Wooden in Different Languages
Discover 'Wooden' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Wooden objects have been an essential part of human life since the dawn of civilization. The material's versatility, durability, and natural beauty have made it a popular choice for tools, furniture, and artwork. Moreover, wood has significant cultural importance, symbolizing strength, warmth, and sustainability in various traditions.
Given the global prevalence of wooden artifacts, knowing the translation of 'wooden' in different languages can be fascinating and practical. For instance, in Spanish, 'wooden' is 'de madera,' while in French, it's 'en bois.' In German, 'wooden' translates to 'aus Holz,' and in Japanese, it's '木の.'
Did you know that the world's oldest wooden object, a carved wooden statue from Germany, is over 11,000 years old? Or that the Japanese art of wood joinery, without nails, is a marvel of craftsmanship? Exploring the word 'wooden' in various languages opens up a world of cultural richness and historical significance.
Wooden
Wooden in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | hout | ||
| The word "hout" (wooden) in Afrikaans can also refer to trees, wood, timber, or a type of Dutch ship. | |||
| Amharic | እንጨት | ||
| The word እንጨት can also refer to a particular type of tree or wood known as the "cordia africana" tree or its wood. | |||
| Hausa | katako | ||
| The word "katako" also means "stubborn" in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | osisi | ||
| The word "osisi" can also refer to a wooden bed frame or a wooden plank used for building. | |||
| Malagasy | hazo | ||
| The word "hazo" also means "tree" in Malagasy, as trees are typically made of wood. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | matabwa | ||
| The word 'matabwa' is also used to describe things made of other materials that resemble wood, such as plastic or metal. | |||
| Shona | matanda | ||
| The word "matanda" also means "old" or "ancient" in Shona. | |||
| Somali | alwaax | ||
| While the word "alwaax" primarily means "wooden" in Somali, it can also refer to any type of tree or wood. | |||
| Sesotho | lehong | ||
| Lehōng is derived from the Proto-Bantu root *lenge, meaning "tree" or "wood." | |||
| Swahili | mbao | ||
| Mbao can also mean 'tree' or 'timber' in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | ngomthi | ||
| The word "ngomthi" originally referred to a large wooden shield used in battle. | |||
| Yoruba | onigi | ||
| "O ni gidi" also means "it is a lie" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | ngokhuni | ||
| The word 'ngokhuni' in Zulu can also mean 'without hesitation' or 'determinedly'. | |||
| Bambara | jiriw ye | ||
| Ewe | atiwo ƒe ƒuƒoƒo | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ibiti | ||
| Lingala | ya mabaya | ||
| Luganda | eby’embaawo | ||
| Sepedi | ya kota | ||
| Twi (Akan) | nnua a wɔde yɛ | ||
Wooden in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | خشبي | ||
| The word "خشبي" can also refer to a person who is clumsy or awkward. | |||
| Hebrew | מעץ | ||
| The word "מעץ" can also refer to "from a tree" or "from the wood". | |||
| Pashto | لرګي | ||
| لرګي can also mean 'a stick' or 'a piece of wood'. | |||
| Arabic | خشبي | ||
| The word "خشبي" can also refer to a person who is clumsy or awkward. | |||
Wooden in Western European Languages
| Albanian | druri | ||
| The word "druri" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*dreu-", meaning "tree", and is related to the Latin "robur" (oak), Irish "drui" (oak tree), and Welsh "derw" (oak). | |||
| Basque | zurezkoa | ||
| Zurezkoa is also used as a synonym of "useless" or "worthless", as in "zurezko gauzak" (useless things). | |||
| Catalan | de fusta | ||
| The Catalan word "de fusta" also means "pretending" or "play-acting", perhaps originating from the use of wooden props on stage. | |||
| Croatian | drveni | ||
| The word 'drveni' in Croatian can also refer to a musical instrument made of wood, such as a xylophone or a dulcimer. | |||
| Danish | træ- | ||
| The word træ- (wooden) in Danish is also used to mean 'difficult' or 'slow-moving'. | |||
| Dutch | houten | ||
| Houten, a Dutch place name and surname, also means "secret" or "hidden". | |||
| English | wooden | ||
| The word "wooden" can also mean "dull" or "lacking vitality". | |||
| French | en bois | ||
| En bois is a term used in the arts to describe a style characterized by the use of wood, particularly in sculpture or furniture. | |||
| Frisian | houten | ||
| "Houten" (wooden) can also mean 'hollow' or 'deaf', e.g. "Hy is d'r net mear by, hy is houten" (he's no longer there, he's deaf). | |||
| Galician | de madeira | ||
| The Galician phrase de madeira (wooden) derives from medieval Latin "de materia" (of timber) and has the colloquial meaning "not very bright; dimwitted." | |||
| German | hölzern | ||
| In German, the word "hölzern" can also mean "awkward" or "mechanical." | |||
| Icelandic | tré | ||
| "Tré" can also mean "tree" or "wood" in Icelandic, reflecting its roots in the Old Norse word "tré". | |||
| Irish | adhmaid | ||
| "Adhmaid" also refers to "timbers" as part of a building structure. | |||
| Italian | di legno | ||
| Di legno, besides indicating something made of wood, can also mean something stiff or clumsy. | |||
| Luxembourgish | hëlzent | ||
| The word "hëlzent" shares the same root with "Holz", the German word for "wood/timber". | |||
| Maltese | injam | ||
| In the Maltese language, the word "injam" can also mean "material" or "substance" in a general sense. | |||
| Norwegian | tre | ||
| In some areas in Vestland, "tre" can also refers to a barn. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | de madeira | ||
| "De madeira" can also mean "from outside" or "non-indigenous" when referring to a person or thing, although this usage is more common in Brazil than in Portugal. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | fiodha | ||
| In Irish, 'fiodha' also means 'growth' or 'increase'. | |||
| Spanish | de madera | ||
| The term "de madera" can be used to describe something that is rigid or inflexible in addition to referring to something made of wood. | |||
| Swedish | trä- | ||
| The word "trä-" can also refer to trees or wood in the sense of a forest material. | |||
| Welsh | pren | ||
| "Pren" is thought to be derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *pr̥h₂, meaning "to cut" or "to carve." | |||
Wooden in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | драўляныя | ||
| The Belarusian word "драўляныя" is cognate with the Russian word "деревянный" and the Polish word "drewniany", all of which derive from the Proto-Slavic word *dьrьvьnъ, meaning "wooden". | |||
| Bosnian | drveni | ||
| The Slavic word “drveni” can be derived from the adjective “dreven” ( | |||
| Bulgarian | дървени | ||
| The word "дървени" in Bulgarian can also refer to objects made of wood, such as furniture or toys. | |||
| Czech | dřevěný | ||
| Estonian | puust | ||
| Finnish | puinen | ||
| In Finnish, the word "puinen" also has an idiomatic meaning, referring to something that is very simple, basic, or unadorned. | |||
| Hungarian | fa | ||
| The word "fa" also denotes a | |||
| Latvian | koka | ||
| In some dialects, the word "koka" can also refer to a "wooden cup" or a "trough for feeding animals." | |||
| Lithuanian | medinis | ||
| "Medinis" is also an archaic term for "clay", and is related to the word "mėdis" meaning "tree". | |||
| Macedonian | дрвено | ||
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| Polish | z drewna | ||
| "Z drewna" can also refer to wooden objects, forests, or the wood industry. | |||
| Romanian | de lemn | ||
| »De lemn« (»wooden«) also means »of a person who is inflexible or has a wooden expression«. | |||
| Russian | деревянный | ||
| The word "деревянный" also carries connotations of being clumsy, slow, or old-fashioned in Russian. | |||
| Serbian | дрвени | ||
| The word дрвени can also refer to a type of folk dance popular in Serbia. | |||
| Slovak | drevený | ||
| Slovenian | lesena | ||
| The word lesena in Slovenian can also refer to a type of wooden architectural element that projects from a wall. | |||
| Ukrainian | дерев'яні | ||
Wooden in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | কাঠের | ||
| "কাঠের" also means something clumsy or dull-witted or a wooden doll | |||
| Gujarati | લાકડાની | ||
| In Gujarati, "ลาકડાની" (lakadani) can also refer to a large wooden beam or a wooden plank. | |||
| Hindi | लकड़ी का | ||
| The Hindi word 'लकड़ी का' can also refer to something that is clumsy or foolish. | |||
| Kannada | ಮರದ | ||
| The Kannada word 'ಮರದ' not only means 'wooden' but it also refers to 'made of wood' or 'constructed of wood'. | |||
| Malayalam | തടി | ||
| Marathi | लाकडी | ||
| The word 'लाकडी' can also refer to a doll or puppet in Marathi, often used in traditional dance and theatre performances. | |||
| Nepali | काठ | ||
| "काठ" refers to both "wood" and "hardness" in Nepali, implying its intrinsic resilience. | |||
| Punjabi | ਲੱਕੜ | ||
| The word "ਲੱਕੜ" can also refer to a type of tree or firewood in Punjabi. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ලී | ||
| The word "ලී" in Sinhalese can also refer to the wood of a tree, or to a wooden object. | |||
| Tamil | மர | ||
| In Tamil, 'மர' is used to describe a type of tree known as a 'maram', which is characterized by its medicinal properties. | |||
| Telugu | చెక్క | ||
| The word "చెక్క" ("wooden") in Telugu can also refer to a type of wood used in construction, or to the act of carving or engraving. | |||
| Urdu | لکڑی | ||
| The word "لکڑی" also refers to "timber" and "wood" in Urdu. | |||
Wooden in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 木 | ||
| The Chinese character for wood (木) also means tree, and is used as the radical of many characters related to plants or wood. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 木 | ||
| The character "木" (mù) can also mean "tree" or "wood" in Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | 木製 | ||
| 木製 also means “made of wood”. | |||
| Korean | 활기 없는 | ||
| The word "활기 없는" (wooden) in Korean can also mean "dull" or "lacking vitality." | |||
| Mongolian | модон | ||
| The word "модон" can also mean "tree" or "wood" in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သစ်သား | ||
Wooden in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | kayu | ||
| The word "kayu" also means "tree" or "wood" in Indonesian. | |||
| Javanese | kayu | ||
| In Javanese, "kayu" also has connotations of strength, resilience, and wisdom. | |||
| Khmer | ឈើ | ||
| The Khmer word "ឈើ" ("wooden") derives from the Proto-Austroasiatic word */ʈɔːŋ/ meaning "tree". In Lao, this word is still used to mean "tree" and "wood". | |||
| Lao | ໄມ້ | ||
| Malay | kayu | ||
| "Kayu" can refer to both the material wood and a tree. | |||
| Thai | ไม้ | ||
| The word "ไม้" can also mean "trees" or "wood" in Thai. | |||
| Vietnamese | bằng gỗ | ||
| In Vietnamese, the word "bằng gỗ" can also be used figuratively to describe something that is inflexible or rigid. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kahoy | ||
Wooden in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | taxta | ||
| "Taxta" means both "wooden" and "board, plank" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | ағаш | ||
| "Ағаш" in Kazakh has its origins in the Proto-Turkic word *ağač "tree," and also has the meaning of "forest". | |||
| Kyrgyz | жыгач | ||
| The Turkic word | |||
| Tajik | чӯбӣ | ||
| The word "чӯбӣ" may also mean "uneducated" or "illiterate" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | agaç | ||
| Uzbek | yog'och | ||
| Uyghur | ياغاچ | ||
Wooden in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | lāʻau | ||
| In Hawaiian, "lāʻau" may refer to "wood" as a material, a "stick", or a "plant" used for medicinal purposes. | |||
| Maori | rakau | ||
| The word "rakau" in Maori can also refer to a weapon or a tool made of wood. | |||
| Samoan | laupapa | ||
| Laupapa is also used to describe something tough, strong or firm, or a person who is strong and has a good character. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kahoy | ||
| The word "kahoy" is also used to refer to a boat or ship, which is also made of wood, and the phrase "puno ng kahoy" means "a lot of wood". | |||
Wooden in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | lawanaka | ||
| Guarani | yvyra rehegua | ||
Wooden in International Languages
| Esperanto | ligna | ||
| "Ligna" also means "the material from which something is made." | |||
| Latin | ligneus | ||
| The word 'ligneus' also means 'made of flax' in Latin. | |||
Wooden in Others Languages
| Greek | ξύλινος | ||
| Hmong | ntoo | ||
| "Ntoo" is also a measure word for the quantity or amount of cloth or other soft materials in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | textîn | ||
| "Textîn" can also mean "made of wood", "wood", or "tree trunk" in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | ahşap | ||
| The word 'ahşap' also refers to a wooden frame used to hold a window or door in place. | |||
| Xhosa | ngomthi | ||
| The word "ngomthi" originally referred to a large wooden shield used in battle. | |||
| Yiddish | ווודאַן | ||
| "ווודאַן" (wooden) can sometimes mean "crazy" when used in a humorous Yiddish expression. | |||
| Zulu | ngokhuni | ||
| The word 'ngokhuni' in Zulu can also mean 'without hesitation' or 'determinedly'. | |||
| Assamese | কাঠৰ | ||
| Aymara | lawanaka | ||
| Bhojpuri | लकड़ी के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | ލަކުޑިން ހަދާފައި ހުރެއެވެ | ||
| Dogri | लकड़ी दा | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | kahoy | ||
| Guarani | yvyra rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | kayo a kayo | ||
| Krio | we dɛn mek wit wud | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | دار | ||
| Maithili | लकड़ीक | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯎꯒꯤ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | thinga siam | ||
| Oromo | muka irraa kan hojjetame | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କାଠ | ||
| Quechua | k’aspimanta ruwasqa | ||
| Sanskrit | काष्ठा | ||
| Tatar | агач | ||
| Tigrinya | ዕንጨይቲ | ||
| Tsonga | ya mapulanga | ||