How to say “eye” around the world
5,816 languages · 553 in their own spelling
Dots of one colour begin with a similar sound. Colours group words by the class of their first consonant (a sound-class method used in linguistics): words that begin alike share a colour. This shows resemblance, not common origin — proving relationship needs case-by-case comparison. Readable forms come from Wiktionary translation tables; many smaller languages come from the ASJP word lists, in ASJP’s simplified transcription.
| Language | Word | Romanization | Family |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | 眼睛 | yǎnjing | Sino-Tibetan |
| English | eye | Indo-European | |
| Spanish | ojo | Indo-European | |
| Hindi | आँख | ā̃kh | Indo-European |
| Arabic | عَيْن | ʕayn | Afro-Asiatic |
| Bengali | চোখ | cōkh | Indo-European |
| Indonesian | mata | Austronesian | |
| Portuguese | olho | Indo-European | |
| French | œil | Indo-European | |
| Russian | глаз | glaz | Indo-European |
| Japanese | 目 | me | Japonic |
| Marathi | डोळा | ḍoḷā | Indo-European |
| Swahili | jicho | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Turkish | göz | Turkic | |
| Telugu | కన్ను | kannu | Dravidian |
| Wu Chinese | 眼睛 | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Korean | 눈 | nun | Koreanic |
| German | Auge | Indo-European | |
| Vietnamese | mắt | Austroasiatic | |
| Tamil | கண் | kaṇ | Dravidian |
| Cantonese | 眼 | ngaan⁵ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Urdu | آن٘کھ | ā̃kh | Indo-European |
| Italian | occhio | Indo-European | |
| Egyptian Arabic | عين | ʕén | Afro-Asiatic |
| Gujarati | આંખ | ā̃kha | Indo-European |
| Western Farsi | چَشْم | čašm | Indo-European |
| Min Nan Chinese | 目 | ba̍k | Sino-Tibetan |
| Hakka Chinese | 目珠 | muk-chû | Sino-Tibetan |
| Jinyu Chinese | 眼睛 | nie² jing¹ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Levantine Arabic | عين | ʕayn | Afro-Asiatic |
| Hausa | idṑ | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Kannada | ಕಣ್ಣು | kaṇṇu | Dravidian |
| Polish | oko | Indo-European | |
| Yoruba | ojú | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Malayalam | കണ്ണ് | kaṇṇŭ | Dravidian |
| Odia | ଆଖି | ākhi | Indo-European |
| Burmese | မျက်စိ | myakci. | Sino-Tibetan |
| Moroccan Arabic | عين | ʕīn | Afro-Asiatic |
| Igbo | anya | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Ukrainian | о́ко | óko | Indo-European |
| Uzbek | koʻz | Turkic | |
| Sindhi | اک | akh | Indo-European |
| Romanian | ochi | Indo-European | |
| Dutch | oog | Indo-European | |
| Gan Chinese | 眼睛 | ngan³ jiang | Sino-Tibetan |
| Amharic | ዓይን | ʿayn | Afro-Asiatic |
| Thai | ตา | dtaa | Tai-Kadai |
| Lingala | liso | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Serbian-Croatian-Bosnian | oko | Indo-European | |
| Khmer | ភ្នែក | pnɛɛk | Austroasiatic |
| Somali | indho | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Turkmen | göz | Turkic | |
| Cebuano | mata | Austronesian | |
| Nepali | आँखा | ā̃khā | Indo-European |
| Assamese | চকু | soku | Indo-European |
| Sinhala | ඇස | æsa | Indo-European |
| Greek | μάτι | máti | Indo-European |
| Kurdish | çav | Indo-European | |
| Hijazi Arabic | عين | ʕēn | Afro-Asiatic |
| Tajik | чашм | čašm | Indo-European |
| Sylheti | ꠌꠃꠈ | soukó | Indo-European |
| Kazakh | көз | köz | Turkic |
| Hungarian | szem | Uralic | |
| Kinyarwanda | ijisho | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Zulu | iso | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Nyanja | díso | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Akan | ani | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Southern Pashto | سترګه | stərga | Indo-European |
| Czech | oko | Indo-European | |
| Uighur | كۆز | köz | Turkic |
| Afrikaans | oog | Indo-European | |
| Min Dong Chinese | 目 | mĕk | Sino-Tibetan |
| Haitian | je | Indo-European | |
| Kanuri | shim | Saharan | |
| Swedish | öga | Indo-European | |
| Azerbaijani | göz | Turkic | |
| Iloko | mata | Austronesian | |
| Bulgarian | око́ | okó | Indo-European |
| Shona | ziso | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Hiligaynon | mata | Austronesian | |
| Xhosa | iliso | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Belarusian | во́ка | vóka | Indo-European |
| Mossi | nifu | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Tigrinya | ዓይኒ | ʿayni | Afro-Asiatic |
| Neapolitan | uocchio | Indo-European | |
| Central Kurdish | چاو | çaw | Indo-European |
| Santali | ᱢᱮᱫ | met’ | Austroasiatic |
| Tumbuka | jiso | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Kashmiri | أچھ | ạch | Indo-European |
| Kikuyu | riitho | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Northern Thai | ᨲᩣ | Tai-Kadai | |
| Danish | øje | Indo-European | |
| Slovak | oko | Indo-European | |
| Southern Sotho | leihlo | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Wolaytta | ayfiya | Ta-Ne-Omotic | |
| Kabyle | tiṭ | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Minangkabau | mato | Austronesian | |
| Sukuma | liisǒ | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Finnish | silmä | Uralic | |
| Lao | ຕາ | tā | Tai-Kadai |
| Norwegian | øye | Indo-European | |
| Tatar | күз | küz | Turkic |
| Buginese | mata | Austronesian | |
| Catalan | ull | Indo-European | |
| Guarani | resa | Tupian | |
| Sicilian | occhiu | Indo-European | |
| Kirghiz | көз | köz | Turkic |
| Swiss German | Aug | Indo-European | |
| Tswana | leitlhô | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Riffian | tiṭ | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Armenian | աչք | ačʻkʻ | Indo-European |
| Bambara | ɲɛ̀ | Mande | |
| Ganda | liiso | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Balinese | mata | Austronesian | |
| S'gaw Karen | မဲာ် | meḥ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Lithuanian | akis | Indo-European | |
| Tok Pisin | ai | Indo-European | |
| Lombard | occ | Indo-European | |
| Georgian | თვალი | tvali | Kartvelian |
| Goan Konkani | दोळो | doḷo | Indo-European |
| Waray | matá | Austronesian | |
| Albanian | sy | Indo-European | |
| Ewe | ŋku | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Southern Kurdish | چاو | çaw | Indo-European |
| Luo | wang' | Nilotic | |
| Shan | တႃ | tǎa | Tai-Kadai |
| Mongolian | нүд | nüd | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Chadian Arabic | عين | ʔēn | Afro-Asiatic |
| Bikol | mata | Austronesian | |
| Galician | ollo | Indo-European | |
| Pampanga | mata | Austronesian | |
| Slovenian | oko | Indo-European | |
| Iban | mata | Austronesian | |
| Swati | lî-só | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Bouyei | dal | Tai-Kadai | |
| Esperanto | okulo | Artificial Language | |
| Macedonian | око | oko | Indo-European |
| Sichuan Yi | ꑓ | nyuo | Sino-Tibetan |
| Piedmontese | euj | Indo-European | |
| Venetian | òcio | Indo-European | |
| Zhuang | da | Tai-Kadai | |
| Rohingya | suk | Indo-European | |
| Sidamo | ille | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Afar | inti | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Makasar | mata | Austronesian | |
| Laki | چەم | çem | Indo-European |
| Latvian | acs | Indo-European | |
| Quechua | ñawi | Quechuan | |
| Scots | ee | Indo-European | |
| Tày | tha | Tai-Kadai | |
| Chechen | бӏаьрг | bˀärg | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Mandinka | ñaa | Mande | |
| Venda | iṱo | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Estonian | silm | Uralic | |
| Bashkir | күҙ | küð | Turkic |
| Tibetan | མིག | mig | Sino-Tibetan |
| Beja | gw'aj | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Muong | măt | Austroasiatic | |
| Maguindanao | mata | Austronesian | |
| Pangasinan | mata | Austronesian | |
| Romagnol | òcc | Indo-European | |
| Tausug | mata | Austronesian | |
| Kinaray-a | mata | Austronesian | |
| Bakhtiari | تی | tē | Indo-European |
| Gorontalo | mato | Austronesian | |
| Newari | mi khā | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Central Okinawan | 目 | mī | Japonic |
| Kachin | myi | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Nuer | waŋ | Nilotic | |
| Kabuverdianu | odju | Indo-European | |
| Khasi | khmat | Austroasiatic | |
| Pa'o Karen | မဲ့ | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Mon | မတ် | mòt | Austroasiatic |
| Western Frisian | each | Indo-European | |
| Frafra | nifo | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Iu Mien | m'zing | Hmong-Mien | |
| Nupe-Nupe-Tako | eyé | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Kalmyk | нүдн | nüdn | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Maranao | mata | Austronesian | |
| Avar | бер | ber | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Talysh | çaş | Indo-European | |
| Tai Dam | ꪔꪱ | Tai-Kadai | |
| Basque | begi | Isolates | |
| Chuvash | куҫ | kuś | Turkic |
| Welsh | llygad | Indo-European | |
| Yucatec Maya | ich | Mayan | |
| Lü | ᦎᦱ | ṫaa | Tai-Kadai |
| Picard | oeul | Indo-European | |
| Nobiin | مانج | mange | Nubian |
| Tai Nüa | ᥖᥣ | taa | Tai-Kadai |
| Capiznon | mata | Austronesian | |
| Lezghian | вил | vil | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Rusyn | о́ко | óko | Indo-European |
| Morisyen | lizie | Indo-European | |
| Walloon | ouy | Indo-European | |
| Kara-Kalpak | kóz | Turkic | |
| Adyghe | нэ | nɛ | Abkhaz-Adyge |
| Classical Syriac | ܥܝܢܐ | ʿaynā | Afro-Asiatic |
| Maltese | għajn | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Crimean Tatar | köz | Turkic | |
| Occitan | uèlh | Indo-European | |
| Vlax Romani | jakh | Indo-European | |
| Kaqchikel | aq’awach | Mayan | |
| Ligurian | éuggio | Indo-European | |
| Mari | шинча | šinča | Uralic |
| Tetum | matan | Austronesian | |
| Silesian | uoko | Indo-European | |
| Asturian | güeyu | Indo-European | |
| Yakut | харах | xarax | Turkic |
| Kumyk | гёз | göz | Turkic |
| Samoan | mata | Austronesian | |
| Sranan Tongo | ai | Indo-European | |
| Ibanag | mata | Austronesian | |
| Masbatenyo | mata | Austronesian | |
| Tzotzil | satil | Mayan | |
| Mingrelian | თოლი | toli | Kartvelian |
| Fijian | mata | Austronesian | |
| Dhivehi | ލޮަ | Indo-European | |
| Ingush | бӏарг | bˀarg | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Papiamento | wowo | Indo-European | |
| Icelandic | auga | Indo-European | |
| Karachay-Balkar | кёз | köz | Turkic |
| Naxi | mieq | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Friulian | voli | Indo-European | |
| Sui | ndal | Tai-Kadai | |
| Tuvinian | карак | karak | Turkic |
| Khowar | غیچ | ġeč | Indo-European |
| Saho | inti | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Udmurt | синь | śiń | Uralic |
| Jarai | mơta | Austronesian | |
| Plautdietsch | Uag | Indo-European | |
| Nama | mûs | Khoe-Kwadi | |
| Laz | თოლი | toli | Kartvelian |
| Dzongkha | མིག་ཏོ | mig to | Sino-Tibetan |
| Herero | eho | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Iriga Bicolano | mata | Austronesian | |
| Zeelandic | oôge | Indo-European | |
| Buriat | нюдэн | njuden | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Amis | mata | Austronesian | |
| Māori | mata | Austronesian | |
| West Coast Bajau | moto | Austronesian | |
| Extremaduran | ohu | Indo-European | |
| Dongxiang | nudung | Mongolic-Khitan | |
| Abkhaz | а-ла | a-la | Abkhaz-Adyge |
| Tonga (Tonga Islands) | mata | Austronesian | |
| Central Dusun | mato | Austronesian | |
| Navajo | anááʼ | Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit | |
| Talaandig-Binukid | mata | Austronesian | |
| Bahnar | măt | Austroasiatic | |
| Corsican | ochju | Indo-European | |
| Bantoanon | mata | Austronesian | |
| Solu-Khumbu Sherpa | མིག | mig | Sino-Tibetan |
| Gagauz | göz | Turkic | |
| Pennsylvania German | Aag | Indo-European | |
| Irish | súil | Indo-European | |
| Ladino | ojo | Indo-European | |
| Cuyonon | mata | Austronesian | |
| Gilbertese | mata | Austronesian | |
| Aromanian | oclju | Indo-European | |
| Ibaloi | mata | Austronesian | |
| Yakan | mata | Austronesian | |
| Kashubian | òkò | Indo-European | |
| Breton | lagad | Indo-European | |
| Mwani | riso | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Erzya | сельме | seľme | Uralic |
| Tboli | mata | Austronesian | |
| Nogai | коьз | köz | Turkic |
| Northern Catanduanes Bicolano | mata | Austronesian | |
| Tabasaran | ул | ul | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Tinà Sambal | mata | Austronesian | |
| Faroese | eyga | Indo-European | |
| Tahitian | mata | Austronesian | |
| Komi-Permyak | син | śin | Uralic |
| Rawang | ne | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Zou | mit | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Scottish Gaelic | sùil | Indo-European | |
| Caló | acai | Indo-European | |
| Mansaka | mata | Austronesian | |
| Aguaruna | hii | Chicham | |
| Southern Altai | кӧс | kös | Turkic |
| Bolinao | mata | Austronesian | |
| Sanskrit | नेत्र | netra | Indo-European |
| Rutul | ул | ul | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Khakas | харах | xarax | Turkic |
| Ternate | lako | North Halmahera | |
| Dungan | нянҗин | nianjin | Sino-Tibetan |
| Romansh | egl | Indo-European | |
| Bunun | mata | Austronesian | |
| Chepang | मीक् | mik | Sino-Tibetan |
| Karelian | silmä | Uralic | |
| Pangutaran Sama | mata | Austronesian | |
| Livvi | silmy | Uralic | |
| Higaonon | mata | Austronesian | |
| Kagayanen | mata | Austronesian | |
| Ladin | uedl | Indo-European | |
| Bau-Jagoi Bidayuh | boton | Austronesian | |
| Hawaiian | maka | Austronesian | |
| North Saami | čalbmi | Uralic | |
| Kajtak | уле | ule | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Lamboya | mata | Austronesian | |
| Pijin | ae | Indo-European | |
| Palauan | mad | Austronesian | |
| Central Yupik | ii | Eskimo-Aleut | |
| Yogad | mata | Austronesian | |
| Evenki | эса | əsa | Tungusic |
| Western Bukidnon Manobo | mata | Austronesian | |
| Mirandese | uolho | Indo-European | |
| Svan | თე | te | Kartvelian |
| Leh Ladakhi | མིག | mig | Sino-Tibetan |
| Drung | meq | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Western Apache | bidáá | Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit | |
| Upper Sorbian | woko | Indo-European | |
| Cherokee | ᎠᎦᏙᎵ | agadoli | Iroquoian |
| Fala | ollu | Indo-European | |
| Northern Amami-Oshima | 目 | mï̄ | Japonic |
| Bislama | ae | Indo-European | |
| Bonan | nedong | Mongolic-Khitan | |
| Northern Frisian | uug | Indo-European | |
| Carib | onu | Cariban | |
| Niuean | mata | Austronesian |