Weapon in Different Languages
Discover 'Weapon' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Weapons have played a significant role in shaping the course of human history. From ancient tools of survival to modern instruments of warfare, weapons have been a part of our cultural heritage and have left an indelible mark on our societies. Understanding the translation of the word 'weapon' in different languages can offer us a unique perspective on how various cultures perceive and interact with these tools of power.
For instance, in Spanish, a weapon is known as 'arma,' while in German, it is referred to as 'Waffe.' In Russian, the word for weapon is 'оружие' (oruzhie), and in Japanese, it is '武器' (buki). Each of these translations reflects the unique cultural and historical contexts of the languages in which they are used.
Delving into the translations of the word 'weapon' can also shed light on the broader societal attitudes towards violence, conflict, and security. By exploring these nuances, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the richness and diversity of human cultures and languages.
Weapon
Weapon in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | wapen | ||
| Originally a medieval defensive weapon consisting of a leather-covered stave | |||
| Amharic | መሣሪያ | ||
| The word “መሣሪያ” refers not only to weapons but also to tools, utensils, apparatus, gear, device, and equipment | |||
| Hausa | makami | ||
| The term 'makami' can also refer to a 'place' or 'station', hinting at its broader significance in Hausa culture. | |||
| Igbo | ngwa agha | ||
| Malagasy | fitaovam-piadiana | ||
| The word "fitaovam-piadiana" can also mean "hand-held tool" or "utensil". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chida | ||
| The word "chida" can also refer to a "thorn" or "prickle" in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | chombo | ||
| The word "chombo" can also refer to a sharp object or a tool. | |||
| Somali | hub | ||
| Hub in Somali can also refer to a type of stick or club used for fighting or self-defense. | |||
| Sesotho | sebetsa | ||
| "Sebetsa" also means "tools" and "instruments" and is related to the verb "sebetša" (`to work` or `to do`). As in English, Sesotho distinguishes between `to work` as a job and `to function`, which is `se sebetsa`. | |||
| Swahili | silaha | ||
| The word 'silaha' in Swahili can also refer to a charm or protective amulet. | |||
| Xhosa | isixhobo | ||
| "Isixhobo" also means "tool" in Xhosa, highlighting the dual nature of objects that can be used for both creation and destruction. | |||
| Yoruba | ohun ija | ||
| In Yoruba, "ohun ija" literally translates to "thing for combat or strife," highlighting its primary function as a tool for conflict resolution. | |||
| Zulu | isikhali | ||
| The word 'isikhali' shares its root with 'ukukala' (cut, pierce) in Zulu, suggesting its origin in instruments used for hunting or self-defense. | |||
| Bambara | marifa | ||
| Ewe | aʋawɔnu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | intwaro | ||
| Lingala | ebundeli ya ebundeli | ||
| Luganda | eky’okulwanyisa | ||
| Sepedi | sebetša | ||
| Twi (Akan) | akode a wɔde yɛ adwuma | ||
Weapon in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | سلاح | ||
| The word "سلاح" can also refer to an argument or a piece of evidence, reflecting its root meaning of "tool" | |||
| Hebrew | נֶשֶׁק | ||
| The word "נֶשֶׁק" (neshek) is related to the Hebrew word "שָׁקַל" (sháqal), meaning "to weigh". | |||
| Pashto | وسله | ||
| The Pashto word "وسله" can mean any type of tool, not necessarily a weapon, and is derived from Arabic " وسیله" which means "means, way". | |||
| Arabic | سلاح | ||
| The word "سلاح" can also refer to an argument or a piece of evidence, reflecting its root meaning of "tool" | |||
Weapon in Western European Languages
| Albanian | armë | ||
| The word 'armë' also means 'branch' or 'limb' in Albanian, suggesting its original meaning may have been related to natural weapons. | |||
| Basque | arma | ||
| "Arma" in Basque originally meant "hand". | |||
| Catalan | arma | ||
| The Catalan word "arma" also means "soul" in Latin, as derived from the Greek word "armonía". | |||
| Croatian | oružje | ||
| "Oružje" is connected to the verb "orati" - "to plow", and originally meant "tool". | |||
| Danish | våben | ||
| The Danish word "våben" originally meant "tools" or "equipment" and was only later used specifically for weapons of war. | |||
| Dutch | wapen | ||
| The Dutch word "wapen" can also refer to a coat of arms or a heraldic symbol. | |||
| English | weapon | ||
| The word "weapon" is derived from the Old English word "wæpn" meaning 'tool', 'implement', or 'device' | |||
| French | arme | ||
| The word 'arme' in French can also refer to the coat of arms or the branch of a tree. | |||
| Frisian | wapen | ||
| The word "wapen" in Frisian can also mean "coat of arms." | |||
| Galician | arma | ||
| The Galician word "arma" can also mean "soul" or "spirit". | |||
| German | waffe | ||
| "Waffe" is also used figuratively to mean "skill" or "argument" in German. | |||
| Icelandic | vopn | ||
| The word "vopn" was used originally to mean "hope" or "trust". | |||
| Irish | arm | ||
| In Irish, "arm" (weapon) originates from the Proto-Celtic word "armos," which also meant "shoulder." | |||
| Italian | arma | ||
| In Italian, the word "arma" can also refer to a coat of arms or a heraldic symbol. | |||
| Luxembourgish | waff | ||
| "Waff" is also used in Luxembourgish to refer to a person who is particularly skilled in using weapons. | |||
| Maltese | arma | ||
| Arma can also mean 'soul', as it is derived from the Latin 'anima', meaning 'breath', 'spirit', or 'vital force'. | |||
| Norwegian | våpen | ||
| The word "våpen" derives from the Old Norse "vápn" meaning "implement" and can also refer to tools or equipment. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | arma | ||
| In Portuguese, "arma" also denotes a type of trap used in fishing. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | armachd | ||
| The word 'armachd' has also been used to refer to equipment and belongings | |||
| Spanish | arma | ||
| In Latin, 'arma' also means 'armor' or 'equipment'. | |||
| Swedish | vapen | ||
| The word "vapen" in Swedish also means "coat of arms" and is likely derived from the German "wapen" meaning "coat of arms" or "device". | |||
| Welsh | arf | ||
| The word "arf" in Welsh can also refer to a tool or implement, or to a part of a machine. | |||
Weapon in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | зброя | ||
| "Зброя" is also sometimes used in a figurative sense to refer to the means of achieving something, such as "the weapon of knowledge." | |||
| Bosnian | oružje | ||
| The word 'oružje' may also refer to tools or instruments, as well as to something that is used for harm or destruction. | |||
| Bulgarian | оръжие | ||
| "ОрЪжие" derives from "РЪка", which means "hand", implying its manual use. | |||
| Czech | zbraň | ||
| Etymology unclear; possibly from the root *borъ- "to fight" or *bran- "to defend" | |||
| Estonian | relv | ||
| The word "relv" is derived from the Indo-European root "*wereg". In some Indo-European languages, the word also means protection. | |||
| Finnish | ase | ||
| "Ase" is also a rare word for "seed" in Finnish. | |||
| Hungarian | fegyver | ||
| The word "fegyver" originates from the Turkic word "silah" and originally meant "lance". | |||
| Latvian | ierocis | ||
| The noun "ierocis" may also be used to refer to an object of ridicule. | |||
| Lithuanian | ginklas | ||
| "Ginklas" is derived from the Indo-European root *ǵʰen- ("to strike") and is related to the English word "gun" and the German word "Gewehr". | |||
| Macedonian | оружје | ||
| In Old Church Slavonic, the word also meant 'defense' and 'protection'. | |||
| Polish | broń | ||
| In old Polish, "broń" also meant "defense" or "protection." | |||
| Romanian | armă | ||
| The Romanian word "armă" can also refer to a "branch of the military", "a type of sport" or "a coat of arms." | |||
| Russian | оружие | ||
| "Оружие" (weapon) derives from Proto-Slavic *orǫžьje, meaning "tool" or "gear". | |||
| Serbian | оружје | ||
| "Оружје" is an ancient Serbo-Slavic word derived from "рука" (hand), thus meaning "instrument of the hand". | |||
| Slovak | zbraň | ||
| The word "zbraň" can also refer to a tool or an instrument | |||
| Slovenian | orožje | ||
| The word "orožje" derives from the Proto-Slavic term *orъžьje, meaning "defense" or "protection". | |||
| Ukrainian | зброю | ||
| The word | |||
Weapon in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | অস্ত্র | ||
| "অস্ত্র" (astra) is a cognate of the Sanskrit word "शस्त्र" (shastra), which generally means "something cut or shaped" or "instrument" and can refer to both weapons and surgical instruments | |||
| Gujarati | શસ્ત્ર | ||
| Hindi | हथियार | ||
| "हथियार" can be traced back to Sanskrit "हस्त" (hand) and "अय" (metal) | |||
| Kannada | ಶಸ್ತ್ರ | ||
| The word "ಶಸ್ತ್ರ" in Kannada also has an alternate meaning of "instrument" or "tool" | |||
| Malayalam | ആയുധം | ||
| "ആയുധം" (weapon) also means 'life' in Malayalam, derived from "आयुध" meaning 'that which sustains life' in Sanskrit. | |||
| Marathi | शस्त्र | ||
| The Marathi word "शस्त्र" is derived from the Sanskrit term "शास्त्र" meaning "rule, regulation" and can also refer to "sacred text or scripture". | |||
| Nepali | हतियार | ||
| The Nepali word "हतियार" (hatyaar) is derived from the Sanskrit words "हत" (hata), meaning "taken", and "अस्त्र" (astra), meaning "weapon". It refers to any instrument used to inflict harm or defend oneself. | |||
| Punjabi | ਹਥਿਆਰ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ගිනි අවියක් | ||
| Derived from Sanskrit “śastram” meaning “instrument”. | |||
| Tamil | ஆயுதம் | ||
| The word 'ஆயுதம்' (weapon) can also mean 'means of life' or 'support', reflecting the concept of 'life-saving' in ancient Tamil culture. | |||
| Telugu | ఆయుధం | ||
| "ఆయుధం" originally meant "means of support" or "that which gives life" in Sanskrit, and referred to the staff carried by ascetics and the weapons used by warriors. | |||
| Urdu | ہتھیار | ||
| The word "ہتھیار" in Urdu originally meant "hand" or "arm", and only later came to mean "weapon". | |||
Weapon in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 武器 | ||
| The word 武器 (wǔqì) can also mean "tool" or "instrument" in Chinese. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 武器 | ||
| "武器" (weapon) is made up of the characters "武" (martial) and "器" (tool or utensil). | |||
| Japanese | 武器 | ||
| The word "武器" (weapon) can also mean "martial arts" or "military equipment". | |||
| Korean | 무기 | ||
| The Korean word "무기" (weapon) derives from the Chinese characters "無" (absence) and "具" (object), implying the notion of something that fills the lack of physical ability. | |||
| Mongolian | зэвсэг | ||
| "Зэвсэг" also refers to one's personal abilities, talents or resources, especially one's capacity to fight against enemies or overcome obstacles. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | လက်နက် | ||
Weapon in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | senjata | ||
| "Senjata" also means "tool" or "resource" in Indonesian. | |||
| Javanese | gaman | ||
| It also means "a weapon used to protect someone" or "a shield". | |||
| Khmer | អាវុធ | ||
| The Khmer word "អាវុធ" can also refer to the body, or to personal strength or energy. | |||
| Lao | ອາວຸດ | ||
| Malay | senjata | ||
| The word "senjata" is also used to refer to the military in some contexts. | |||
| Thai | อาวุธ | ||
| The Thai word "อาวุธ" (pronounced "au-wut") can also refer to "tools" or "equipment". | |||
| Vietnamese | vũ khí | ||
| The word "vũ khí" can also mean "military force" or "armed forces" | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | armas | ||
Weapon in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | silah | ||
| Silahs are also called qorulma vasitesi, which means 'protection means' in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | қару | ||
| The etymology of "қару" is linked to the Turkic root word *qur-/*qar- which means to dig, excavate. | |||
| Kyrgyz | курал | ||
| The word "курал" in Kyrgyz has an alternate meaning of "an instrument for punishing a criminal." | |||
| Tajik | силоҳ | ||
| The word “силоҳ” (“weapon”) in Tajik can also mean “arms” or “equipment” and is derived from the Persian word “selāh” or the Arabic word “silāḥ”. | |||
| Turkmen | ýarag | ||
| Uzbek | qurol | ||
| The word | |||
| Uyghur | قورال | ||
Weapon in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | mea kaua | ||
| In Hawaiian, "mea kaua" not only refers to weapons, but also to tools and instruments. | |||
| Maori | patu | ||
| The Maori word "patu" also refers to a carved club used in traditional ceremonies. | |||
| Samoan | meatau | ||
| The word | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | sandata | ||
| The word 'sandata' likely originates from the Sanskrit word 'śastra', which also means 'weapon'. | |||
Weapon in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | arma | ||
| Guarani | arma rehegua | ||
Weapon in International Languages
| Esperanto | armilo | ||
| The Esperanto word "armilo" (weapon) is derived from the Latin word "arma" (arms, weapons), which in turn comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁er "to fit together, join". | |||
| Latin | telum | ||
| The word "telum" can also mean "a missile" or "a dart". | |||
Weapon in Others Languages
| Greek | όπλο | ||
| The word "όπλο" is also used in modern Greek to refer to a tool or instrument, especially in the context of a trade or craft. | |||
| Hmong | riam phom | ||
| In White Hmong, the word 'riam phom' also means "knife" or "sword". | |||
| Kurdish | çek | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning as "weapon", "çek" can also refer to a "tool" or "instrument" in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | silah | ||
| The Turkish word "silah" is derived from the Arabic word "salh" meaning "reconciliation" or "peace". This is because weapons were traditionally seen as a means to establish peace by deterring or defending against threats. | |||
| Xhosa | isixhobo | ||
| "Isixhobo" also means "tool" in Xhosa, highlighting the dual nature of objects that can be used for both creation and destruction. | |||
| Yiddish | וואָפן | ||
| The Yiddish word 'וואָפן' ('weapon') derives from the German 'Waffe', ultimately from a Proto-Germanic root meaning 'to move quickly' or 'to weave'. | |||
| Zulu | isikhali | ||
| The word 'isikhali' shares its root with 'ukukala' (cut, pierce) in Zulu, suggesting its origin in instruments used for hunting or self-defense. | |||
| Assamese | অস্ত্ৰ | ||
| Aymara | arma | ||
| Bhojpuri | हथियार के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ހަތިޔާރެވެ | ||
| Dogri | हथियार | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | armas | ||
| Guarani | arma rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | armas | ||
| Krio | wɛpɔn | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | چەک | ||
| Maithili | हथियार | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯈꯨꯠꯂꯥꯌ ꯑꯃꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | ralthuam a ni | ||
| Oromo | meeshaa waraanaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଅସ୍ତ୍ର | ||
| Quechua | arma | ||
| Sanskrit | अस्त्रम् | ||
| Tatar | корал | ||
| Tigrinya | ኣጽዋር | ||
| Tsonga | tlhari ra xirhendzevutani | ||