Wise in Different Languages
Discover 'Wise' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'wise' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting wisdom, knowledge, and the ability to make sound judgments. Its cultural importance is evident across the globe, as it transcends linguistic and regional boundaries. From Socrates' famous quote, 'The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing,' to the biblical Solomon, revered for his wisdom, the concept of wisdom has been celebrated throughout history.
Given its universal appeal, one might wonder how 'wise' translates in different languages. After all, understanding this term in various tongues can provide valuable insights into how other cultures perceive and value knowledge and discernment.
For instance, in Spanish, 'wise' translates to 'sabio,' while in French, it becomes 'sage.' In German, the word for 'wise' is 'weise,' and in Japanese, it's 'kenji' (賢人). These translations not only offer linguistic diversity but also reflect the unique cultural contexts in which they exist.
Join us as we delve deeper into the translations of 'wise' in various languages, providing you with a fascinating exploration of global perspectives on wisdom and knowledge.
Wise
Wise in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | wys | ||
| The word "wys" in Afrikaans is derived from the Dutch word "wijs", meaning "wise" or "learned". | |||
| Amharic | ጥበበኛ | ||
| The word "ጥበበኛ" can also refer to someone who has a deep understanding of a particular subject or skill. | |||
| Hausa | hikima | ||
| "Hikima" also means "knowledge" in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | maara ihe | ||
| The word 'maara ihe' in Igbo also implies 'to possess intelligence and understanding' and 'to have a deep understanding of something'. | |||
| Malagasy | hendry | ||
| HENDRY (wise) is also used to describe something that is 'correct' or 'appropriate'. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wanzeru | ||
| The word "wanzeru" is also used in Nyanja to refer to someone who is cunning or resourceful. | |||
| Shona | kuchenjera | ||
| The Shona word `kuchenjera` comes from the verb `kuchera`, meaning 'to know', and is related to the noun `uchenjeri`, meaning 'wisdom'. | |||
| Somali | caqli badan | ||
| This word may be rooted in Proto-Cushitic *qál, a word for "intelligence." | |||
| Sesotho | bohlale | ||
| Swahili | busara | ||
| The Swahili word "busara" is related to the Arabic word "basara" meaning "to see" and "to be wise". | |||
| Xhosa | isilumko | ||
| The word 'isilumko' in Xhosa holds similar connotations to the Latin word 'sapientia', encompassing not only intellectual knowledge but also a profound moral understanding. | |||
| Yoruba | ọlọgbọn | ||
| The Yoruba word "ọlọgbọn" can also refer to a traditional healer or diviner. | |||
| Zulu | uhlakaniphile | ||
| The term "uhlakaniphile" can have connotations of someone who displays cleverness, astuteness or cunning in Zulu. | |||
| Bambara | halilitigi | ||
| Ewe | nya nu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umunyabwenge | ||
| Lingala | mayele | ||
| Luganda | okuba n'amagezi | ||
| Sepedi | bohlale | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nyansa | ||
Wise in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | حكيم | ||
| The Arabic word "حكيم" (ḥakīm) means "physician" and is related to the word "حكمة" (ḥikma) meaning "wisdom" and "knowledge." | |||
| Hebrew | חכם | ||
| The word "חכם" also means "expert" or "scholar" and comes from the root word meaning "know" or "understand". | |||
| Pashto | هوښیاره | ||
| هوښیاره also means "intelligent" and shares a root with the word "هوش" (mind). | |||
| Arabic | حكيم | ||
| The Arabic word "حكيم" (ḥakīm) means "physician" and is related to the word "حكمة" (ḥikma) meaning "wisdom" and "knowledge." | |||
Wise in Western European Languages
| Albanian | i mençur | ||
| "I mençur" is an Albanian phrase which is thought to have derived from the Italian term "mente pura," which means "clean mind." | |||
| Basque | jakintsua | ||
| "Jakintsua" comes from "jakin", which can also mean "to taste" or "to experience". | |||
| Catalan | savi | ||
| The Catalan word "savi" also means "sage" or "scholar", and derives from the Latin word "sapere", meaning "to know". | |||
| Croatian | mudar | ||
| Danish | klog | ||
| The Danish word "klog" derives from the Proto-Germanic root “klug”, cognate with Old English “clywen” (modern English "clever") and Proto-Slavic “klłg” (modern Polish "klębł") | |||
| Dutch | wijs | ||
| In Dutch, "wijs" can also refer to a melody or tune. | |||
| English | wise | ||
| The verb 'to wise up' shares the same origin as the adjective 'wise', and both stem from an Old English word meaning 'to know'. | |||
| French | sage | ||
| In French, "sage" can also refer to a plant of the genus Salvia, commonly known as sagebrush or common sage. | |||
| Frisian | wiis | ||
| In West Frisian, | |||
| Galician | sabio | ||
| In Galician, sabio also means an elder who holds or has inherited traditional knowledge of herbal remedies and healing practices | |||
| German | weise | ||
| The word "weise" in German is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "*witaz", which means "to see" or "to know". | |||
| Icelandic | vitur | ||
| The origin of "vitur" is the Proto-Germanic word "wituz," which also gave rise to "witan" in Old English, meaning "to know" or "council," as well as "viden" in Danish and "viten" in Norwegian, which both mean "to know." | |||
| Irish | ciallmhar | ||
| The word "ciallmhar" can also mean "clever", "shrewd", or "prudent". | |||
| Italian | saggio | ||
| The word "saggio" also means "essay" in Italian, stemming from the Latin word "exagium" which means "weighing" or "testing". | |||
| Luxembourgish | schlau | ||
| "Schlau" in Luxembourgish also has the alternate meaning "narrow". | |||
| Maltese | għaqli | ||
| The word "għaqli" is derived from the Arabic word "ʿaql", meaning "intellect" or "reason". | |||
| Norwegian | klok | ||
| The Norwegian word "klok" is etymologically related to the English "clock" as its original meaning was the "time of day". In the 18th century "klok" started being used as another word for "wise" in some parts of Norway, but the term is now considered archaic. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | sensato | ||
| In Portuguese, "sensato" also means "sensitive" or "sensible". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | glic | ||
| In Scots Gaelic, "glic" may also be a euphemism for intoxicated, possibly originating from a Gaelic word that means "smooth, sleek, or oily". | |||
| Spanish | sabio | ||
| The word 'sabio' evolved from the Latin 'sapium' meaning 'taste', hence its use for 'tasting' (trying) knowledge. | |||
| Swedish | klok | ||
| In Swedish, the word “klok” can also refer to a bell or a timepiece. | |||
| Welsh | doeth | ||
| The Welsh word "doeth" also means "leaf". | |||
Wise in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | мудры | ||
| The word мудры (“wise” in Belarusian) is linked to a term of Old Prussian origin that meant “priest.” | |||
| Bosnian | mudar | ||
| The word mudar also refers to a teacher or scholar in some contexts. | |||
| Bulgarian | мъдър | ||
| The word "мъдър" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *mǫdrъ, which also means "clever" or "skillful." | |||
| Czech | moudrý | ||
| The word 'moudrý' ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root '*med-' ('to measure, think'), also found in 'medium', 'medicine' and 'meditation'. | |||
| Estonian | tark | ||
| The Estonian word "tark" is cognate with the Finnish word "tarka", which means "intelligent" or "clever". | |||
| Finnish | viisas | ||
| The word "viisas" is also used to describe a person who has a lot of experience or knowledge in a particular field. | |||
| Hungarian | bölcs | ||
| The Hungarian word "bölcs" is related to the Turkish word "bilge" which means "wise" or "philosopher." | |||
| Latvian | gudrs | ||
| The word "gudrs" can also refer to a person who is knowledgeable or experienced in a particular subject. | |||
| Lithuanian | išmintingas | ||
| The word "išmintingas" is rooted in the Old Prussian word "asmintins," which means "prophet." | |||
| Macedonian | мудар | ||
| The word 'мудар' is also used in a figurative sense to mean 'clever' or 'shrewd'. | |||
| Polish | mądry | ||
| The Polish word "mądry" derives from the Proto-Indo-European root "*men-", meaning "to think" or "to understand". | |||
| Romanian | înţelept | ||
| The Romanian word "înţelept" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *ǫdъ and is related to words for "understanding" and "comprehension" in other Slavic languages. | |||
| Russian | мудрый | ||
| "Мудрый" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*men-", meaning "to think". | |||
| Serbian | мудро | ||
| The Serbian word мудро "wise" shares its root with the word мир "peace", suggesting a connection between wisdom and the preservation of harmony. | |||
| Slovak | múdry | ||
| The word "múdry" derives from the Proto-Slavic "*mǫdrъ", meaning "speaking clearly" or "knowledgeable." | |||
| Slovenian | moder | ||
| The word "moder" in Slovenian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *mъdrъ, which also means "brave" or "skilful." | |||
| Ukrainian | мудрий | ||
| The Ukrainian word | |||
Wise in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বুদ্ধিমান | ||
| Gujarati | મુજબની | ||
| The term "મુજબની" comes from the Middle Persian word "muzun", which means "custom" and "practice". | |||
| Hindi | बुद्धिमान | ||
| The word "बुद्धिमान" is derived from the Sanskrit root "बुध्" (budh), which means "to know" or "to understand". | |||
| Kannada | ಬುದ್ಧಿವಂತ | ||
| The Kannada word "ಬುದ್ಧಿವಂತ" can also refer to a "learned" or "intelligent" individual. | |||
| Malayalam | ജ്ഞാനമുള്ളവൻ | ||
| Marathi | ज्ञानी | ||
| "ज्ञानी" is also a respectful term for a person who has attained spiritual knowledge or enlightenment. | |||
| Nepali | बुद्धिमान | ||
| "बुद्धिमान" is derived from the Sanskrit word "बुद्धि" meaning intellect, understanding, or knowledge. | |||
| Punjabi | ਸਿਆਣਾ | ||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | බුද්ධිමත් | ||
| Tamil | பாண்டித்தியம் | ||
| Telugu | తెలివైన | ||
| The word "తెలివైన" in Telugu can also refer to someone who is "clever" or "sharp-witted". | |||
| Urdu | عقل مند | ||
| عقل مند also means 'logical' based on its root word 'عقل', meaning 'reason' or 'logic' in Arabic. | |||
Wise in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 明智的 | ||
| "明" can also mean "bright" in Chinese | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 明智的 | ||
| 明智 is also the Japanese pronunciation of the surname Akechi. | |||
| Japanese | 賢い | ||
| "賢い" comes from the Japanese kanji character "賢", which also means "bright", "clear", or "sharp". | |||
| Korean | 슬기로운 | ||
| In Korean, '슬기로운' (wise) originally referred to a person who could skillfully handle horses. | |||
| Mongolian | ухаалаг | ||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ပညာရှိ | ||
| The word "ပညာရှိ" in Myanmar (Burmese) is derived from the Sanskrit word "prajñā" which means "wisdom", "knowledge", or "intelligence." | |||
Wise in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | bijaksana | ||
| The word originates from Sanskrit, coming from the root word 'vijaya' meaning victory and 'sana' meaning method or means. It refers to using intellect and strategy to gain victory in life and overcome obstacles. | |||
| Javanese | wicaksana | ||
| "Wicaksana", meaning wise, also has meanings like "knowing" or "able to recognize" in Javanese. | |||
| Khmer | មានប្រាជ្ញា | ||
| This Khmer word "មានប្រាជ្ញា" can also refer to someone who has the ability to think logically and make sound judgments. | |||
| Lao | ສະຫລາດ | ||
| "ສະຫລາດ" is also a name used to describe "someone with a high degree of understanding and knowledge" or a person that has "intellectual" abilities. | |||
| Malay | bijak | ||
| In Old Malay, 'bijak' meant skilled in magical arts. | |||
| Thai | ฉลาด | ||
| "ฉลาด" originally meant "skilled" but later took on the meaning of "intelligent". | |||
| Vietnamese | khôn ngoan | ||
| "Khôn ngoan" literally means "intelligent and clever". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | matalino | ||
Wise in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | müdrik | ||
| The word "müdrik" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Persian word "mudrik", which means "comprehending, understanding". | |||
| Kazakh | ақылды | ||
| The word "ақылды" can also mean "reasonable" or "sensible". | |||
| Kyrgyz | акылдуу | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "акылдуу" is also used to describe a person who is intelligent or knowledgeable. | |||
| Tajik | доно | ||
| Tajik word "доно" comes from the root "дан", meaning "to know" and is related to the Persian word "دانستن" (to know). | |||
| Turkmen | akylly | ||
| Uzbek | dono | ||
| In Uzbek, "dono" also means "a scientist". | |||
| Uyghur | دانا | ||
Wise in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | naauao | ||
| In Hawaiian mythology, "naauao" refers to the supernatural ability possessed by powerful deities and certain individuals to access knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. | |||
| Maori | mohio | ||
| The word "mohio" in Maori has multiple meanings, including "knowledge," "understanding," "skill," and "wisdom." | |||
| Samoan | poto | ||
| The word "poto" also means "calm" or "serene". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | matalino | ||
| The Tagalog word "matalino" originally referred to a keen sense of sight, but has since evolved to encompass intelligence and wisdom. | |||
Wise in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | ch'ikhi | ||
| Guarani | arandu | ||
Wise in International Languages
| Esperanto | saĝa | ||
| "Saĝa" also means right, as in the correct side | |||
| Latin | prudens | ||
| The word 'prudens' comes from the Latin 'providere', which means 'to foresee'. | |||
Wise in Others Languages
| Greek | σοφός | ||
| "Σοφός" can be interpreted as "possessing knowledge" or "having sound judgment". | |||
| Hmong | neeg ntse | ||
| The Hmong word "neeg ntse" can also refer to someone who is intelligent or skilled in a particular area. | |||
| Kurdish | rîsipî | ||
| The word "rîsipî" originates from the Proto-Indo-European root "*h₁reǵ- "meaning "to rule" or "to be wise" and also means "old" in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | bilge | ||
| The Turkish word "bilge" has the same origin as the English word "build" and the Persian word "bânû" (lady), all referring to knowledge, skill, or craft. | |||
| Xhosa | isilumko | ||
| The word 'isilumko' in Xhosa holds similar connotations to the Latin word 'sapientia', encompassing not only intellectual knowledge but also a profound moral understanding. | |||
| Yiddish | קלוג | ||
| The word "קלוג" is also a variant spelling of the word "קלאג" meaning "lament". | |||
| Zulu | uhlakaniphile | ||
| The term "uhlakaniphile" can have connotations of someone who displays cleverness, astuteness or cunning in Zulu. | |||
| Assamese | জ্ঞানী | ||
| Aymara | ch'ikhi | ||
| Bhojpuri | बुद्धिगर | ||
| Dhivehi | ޙިކްމަތްތެރި | ||
| Dogri | समझदार | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | matalino | ||
| Guarani | arandu | ||
| Ilocano | nasirib | ||
| Krio | sɛns | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | دانا | ||
| Maithili | ज्ञानी | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯁꯤꯡꯕ | ||
| Mizo | fing | ||
| Oromo | ogeessa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଜ୍ଞାନୀ | ||
| Quechua | yachaq | ||
| Sanskrit | पण्डितः | ||
| Tatar | акыллы | ||
| Tigrinya | ለባም | ||
| Tsonga | tlharihile | ||