Wheel in Different Languages
Discover 'Wheel' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The wheel is one of the most significant inventions in human history, transforming transportation, technology, and culture. Its circular design, allowing for movement and rotation, has enabled progress in various fields, from transportation to machinery. Moreover, the wheel holds deep cultural importance, symbolizing concepts such as cycles, change, and continuity in various societies.
Understanding the translation of the word 'wheel' in different languages can provide insights into how different cultures view and interact with this essential invention. For instance, the word for wheel in German is 'Rad', while in Spanish it is 'rueda'. In Japanese, the word is ' rimu', and in Russian, it is 'колесо' (koleso).
Delving into these linguistic nuances not only expands our vocabulary but also offers a glimpse into the cultural contexts that shape our understanding of fundamental concepts. Join us as we explore the translations of the word 'wheel' in a variety of languages and learn more about the rich history and significance of this revolutionary invention.
Wheel
Wheel in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | wiel | ||
| In Afrikaans, "wiel" can also refer to a spinning top or the wheel of a ship. | |||
| Amharic | ጎማ | ||
| The word "ጎማ" can also mean "a round object" or "a ball" in Amharic. | |||
| Hausa | dabaran | ||
| The Hausa word "dabaran" also means "year" or "period of time." | |||
| Igbo | wiil | ||
| The word 'wiil' also means 'thing' or 'object' | |||
| Malagasy | kodia | ||
| In Indonesian, the word 'kodia' also means 'cart'. In the Malagasy language, the term can also refer to 'to turn' or a 'turning movement'. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | gudumu | ||
| "Gudumu" also signifies the circular nature of life, or the turning over of an age or generation. | |||
| Shona | vhiri | ||
| The name "Vhiri" may have been borrowed from the Tonga term "Vwilira", which means to roll. | |||
| Somali | giraangiraha | ||
| The Somali word | |||
| Sesotho | lebili | ||
| "Lebili" is a diminutive form of "leba" which means "circle" or a "round thing"} | |||
| Swahili | gurudumu | ||
| "Gurudumu" can refer to both a "wheel" and a "steering wheel" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | ivili | ||
| The Xhosa word "ivili" is derived from a Zulu word that means "to carry a load," and also refers to a cart or wagon | |||
| Yoruba | kẹkẹ | ||
| The word "kẹkẹ" in Yoruba can also refer to a bicycle, tricycle, or other wheeled vehicle. | |||
| Zulu | isondo | ||
| The Zulu word "isondo" can also refer to a grinding stone or a round dance. | |||
| Bambara | sen | ||
| Ewe | kekefɔti | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ipine | ||
| Lingala | roues | ||
| Luganda | nnamuziga | ||
| Sepedi | leotwana | ||
| Twi (Akan) | kankra | ||
Wheel in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | عجلة | ||
| "عجلة" also refers to haste or impatience, as in "لا تتسرع يا بني فالعجلة من الشيطان" (Don't rush, my son, for impatience is from the devil). | |||
| Hebrew | גַלגַל | ||
| The word גלגל (pronounced ga-gal) can also mean "circle" or "cycle". | |||
| Pashto | څرخ | ||
| څرخ is also used figuratively to refer to a cycle or revolution. | |||
| Arabic | عجلة | ||
| "عجلة" also refers to haste or impatience, as in "لا تتسرع يا بني فالعجلة من الشيطان" (Don't rush, my son, for impatience is from the devil). | |||
Wheel in Western European Languages
| Albanian | timon | ||
| "Timon" also means "compass" in Albanian. | |||
| Basque | gurpila | ||
| The Basque word | |||
| Catalan | roda | ||
| The term 'roda' derives from the Latin term 'rota', which also meant 'wheel' and was used to refer to the wheels of carts, chariots, and watermills. | |||
| Croatian | kotač | ||
| In Croatian, "kotač" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*kolto", meaning "wheel, circle" and is related to the Latin word "rota", also meaning "wheel". | |||
| Danish | hjul | ||
| The Danish word "hjul" can also mean "circle" or "hoop", and is related to the English word "wheel" and German "Rad" | |||
| Dutch | wiel | ||
| The Dutch word "wiel" can also refer to a ditch or a whirlpool. | |||
| English | wheel | ||
| The word "wheel" shares the same etymology as the Latin word for "whirl" and is related to the concept of circular motion. | |||
| French | roue | ||
| "Roue" also means "beat up" in informal French slang. | |||
| Frisian | tsjil | ||
| The word "tsjil" also means "axle" and "nave" in Frisian. | |||
| Galician | roda | ||
| The Galician word "roda" can also mean a "round table", | |||
| German | rad | ||
| "Rad" (wheel) can also mean "a bicycle" or "crazy, cool, awesome" | |||
| Icelandic | hjól | ||
| In Icelandic, hjól can also refer to a bicycle, a spinning wheel or a circle of people holding hands. | |||
| Irish | roth | ||
| The word "roth" in Irish can also refer to a period of time. | |||
| Italian | ruota | ||
| The word "ruota" in Italian also refers to a spinning wheel used for spinning thread. | |||
| Luxembourgish | rad | ||
| Maltese | rota | ||
| The word "rota" is also used in Maltese with the alternate meaning "group of people or things that take turns doing a job". | |||
| Norwegian | hjul | ||
| In Old Norse, hjul could also refer to ship hulls or shields. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | roda | ||
| In Brazil, the term 'roda' also refers to a type of social gathering centered around music and dance. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | cuibhle | ||
| Cuibhle shares a root with "coil" (of a rope), and its cognate in Welsh is "pwyll" (wheel), which comes from the Celtic root "kwet-", meaning "to turn, go round, spin". | |||
| Spanish | rueda | ||
| In addition to its literal meaning, "rueda" in Spanish can also refer to a group of friends or a round of drinks. | |||
| Swedish | hjul | ||
| Derived from the older word "hvul" meaning "cylinder" and related to the word for "vault" in the sense of an arched roof. | |||
| Welsh | olwyn | ||
| Olwyn in Welsh is an old compound word derived from 'or' meaning 'over' and 'wlwyn' meaning 'circle' or 'hoop'. | |||
Wheel in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | кола | ||
| In the past, “кола” was also used to signify a rut made by the wheels of a cart during a ride through snow or dirt; and also, the trace it left when skidding along on a sleigh. | |||
| Bosnian | točak | ||
| The word "točak" is derived from the Proto-Slavic *tokъ, which also meant "flow". | |||
| Bulgarian | колело | ||
| The word "колело" also means "fate" or "cycle" in Bulgarian, highlighting its pivotal role in ancient mythology and storytelling. | |||
| Czech | kolo | ||
| In addition to its primary meaning of 'wheel,' 'kolo' can also refer to a bicycle in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | ratas | ||
| The archaic singular of the word | |||
| Finnish | pyörä | ||
| In addition, pyörä, in colloquial language, can be used to refer to other circular objects, such as a circle or ring. | |||
| Hungarian | kerék | ||
| Kerék (/kɛɾɛk/), Hungarian for 'wheel', originates from the Slavic word 'kolo', meaning 'a hoop' or 'a circle'. | |||
| Latvian | ritenis | ||
| The word "ritenis" comes from the German word "Rad", which also means "wheel". | |||
| Lithuanian | ratas | ||
| In Sanskrit, the cognate of "ratas" means "shining," suggesting a possible connection to the revolving motion of a wheel. | |||
| Macedonian | тркало | ||
| In the Macedonian dialect of the Slavic language, the word "тркало" can also refer to a hand-operated millstone used for grinding corn or other grains. | |||
| Polish | koło | ||
| "Koło" means "wheel" in Polish. It also means "circle" or "ring" and comes from the Proto-Slavic *kolo "wheel, circle". | |||
| Romanian | roată | ||
| The Romanian word "roată" is derived from the Proto-Slavic *korta, meaning "wheel" or "circle". | |||
| Russian | рулевое колесо | ||
| In the Russian language, the word "рулевое колесо" (wheel) is derived from the verb "рулить" (to steer), indicating its primary function as a steering device. | |||
| Serbian | точак | ||
| The word "точак" also means "gear" in Serbian, derived from the Proto-Slavic word *tokъ, meaning "turn" or "spin." | |||
| Slovak | koleso | ||
| Koleso, meaning "wheel" in Slovak, has the same etymology as "kolo" (wheel in Czech), "колесо" (wheel in Russian), and "wheel" in English (via Old English "hweowol"). | |||
| Slovenian | kolo | ||
| In Slovenian, "kolo" can also refer to a circular dance, where dancers hold hands or lock arms and form a ring. | |||
| Ukrainian | колесо | ||
| The Ukrainian word "колесо" comes from the Proto-Slavic word *kolo, which could refer to a wheel, a circle, or a ring. | |||
Wheel in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | চাকা | ||
| The word "チャカ" (chakā) in Bengali can also refer to a "cycle" or a "spinning wheel". | |||
| Gujarati | ચક્ર | ||
| In Hinduism, 'chakra' refers to energy centers located along the spine, each associated with different qualities and functions. | |||
| Hindi | पहिया | ||
| The Hindi word "पहिया" derives its name from Sanskrit word "प्रभि" meaning strength or support | |||
| Kannada | ಚಕ್ರ | ||
| ಚಕ್ರ also refers to a wheel-shaped diagram with numerical values and symbols used for astrological calculations. | |||
| Malayalam | ചക്രം | ||
| In Malayalam, "ചക്രം" also denotes a "disc" or a "ring". | |||
| Marathi | चाक | ||
| The Marathi word for ``wheel'', ``चाक'', also refers to the chakra (चक्र) that Hindu and Buddhist deities sometimes hold, a circular symbol signifying power. | |||
| Nepali | पा wheel्ग्रा | ||
| पा wheel्ग्रा comes from Sanskrit चक्र (cakra), which also means disk, circle, or ring. | |||
| Punjabi | ਚੱਕਰ | ||
| The term "ਚੱਕਰ" in Punjabi can also refer to an orbit, a cycle or round, a coil or winding, a spiral or helix, or a state of disorientation or dizziness. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | රෝදය | ||
| රෝදය can also refer to a cycle, or in a metaphorical sense, the cyclical nature of life, or a turning point or pivot. | |||
| Tamil | சக்கரம் | ||
| "சக்கரம்" can also mean "circle" or "a ring-shaped object" in Tamil. | |||
| Telugu | చక్రం | ||
| The word "చక్రం" (wheel) also denotes a spinning disc or the orb of the celestial bodies.} | |||
| Urdu | پہیا | ||
Wheel in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 轮 | ||
| The Chinese character "轮" can also mean "turn" or "take turns". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 輪 | ||
| The character 輪 also means to take turns, as in 輪流 (to rotate) or 輪班 (to work in shifts). | |||
| Japanese | ホイール | ||
| The word "ホイール" also means "rat" in Japanese, potentially originating from the squeaky sounds made by both wheels and rats. | |||
| Korean | 바퀴 | ||
| The word 바퀴, meaning 'wheel,' also refers to gears, cogs, and the rotating part of a mill. | |||
| Mongolian | дугуй | ||
| Derived from the Proto-Mongolic root *dügü, "to roll". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဘီး | ||
| The word "ဘီး" in Burmese language can also refer to a ring or crown for a king or prince. | |||
Wheel in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | roda | ||
| "Roda" in Indonesian can also refer to a group of people or animals moving together in a circular formation. | |||
| Javanese | rodha | ||
| The Javanese word "rodha" also refers to the lower portion or base of an object. | |||
| Khmer | កង់ | ||
| The Khmer word "កង់" is derived from the Sanskrit word "चक्र" (cakra), meaning "wheel" or "circle." | |||
| Lao | ລໍ້ | ||
| The Lao word ລໍ້ ('wheel') is derived from the Pali word cakra ('wheel'), which is used in Buddhism to represent the dharma wheel, the symbol of the Buddha's teachings. | |||
| Malay | roda | ||
| The Malay word 'roda' can also refer to a spinning top, a millstone, or a gear. | |||
| Thai | ล้อ | ||
| The Thai word 'ล้อ' also means 'joke' | |||
| Vietnamese | bánh xe | ||
| Bánh xe, meaning "wheel" in Vietnamese, is also used to refer to a specific type of Vietnamese pastry. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gulong | ||
Wheel in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | təkər | ||
| The word “təkər” in Azerbaijani originates from the Proto-Turkic word “teker”, meaning “to turn” or “to rotate”. | |||
| Kazakh | доңғалақ | ||
| In Kazakh, the word "доңғалақ" is also used to refer to a circular motion or a round object. | |||
| Kyrgyz | дөңгөлөк | ||
| The word "дөңгөлөк" in Kyrgyz also refers to a "circle", "round object", or "ring". | |||
| Tajik | чарх | ||
| Derived from Old Iranian, it also refers to a potter's wheel, or figuratively a 'round' or 'circle'. | |||
| Turkmen | tigir | ||
| Uzbek | g'ildirak | ||
| The Uzbek word "g’ildirak" is also used in a figurative sense to describe someone who is constantly on the move or is very busy. | |||
| Uyghur | چاق | ||
Wheel in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | huila | ||
| The word "huila" also means "to rest" in Hawaiian, suggesting the connection between wheels and relaxation. | |||
| Maori | wira | ||
| The Maori word "wira", meaning "wheel," also refers to a type of traditional Polynesian weapon. | |||
| Samoan | uili | ||
| The word 'uili' also refers to a Samoan dance representing circular movements. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | gulong | ||
| The word "gulong" also means "to roll" or "to move in a circular motion" in Tagalog. | |||
Wheel in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ruyra | ||
| Guarani | apu'a | ||
Wheel in International Languages
| Esperanto | rado | ||
| The word "rado" is cognate with "wheel" in Slavic languages and "rota" in Latin. | |||
| Latin | rotam | ||
| "Rotam" also means "rout" in Latin, as a result of a military metaphor. | |||
Wheel in Others Languages
| Greek | ρόδα | ||
| The word ρόδα also has the alternate meaning of "cheek" in modern Greek, although this usage is considered non-standard. | |||
| Hmong | lub log | ||
| The Hmong word "lub log" can also mean "a wooden wheel used in a water mill for grinding rice". | |||
| Kurdish | teker | ||
| In the southern Kurdish dialect, it also means 'a circular dance' or 'roundabout'. | |||
| Turkish | tekerlek | ||
| "Teker" in "tekerlek" means "round" similar to "sphere" in "spherical" or "circle" in "circular". | |||
| Xhosa | ivili | ||
| The Xhosa word "ivili" is derived from a Zulu word that means "to carry a load," and also refers to a cart or wagon | |||
| Yiddish | ראָד | ||
| ראָד also means "a bicycle" and is related to the Slavic term "rota" for "wheel". | |||
| Zulu | isondo | ||
| The Zulu word "isondo" can also refer to a grinding stone or a round dance. | |||
| Assamese | চকা | ||
| Aymara | ruyra | ||
| Bhojpuri | चक्का | ||
| Dhivehi | ފުރޮޅު | ||
| Dogri | पेहिया | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gulong | ||
| Guarani | apu'a | ||
| Ilocano | kararit | ||
| Krio | taya | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | تایە | ||
| Maithili | पहिया | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯆꯀꯥ | ||
| Mizo | ke bial | ||
| Oromo | goommaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଚକ | ||
| Quechua | tikrariq | ||
| Sanskrit | चक्र | ||
| Tatar | тәгәрмәч | ||
| Tigrinya | መንኮርኮር | ||
| Tsonga | vhilwa | ||