Whole in Different Languages
Discover 'Whole' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'whole' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting the entirety or totality of something. It's a concept that transcends cultural boundaries and is therefore an essential part of many languages around the world.
Throughout history, the idea of wholeness has been pivotal in various philosophies, religions, and scientific theories. In mathematics, for instance, the whole number series is the foundation of basic arithmetic. In spirituality, being 'whole' often refers to a state of completeness or enlightenment.
Given this universal appeal, understanding the translation of 'whole' in different languages can be both enlightening and useful. For instance, in Spanish, 'whole' translates to 'entero' or 'completo', while in French it's 'entier' or 'complet'. In German, you'd use 'ganz' or 'vollständig'.
Explore the many faces of this simple yet profound word as we delve into its translations in a variety of languages. Whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural explorer, or simply curious, this journey is sure to offer intriguing insights.
Whole
Whole in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | hele | ||
| In earlier Afrikaans, "hele" was sometimes used to mean "healthy" instead of "whole". | |||
| Amharic | ሙሉ | ||
| "ሙሉ" (whole) is derived from "መላ" (to fill), and can also refer to "completion" or "perfection". | |||
| Hausa | duka | ||
| "Dùká" also refers to the whole number, sum of units or aggregate, entirety. | |||
| Igbo | dum | ||
| The word "dum" in Igbo can also mean "complete" or "thorough". | |||
| Malagasy | manontolo | ||
| The word "MANONTOLO" in Malagasy can also mean "complete" or "perfect." | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kwathunthu | ||
| The word 'kwathunthu' in Nyanja can also refer to 'perfection' or 'completeness'. | |||
| Shona | zvakakwana | ||
| Zvakakwana means 'complete' or 'perfect', and is also a Shona word that refers to the state of being both physically and spiritually sound. | |||
| Somali | dhan | ||
| The word | |||
| Sesotho | ka botlalo | ||
| "Ka botlalo" also refers to "completely", "thoroughly", "entirely", or "fully". | |||
| Swahili | nzima | ||
| The Swahili word "nzima" can also mean "healthy", "safe", or "complete." | |||
| Xhosa | iphelele | ||
| The Xhosa word "iphelele" finds its etymological roots in the Bantu term "pela", meaning "to complete" or "to fulfill". Beyond its primary meaning of "whole" or "complete", "iphelele" also carries connotations of "perfection", "thoroughness", and "integrity" in Xhosa culture. | |||
| Yoruba | gbogbo | ||
| In some Yoruba dialects, the word 'gbogbo' can also refer to the 'universe' or the 'totality of existence'. | |||
| Zulu | okuphelele | ||
| The Zulu word 'okuphelele' also means 'finished' or 'complete'. | |||
| Bambara | mumɛ | ||
| Ewe | blibo | ||
| Kinyarwanda | yose | ||
| Lingala | mobimba | ||
| Luganda | mu bulambirira | ||
| Sepedi | ka moka | ||
| Twi (Akan) | mua | ||
Whole in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | كل | ||
| The word "كلّ" in Arabic also means "to eat" or "to consume". | |||
| Hebrew | כֹּל | ||
| "כל" in the Bible also means "completely" as in the phrase "with all your heart" (דברים יג, ד). | |||
| Pashto | ټول | ||
| The Pashto word ټول (whole) also has the alternate meaning of "all" or "the entirety". | |||
| Arabic | كل | ||
| The word "كلّ" in Arabic also means "to eat" or "to consume". | |||
Whole in Western European Languages
| Albanian | e tërë | ||
| "E tërë" is also used figuratively to mean completely or totally. | |||
| Basque | osorik | ||
| "Osorik" also means "the entire body" and is related to "oskol" which means "bone". | |||
| Catalan | sencera | ||
| "Sencera" originally meant "full of wax" in Medieval Latin, deriving from "sincerus," and "cera," wax. | |||
| Croatian | cijela | ||
| In Croatian, 'cijela' can refer to a whole quantity, a complete unit, or a healthy state of mind or body. | |||
| Danish | hel | ||
| Hel also means 'luck' in Danish, and can be used in phrases like 'held og lykke' ('luck and fortune'). | |||
| Dutch | heel | ||
| The Dutch word "heel" can also refer to the raised part of a shoe, the base of a sail, or a type of dance. | |||
| English | whole | ||
| The word whole comes from the Old English word hal, which means 'sound' or 'healthy'. | |||
| French | entier | ||
| "Entier" derives from Latin "integer," meaning "whole, entire, intact, untouched," from PIE root *h₁ent- ("whole, sound"). | |||
| Frisian | hiel | ||
| The Frisian word "hiel" is cognate with the Old English word "hal", which also means "whole". | |||
| Galician | enteiro | ||
| The word "enteiro" in Galician can also mean "full" or "complete". | |||
| German | ganze | ||
| The German word "ganze" is likely cognate with the English "gander." | |||
| Icelandic | heill | ||
| In the plural form heilar it can also refer to an amulet worn against witchcraft or illness. | |||
| Irish | iomlán | ||
| The word "iomlán" in Irish is derived from the Proto-Celtic word "*ɸel-m̥h₂-nóm", which also means "much" or "many". | |||
| Italian | totale | ||
| Totality is derived from the Latin word "totalis", which means "whole" or "complete" and is related to the word "total". | |||
| Luxembourgish | ganz | ||
| The Luxembourgish word "ganz" also has the alternate meaning of "completely". | |||
| Maltese | sħiħ | ||
| The word "sħiħ" can also mean "full" or "complete" in Maltese. | |||
| Norwegian | hel | ||
| The word 'hel' also means 'good luck' or 'fortune' in Norwegian and is often used as a greeting or farewell. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | todo | ||
| The word "todo" in Portuguese comes from the Latin "totus," meaning "all". It can also mean "every" or "complete." | |||
| Scots Gaelic | slàn | ||
| The word "slàn" also has the connotation of "uninjured" or "healthy" in Scots Gaelic. | |||
| Spanish | todo | ||
| In Spanish, the word "todo" can also mean "all" or "everything". | |||
| Swedish | hela | ||
| The word 'hela' can also mean 'entire' or 'complete' and has an archaic meaning of 'all' in Swedish. | |||
| Welsh | cyfan | ||
| Cyfan is related to the English word 'even', which also has the sense of 'level' or 'flat' | |||
Whole in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | цэлы | ||
| The word "цэлы" in Belarusian is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *cělъ, meaning "whole", and is related to the Sanskrit word "sarva" with the same meaning. | |||
| Bosnian | cijela | ||
| The word "cijela" in Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian, originates from the Proto-Slavic form *cě-la, which is related to the words meaning "body" and "limb". | |||
| Bulgarian | цяло | ||
| The word "цяло" comes from the Proto-Slavic word "*cьlo" meaning "whole, complete, or entire". | |||
| Czech | celý | ||
| The word "Celý" also means "entire" or "complete" in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | tervikuna | ||
| The word "tervikuna" derives from Old Estonian word "täik" which meant both "complete" and "dense". | |||
| Finnish | koko | ||
| "Koko" is also a slang term for a gathering or meeting of like-minded people. | |||
| Hungarian | egész | ||
| In Hungarian, the word "egész" not only means "whole" but also can refer to the set of all real numbers, like "integerek," the integers. | |||
| Latvian | vesels | ||
| The word "vesels" comes from a proto-Baltic word meaning "healthy" or "fresh" and is related to the Sanskrit word "vas" which means "to shine" or "to dwell." | |||
| Lithuanian | visas | ||
| "Visas" can also mean "everyone" in Lithuanian. | |||
| Macedonian | целина | ||
| The word "целина" can also refer to virgin land or unexplored territory. | |||
| Polish | cały | ||
| Polish word "cały" has other meanings, like "all", "full" or "intact". | |||
| Romanian | întreg | ||
| The Romanian word "întreg" comes from the Latin "integrum", meaning "untouched, entire, whole". | |||
| Russian | все | ||
| The word "все" in Russian can also mean "all". | |||
| Serbian | целина | ||
| In agriculture, the term „cêlina” also refers to a type of field that has been left uncultivated for an extended period of time. | |||
| Slovak | celý | ||
| The word "celý" can also mean "entire" or "all" in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | celota | ||
| The word 'celota' in Slovenian also has the meanings 'entire' or 'intact'. | |||
| Ukrainian | ціле | ||
| "Ціле" can also mean "object" or "aim" in Ukrainian. | |||
Whole in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | পুরো | ||
| The word "পুরো" (puro) in Bengali derives from the Sanskrit "purna", meaning "complete" or "perfect", and is cognate with "full" and "plenary" in English. | |||
| Gujarati | સંપૂર્ણ | ||
| Hindi | पूरा का पूरा | ||
| The word "पूरा का पूरा" is also often used figuratively to mean the utmost or the best. | |||
| Kannada | ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ | ||
| The word "ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ" can also mean "complete" or "perfect". | |||
| Malayalam | മുഴുവനും | ||
| മുഴുവനും comes from the word 'മുഴു' which means 'knee' and 'whole' or 'full' or 'entire'. | |||
| Marathi | संपूर्ण | ||
| The word "संपूर्ण" in Marathi derives from the Sanskrit word "सम्पूर्ण", meaning "complete" or "perfect". | |||
| Nepali | पूर्ण | ||
| पूर्ण comes from the Sanskrit word ** पूर्ण **, which means "complete" or "perfect". | |||
| Punjabi | ਪੂਰਾ | ||
| The word "ਪੂਰਾ" also means "complete", "full", "perfect", or "accomplished" in Punjabi, connoting a state of entirety and flawlessness. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සමස්ත | ||
| "සමස්ත" is derived from the Sanskrit word "samastha" meaning "all" or "complete". | |||
| Tamil | முழு | ||
| Telugu | మొత్తం | ||
| "మొత్తం" also means: the total amount or sum; the complete or entire quantity; an aggregate or collection." | |||
| Urdu | پوری | ||
| The word "پوری" also means "a flat, deep-fried bread" in Urdu. | |||
Whole in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 整个 | ||
| The word 整个 (zěn gè) can also mean "entirely" or "completely". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 整個 | ||
| 整個 (zhěnggè) also means "the whole thing" or "all of something". | |||
| Japanese | 全体 | ||
| "全体" (pronounced "zentai") in Japanese originally meant "all the world under the heavens." | |||
| Korean | 전부의 | ||
| 전부의 is a Sino-Korean word composed of two characters meaning 'all' and 'part', respectively. | |||
| Mongolian | бүхэл бүтэн | ||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | တစ်ခုလုံး | ||
Whole in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | seluruh | ||
| "Seluruh" derives from Sanskrit "sa-luru", meaning "all-rolling" or "all-extending". | |||
| Javanese | kabèh | ||
| The term 'kabèh' ('whole') in Javanese also carries a sense of totality, completeness, and wholeness in a spiritual or existential sense | |||
| Khmer | ទាំងមូល | ||
| The word "ទាំងមូល" in Khmer originates from the Sanskrit word "samūla" which also means "whole" or "complete". | |||
| Lao | ທັງຫມົດ | ||
| Malay | keseluruhan | ||
| The Malay word "keseluruhan" shares etymology with the Arabic word "kulliyyat" (universe) and the Sanskrit word "sarva" (all). | |||
| Thai | ทั้งหมด | ||
| In the context of time, "ทั้งหมด" can also mean "since the beginning". | |||
| Vietnamese | toàn bộ | ||
| The etymology of "toàn bộ" is from Chinese "全部", meaning "entire" or "all". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | buo | ||
Whole in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | bütöv | ||
| The Azerbaijani word "bütöv" is also used to mean "solid" or "entire". | |||
| Kazakh | бүтін | ||
| Kyrgyz | бүтүн | ||
| The word "бүтүн" is derived from "бүтүү" meaning "to end", and can also mean "complete" or "full". | |||
| Tajik | тамоми | ||
| The word "тамоми" in Tajik can also mean "perfect" or "complete". | |||
| Turkmen | tutuşlygyna | ||
| Uzbek | butun | ||
| Butun also refers to "something complete," "full," or "a large quantity". | |||
| Uyghur | پۈتۈن | ||
Whole in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | holoʻokoʻa | ||
| The word "holoʻokoʻa" can also mean "entirely" or "completely". | |||
| Maori | katoa | ||
| In the Māori language, the word "katoa" does not solely refer to the concept of "whole" but also extends to encompass the idea of "all" or "totality." | |||
| Samoan | atoa | ||
| "Atoa" in Samoan can also mean "in general" or "on the whole" | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | buo | ||
Whole in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ukch'a | ||
| Guarani | paite | ||
Whole in International Languages
| Esperanto | tuta | ||
| Latin | totius | ||
| The word "totius" in Latin can also refer to the "totality" or "entire amount" of something. | |||
Whole in Others Languages
| Greek | ολόκληρος | ||
| "Ολόκληρος" can also mean "completely" or "all". | |||
| Hmong | tag nrho | ||
| "Tag nrho" also means "all" or "every" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | giştî | ||
| The word "giştî" in Kurdish also means "all" or "every". | |||
| Turkish | bütün | ||
| The Turkish word "bütün" derives from the Persian "butun" meaning "complete" and is also related to the Arabic word "batin" meaning "internal". | |||
| Xhosa | iphelele | ||
| The Xhosa word "iphelele" finds its etymological roots in the Bantu term "pela", meaning "to complete" or "to fulfill". Beyond its primary meaning of "whole" or "complete", "iphelele" also carries connotations of "perfection", "thoroughness", and "integrity" in Xhosa culture. | |||
| Yiddish | גאַנץ | ||
| The Yiddish word "גאַנץ" (gantz) is derived from the Middle High German "ganz" and also means "very" or "quite". | |||
| Zulu | okuphelele | ||
| The Zulu word 'okuphelele' also means 'finished' or 'complete'. | |||
| Assamese | গোটা | ||
| Aymara | ukch'a | ||
| Bhojpuri | पूरा | ||
| Dhivehi | އެއްކޮށް | ||
| Dogri | पूरा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | buo | ||
| Guarani | paite | ||
| Ilocano | buo | ||
| Krio | wan ol | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | هەموو | ||
| Maithili | समग्र | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯄꯨꯡ | ||
| Mizo | pumpui | ||
| Oromo | guutummaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ପୁରା | ||
| Quechua | llapan | ||
| Sanskrit | सम्पूर्णः | ||
| Tatar | тулы | ||
| Tigrinya | ሙሉእ | ||
| Tsonga | hinkwaswo | ||