Yellow in different languages

Yellow in Different Languages

Discover 'Yellow' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

Yellow, the color of sunshine and happiness, holds a significant place in various cultures and languages around the world. Often associated with optimism, enlightenment, and creativity, this luminous hue has been a source of inspiration for artists, designers, and thinkers alike. From the vibrant marigolds of India to the iconic yellow brick road in the Wizard of Oz, the symbolism of yellow transcends borders and resonates with people across the globe.

Moreover, understanding the translation of 'yellow' in different languages can open up a world of cultural insights and nuances. For instance, in German, 'gelb' is the term for yellow, while in Spanish, it's 'amarillo'. In French, 'jaune' is the word used to describe this color, and in Japanese, it's 'kiroi'.

So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural explorer, or simply curious about the world around you, learning the translations of 'yellow' in different languages is a great place to start. Keep reading to discover more fascinating translations and insights into this bright and cheerful color!

Yellow


Yellow in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansgeel
The word “geel” can also mean “happy” or “excited” and is cognate with the Dutch word “geel” (“yellow”) and the German word “gelb” (“yellow”).
Amharicቢጫ
The word 'ቢጫ' is also used to describe a light-skinned person.
Hausarawaya
Ra'waya can also refer to a type of yellow dye used in traditional Hausa textiles.
Igboedo edo
The Igbo word "edo edo" may also refer to an infectious skin disorder that manifests as reddish-yellow spots.
Malagasymavo
Nyanja (Chichewa)wachikasu
The Nyanja word "wachikasu" originally referred to the color of ripe sorghum, which is yellowish-brown.
Shonayero
The word "yero" in Shona may also refer to a type of bird or a person with a light complexion.
Somalijaalle
The word 'jaalle' can also refer to a type of traditional Somali dance.
Sesothobosehla
Swahilimanjano
"Manjano" is also the Swahili word for turmeric, a spice that is also yellow.
Xhosalubhelu
"Lubhelu" can also mean "autumn" in Xhosa
Yorubaofeefee
"Ofeefee" is a Yoruba word that can also refer to the color of urine or someone who is sickly or pale.
Zuluophuzi
The word "ophuzi" can also refer to a type of grass or a yellowish-green colour.
Bambaranɛrɛmuguman
Eweaŋgbaɖiɖi
Kinyarwandaumuhondo
Lingalajaune
Lugandakyenvu
Sepediserolane
Twi (Akan)yɛlo

Yellow in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicالأصفر
The word "الأصفر" is derived from the root word "صفر" which also means "empty" or "zero" in Arabic.
Hebrewצהוב
The Hebrew word "צהוב" (yellow) is related to the Arabic "صَهَابَة" (companions), as both come from the Semitic root צ-ה-ב, which refers to brightness and companionship.
Pashtoژیړ
Arabicالأصفر
The word "الأصفر" is derived from the root word "صفر" which also means "empty" or "zero" in Arabic.

Yellow in Western European Languages

Albaniane verdhe
The word "e verdhe" in Albanian is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *gʰel-, meaning "to shine" or "to be bright"
Basquehoria
The word "horia" also refers to a type of bird and the color of ripe wheat.
Catalangroc
The word “groc” may also refer to the yellow-green part of a plant or to the yolk of an egg.
Croatianžuta boja
In Croatian, "žuta boja" literally means "bitter color," suggesting a historical association between the color yellow and the taste of bitterness.
Danishgul
Danish 'gul' comes from Proto-Germanic 'gela', meaning "glowing".
Dutchgeel
Geel also refers to the urine of a pregnant mare, which was used to treat certain diseases in the past.
Englishyellow
"Yellow" is derived from the Old English word "geolu" meaning yellow and gold.
Frenchjaune
In heraldry, jaune refers to gold, while 'or' refers to yellow.
Frisiangiel
The word "giel" in Frisian is cognate with the English word "yellow", and is also used to describe the color of the yolk of an egg.
Galicianamarelo
The Galician word "amarelo" comes from the Medieval Galician "amarélo," from Latin "amarēllus," which means "slightly bitter".
Germangelb
In Bavarian and Austrian dialects, "Gelb" can also refer to "envy" or "cowardice".
Icelandicgulur
It can also mean 'pale' or 'green'.
Irishbuí
The Irish word "buí" is also used figuratively to mean "happy" or "pleasant".
Italiangiallo
In Italian, 'giallo' also refers to the mystery genre in fiction, due to the yellow covers of popular mystery novels in the 1920s and '30s.
Luxembourgishgiel
"Giel" also means "jaundice" in Luxembourgish, as it is a yellowish pigment that can result from liver problems.
Malteseisfar
The Maltese word "isfar" also refers to a type of dye or pigment, particularly a yellow or golden color.
Norwegiangul
The word "gul" in Norwegian also means "gold".
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)amarelo
In Portuguese, "amarelo" can also mean "cowardly" or "jealous", deriving from the verb "amar" (to love), hence indicating a lack thereof.
Scots Gaelicbuidhe
The word 'buidhe' in Scots Gaelic also refers to a blonde or fair person.
Spanishamarillo
The name of the city of Amarillo, Texas, derives from the Spanish word for yellow and refers to the area's distinctive soil color.
Swedishgul
In older Swedish, 'gul' could also refer to gold or a golden hue.
Welshmelyn
Melyn can also refer to honey, butter, or egg yolk because of their yellow colour.

Yellow in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianжоўты
The word "жоўты" comes from the Proto-Slavic word *žьl̥tъ, which also means "bile".
Bosnianžuto
"Žuto" in Bosnian can also mean "pale", "sickly", or "cowardly".
Bulgarianжълт
The Bulgarian word "жълт" is a false cognate of the Russian word "желтый" which indeed means "yellow". In Russian, "ж" stands for the consonant we typically spell in English with "zh". In Bulgarian, however, this letter denotes the consonant we typically spell with "y".
Czechžlutá
"Žlutá" is originally a diminutive form of the noun "žluč" ("bile") and is related to the verb "žluknout" ("to turn yellow").
Estoniankollane
The word "kollane" is etymologically related to the word "kuld" (gold) and the Latvian word "dzeltens" (yellow).
Finnishkeltainen
"Keltainen" derives from "kulta" (gold), and is the root for the name of Estonia (Viron kulta ranta = the Golden Coast of Estonia).
Hungariansárga
The word "sárga" also refers to bile in Hungarian, which contributes to the yellowish colour of urine and feces.
Latviandzeltens
"Dzeltens" is also related to "dzelt", meaning "to glow", and "dzilna", meaning "spark".
Lithuaniangeltona
The word "geltona" is derived from Proto-Baltic *gelta, cognate with Latvian "dzeltena" and Prussian "geltans."
Macedonianжолто
The word "жолто" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *žьltъ, which also meant "green".
Polishżółty
The word "żółty" derives from the Proto-Slavic "*žьltъ", meaning "bile". Bile is a greenish-yellow substance produced by the liver that aids in digestion. Thus, "żółty" also refers to the greenish-yellow color of bile.
Romaniangalben
The word "galben" is also used in Romanian for the color pale yellow and sometimes yellowed due to sickness.
Russianжелтый
The word "желтый" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*žьltъ", meaning "bile". It is also related to the English word "gall" and the Latin word "fel", both of which refer to bile.
Serbianжуто
Slovakžltá
The Slovak word 'žltá' is likely derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'žьltъ', meaning 'golden' or 'green'.
Slovenianrumena
The word "rumena" derives from the Proto-Slavic word "ruměnъ" meaning "red" or "yellow" and is related to the Lithuanian word "raũdonas" meaning "red".
Ukrainianжовтий
The word

Yellow in South Asian Languages

Bengaliহলুদ
হলুদ (halud) comes from Sanskrit 'haridra', meaning 'a yellow pigment or dye'.
Gujaratiપીળો
The word "પીળો" (yellow) in Gujarati, derived from Sanskrit "पीत" (yellow), also means "pale" or "deteriorated" in some contexts.
Hindiपीला
पीला is also used to indicate old age or decline in someone's powers or beauty
Kannadaಹಳದಿ
"ಹಳದಿ" also means "turmeric" in Kannada.
Malayalamമഞ്ഞ
The word "മഞ്ഞ" in Malayalam also means "turmeric", which is a spice that gives food a yellow color.
Marathiपिवळा
Nepaliपहेंलो
"पहेंलो" is derived from the Sanskrit word "पिंगल," which also means "tawny" or "brownish-yellow."
Punjabiਪੀਲਾ
The word "ਪੀਲਾ" also means "green" in Old Punjabi and some other Indian languages.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)කහ
The Sinhalese word "කහ" also refers to the colour "golden", and is likely related to the Sanskrit term "कनक" (kanaka) which has the same double meaning.
Tamilமஞ்சள்
Teluguపసుపు
"Pasupu" (turmeric) and "pasupu" (gold) are cognate words in Telugu, both derived from the Sanskrit word "pishu", meaning "to be yellow."
Urduپیلا
The word 'پیلا' can also mean 'pale' or 'faded' in Urdu.

Yellow in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)黄色
Chinese (Traditional)黃色
Japanese
The Chinese character 黄 (yellow) can also mean 'king' or 'centre' in the context of Chinese astronomy and philosophy.
Korean노랑
The word "노랑" can also refer to jealousy or envy, and is related to the word "노루" (deer), which were often depicted as yellow in traditional Korean paintings.
Mongolianшар
Шар ("yellow") comes from a Middle Mongolian root also meaning "gold," but derives from Proto-Mongolic for "white."
Myanmar (Burmese)အဝါရောင်

Yellow in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiankuning
"Kuning" also refers to the color of the skin of a Southeast Asian person.
Javanesekuning
The word "kuning" can also refer to the color of ripe banana, which is called "kuning kepok" in Javanese.
Khmerលឿង
"លឿង" (yellow) is a Khmer word also used to refer to the color saffron.
Laoສີເຫຼືອງ
Malaykuning
"Kuning" comes from Javanese or Sanskrit and originally meant "gold".
Thaiสีเหลือง
In Thai, "สีเหลือง" does not only refer to the color, but also to the revered royal color of the Thai monarchy.
Vietnamesemàu vàng
The word màu vàng derives from the Sanskrit word "varna" which also refers to gold, gold color, and light.
Filipino (Tagalog)dilaw

Yellow in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanisarı
The word "sarı" also means "drunk" or "tipsy" in Azerbaijani, originating from the yellowish hue of a drunk person's face.
Kazakhсары
The word "сары" in Kazakh, meaning "yellow," also denotes the concepts of "pale" and "greenish-yellow".
Kyrgyzсары
The Kyrgyz word "Сары" not only means "yellow", but it also refers to "the west" and "autumn".
Tajikзард
The word «зард» can also mean «pale» or «greenish», and is sometimes used to describe an unhealthy complexion.
Turkmensary
Uzbeksariq
In Uzbek, “sariq” also means “jealous,” “envious,” or “pale.”
Uyghurسېرىق

Yellow in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianmelemele
The word "melemele" in Hawaiian can also mean "sweet" or "rich".
Maorikōwhai
The Māori word "kōwhai" also refers to the native New Zealand tree Sophora microphylla, known for its bright yellow flowers.
Samoanlanu samasama
The Samoan word "lanu samasama" also refers to a person with a fair skin complexion.
Tagalog (Filipino)dilaw

Yellow in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaraq'illu
Guaranisa'yju

Yellow in International Languages

Esperantoflava
The Esperanto word "flava" is derived from the Latin "flavus" and also means "blond" in addition to "yellow".
Latinflavo
The word "flavo" is also used to describe a reddish-yellow or orange-yellow shade.

Yellow in Others Languages

Greekκίτρινος
The word "κίτρινος" (yellow) in Greek is derived from the word "κίτρος" (citron), which refers to the fruit of the citrus tree.
Hmongdaj
The word "daj" can also refer to a type of tree and its fruit
Kurdishzer
Zer is cognate with the Persian word 'zar' and the Armenian word 'zarb' meaning 'gold'.
Turkishsarı
The word "Sarı" in Turkish, meaning "yellow," also has alternate meanings such as "blonde" and "cowardly."}
Xhosalubhelu
"Lubhelu" can also mean "autumn" in Xhosa
Yiddishגעל
The Yiddish word "געל" (gel) is also related to the German word "gelb" (yellow), which is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "gelwaz" (yellow).
Zuluophuzi
The word "ophuzi" can also refer to a type of grass or a yellowish-green colour.
Assameseহালধীয়া
Aymaraq'illu
Bhojpuriपियर
Dhivehiރީނދޫ
Dogriपीला
Filipino (Tagalog)dilaw
Guaranisa'yju
Ilocanoduyaw
Krioyala
Kurdish (Sorani)زەرد
Maithiliपीयर
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯅꯥꯄꯨ ꯃꯆꯨ
Mizoeng
Oromokeelloo
Odia (Oriya)ହଳଦିଆ
Quechuaqillu
Sanskritपीतं
Tatarсары
Tigrinyaብጫ
Tsongaxitshopana

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