશી | ||
"પેશી" also means "presentation" or "argument" in a court of law. | |||
Hindi | ऊतक | ||
In Hindi, ऊतक (tissue) can also refer to the context or structure of a narrative, text, or argument. | |||
Kannada | ಅಂಗಾಂಶ | ||
The word "ಅಂಗಾಂಶ" can also mean "part", "organ", or "component". | |||
Malayalam | ടിഷ്യു | ||
The Malayalam word "ടിഷ്യു" means "tissue", but also signifies "essence" or "essence of a liquid", reflecting the word's original Latin roots. | |||
Marathi | मेदयुक्त | ||
The word "मेदयुक्त" can also refer to "fatty tissue" or "adipose tissue". | |||
Nepali | टिश्यु | ||
The word "टिश्यु" is derived from the Latin word "texere", meaning "to weave". | |||
Punjabi | ਟਿਸ਼ੂ | ||
The Punjabi word "ਟਿਸ਼ੂ" (tissue) derives from the English word "tissue" meaning "a delicate fabric" and from the Persian word "tiz" meaning "sharp". | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පටක | ||
"පටක" means a thin layer of something, a piece of paper, a bandage, a membrane, or a covering. | |||
Tamil | திசு | ||
The word "திசு" (tissue) derives from the root "தீ" (to burn) and refers to the soft, combustible material obtained from plants or animals. | |||
Telugu | కణజాలం | ||
The word 'కణజాలం' is derived from the Sanskrit words 'कण' and 'जाल', meaning 'particle' and 'net', respectively. | |||
Urdu | ٹشو | ||
The Urdu word 'ٹشو' (tissue) is derived from the Persian 'توش' (tuf) meaning 'napkin' or 'covering'. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 组织 | ||
The word "组织" can refer to a biological tissue, an organization, or a systematic arrangement. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 組織 | ||
組織 (tissue) can also refer to organization, texture, or system. | |||
Japanese | 組織 | ||
The word "組織" (soshiki) in Japanese can also mean "organization" or "structure". | |||
Korean | 조직 | ||
The word "조직" (tissue) can also mean "organization" or "structure" in Korean. | |||
Mongolian | эд | ||
Эд can also mean "body" or "creature" in Mongolian. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | တစ်သျှူး | ||
The word "တစ်သျှူး" is derived from the English word "issue", which originally meant "a going out or forth" or "an outflow" and later became synonymous with "tissue". |
Indonesian | jaringan | ||
"Jaringan" in Indonesian can also mean "network" or "framework", related to its literal meaning "interwoven structure." | |||
Javanese | tisu | ||
In Javanese, "tisu" can also refer to "paper handkerchiefs" or "paper napkins," and is derived from the Indonesian word "tissue." | |||
Khmer | ជាលិកា | ||
The term "ជាលិកា" derives from Sanskrit "jālikā," meaning "a net" or "interwoven structure," likely alluding to the intricate weave of tissue paper. | |||
Lao | ເນື້ອເຍື່ອ | ||
Malay | tisu | ||
The word "tisu" originally meant "thread" in Malay, but it now also refers to paper tissues due to the thin, fibrous material used in their manufacture. | |||
Thai | เนื้อเยื่อ | ||
"เนื้อเยื่อ" can also refer to "flesh" or "meat" in Thai. | |||
Vietnamese | mô | ||
The word "mô" in Vietnamese also means "pattern" or "model". | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | tissue | ||
Azerbaijani | toxuma | ||
Toxuma in Azerbaijani comes from the Persian word "tosheh" meaning "provisions, supplies, or equipment". | |||
Kazakh | мата | ||
The word "мата" is the Kazakh term for "tissue", and it is derived from the Persian word "mātē," which also means "cloth" or "fabric." | |||
Kyrgyz | кыртыш | ||
The word "кыртыш" is derived from the Proto-Turkic word "*kïrt-," meaning "to cut" or "to chop." | |||
Tajik | бофта | ||
It is likely that "бофта" is of Persian origin, where "боф" means "to weave" and "та" is a suffix to create nouns, hence "бофта" could mean woven fabric. | |||
Turkmen | dokuma | ||
Uzbek | to'qima | ||
The word to'qima in Uzbek also means "fabric", "cloth", or "textile". | |||
Uyghur | توقۇلما | ||
Hawaiian | 'aʻaʻa | ||
'Aʻaʻa' also refers to a thin sheet or layer of something, like the outer layer of skin on a person or fruit. | |||
Maori | kiko | ||
Kiko also refers to the soft fibrous material produced by certain insects like spiders. | |||
Samoan | tisi | ||
The word "tisi" in Samoan is derived from the Latin word "textile" and can also refer to clothing or a type of fabric. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | tisyu | ||
"Tisyu" is also a slang term for toilet paper or tissue paper, derived from the common use of facial tissues for personal hygiene. |
Aymara | p'itata | ||
Guarani | pyahapy | ||
Esperanto | histo | ||
The Esperanto word "histo" is derived from the Greek word "histos" (ἱστός), meaning "web" or "fabric". | |||
Latin | textus | ||
The Latin word "TEXTUS" can also refer to woven fabric, a book, or a theme. |
Greek | ιστός | ||
The word "ιστός" can also mean "loom" or "web", referring to its original function in weaving. | |||
Hmong | ntaub so ntswg | ||
The Hmong word "ntaub so ntswg" can also refer to a type of paper.} | |||
Kurdish | çerm | ||
The Kurdish word "çerm" also refers to the protective membrane covering some seeds. | |||
Turkish | doku | ||
"Doku" also means "texture" in Turkish, as in the texture of a fabric or the texture of soil. | |||
Xhosa | izihlunu | ||
Izihlunu is derived from the Xhosa verb 'zihla', meaning 'to cover' or 'to lay out', and refers to the lining of cells covering a surface or lining a cavity. | |||
Yiddish | געוועב | ||
"געוועב" can also mean "fabric" or "interwoven structure" in Yiddish. | |||
Zulu | izicubu | ||
The Zulu word "izicubu" is derived from the Proto-Bantu root *-c(w)ubu, which also appears in languages such as Xhosa and Swati. | |||
Assamese | টিছ্যু | ||
Aymara | p'itata | ||
Bhojpuri | ऊतक | ||
Dhivehi | ޓިޝޫ | ||
Dogri | टीशू | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | tissue | ||
Guarani | pyahapy | ||
Ilocano | taba | ||
Krio | ɛnkicha | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | شانە | ||
Maithili | ऊतक | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯆꯦ ꯑꯄꯥꯕ | ||
Mizo | tisa | ||
Oromo | miciree | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ଟିସୁ | ||
Quechua | awa | ||
Sanskrit | उत्तक | ||
Tatar | тукыма | ||
Tigrinya | ቲሹ | ||
Tsonga | thixu | ||