|
Rainbows are described across languages often as a "rain-bow," "sky-arc," or divine bridge. Key translations include arc-en-ciel (French), Regenbogen (German), arcoíris (Spanish), arco-íris (Portuguese), arcobaleno (Italian), 🌈 (Japanese), 彩虹 (Chinese), веÑелка (Ukrainian), and qaws quzah (Arabic).
Common Translations of "Rainbow"
- Germanic/European Languages:
- German: Regenbogen ("Rain bow")
- Dutch: Regenboog
- Swedish: Regnbåge
- Danish/Norwegian: Regnbue
- French: Arc-en-ciel ("Bow in the sky")
- Spanish: Arcoíris
- Portuguese: Arco-íris
- Italian: Arcobaleno ("Lightning bow")
- Finnish: Sateenkaari
- Polish: Tęcza
- Russian: Радуга (Raduga)
- Asian & Middle Eastern Languages:
- Arabic: قَوْس Ù‚ÙØ²ÙŽØ (Qaws quzah)
- Chinese (Mandarin): 彩虹 (CÇŽihóng - "Color rainbow")
- Japanese: 虹 (Niji)
- Korean: 무지개 (Mujigae)
- Thai: รุ้งà¸à¸´à¸™à¸™à¹‰à¸³ (Rung kin nam - "Water-drinking rainbow")
- Hindi: इनà¥à¤¦à¥à¤°à¤§à¤¨à¥à¤· (Indradhanush - "Indra's bow")
- Hebrew: קשת ×‘×¢× ×Ÿ (Keshet ba'anan - "Bow in the cloud")
- Other Languages & Contexts:
- Turkish: GökkuÅŸağı ("Sky bow")
- Vietnamese: Cầu vồng
- Welsh: Enfys
- Shona: Muraravhungu
- Sotho: Mookodi
Etymology and Meaning
- Compound Words: Many languages use a compound of "rain" and "bow" (German, Dutch, Scandinavian, Irish) or "sky" and "arc" (French).
- Mythological Connections: In Hindi, it is Indradhanush (bow of the god Indra). In Kannada, it can be kÄmanabillu (Cupid's bow).
- Joy/Color: In Russian (raduga) and Lithuanian (linksmynÄ—), the word is linked to joy or happiness. The English word "iris" comes from the Latin/Greek for a rainbow or the goddess of the rainbow.
|
