slap - Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages

The Word “Slap”: Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages

The word “slap” is commonly used as both a verb and a noun in English, typically referring to a quick, forceful strike, often with an open hand. While it may convey physical action, “slap” is also employed metaphorically in various contexts to indicate sharp rebukes, insults, or even unexpected consequences. Understanding its meanings, usages, and cultural nuances across different languages provides a richer comprehension of how actions and expressions are interpreted globally.

Meaning of “Slap”:

As a Verb (Physical Action):
- To hit someone or something with an open hand, usually as a gesture of anger, frustration, or surprise. It may also be done lightly or jokingly in certain circumstances.
- Example: “He slapped his hand on the table in frustration.”
As a Verb (Metaphorical Usage):
- To criticize, reprimand, or rebuke someone sharply, often in a figurative sense, without physical contact. In this sense, “slap” can express a verbal “strike.”
- Example: “The teacher slapped the student with a stern lecture after the incident.”
As a Noun (Physical Action):
- A blow delivered with an open hand, typically intended to show disapproval or as a sign of irritation.
- Example: “She received a slap across the face after making a rude comment.”
As a Noun (Metaphorical Usage):
- A quick and often harsh reaction, comment, or situation that serves as a reprimand or correction.
- Example: “The company’s failure to act promptly was a slap in the face to its employees.”

Common Uses of “Slap” in Sentences:

Physical Action:
- “He gave the table a slap in frustration when he lost the game.”
- “She slapped him on the back for winning the race.”
Metaphorical Action:
- “The manager slapped the team with a strict policy to improve productivity.”
- “Her harsh comments were a slap to his confidence.”
As a Noun (Physical):
- “After their argument, he gave her a slap on the wrist.”
- “The slap across the face shocked everyone in the room.”
As a Noun (Metaphorical):
- “The team’s poor performance was a slap in the face to their supporters.”
- “His comment was a slap to the people who worked hard for the project.”

Translations of “Slap” in 30 Languages

Language	Translation	Example Sentence
Spanish	Bofetada	“Le dio una bofetada en la cara después de su comentario grosero.”
French	Claque	“Elle lui a donné une claque après la dispute.”
German	Ohrfeige	“Er gab ihr eine Ohrfeige après la confrontation.”
Italian	Schiaffo	“Lui le ha dato uno schiaffo sul viso.”
Portuguese	Tapa	“Ele deu um tapa nela depois da discussão.”
Dutch	Klap	“Hij gaf haar een klap na de ruzie.”
Russian	Пощёчина (Poshchina)	“Он дал ей пощёчину после того, как она оскорбила его.”
Chinese (Simplified)	掌掴 (Zhǎngguā)	“她因恶意言辞而被他打了一巴掌。”
Japanese	平手打ち (Hirateuchi)	“彼女は侮辱的な言葉を使ったので、彼に平手打ちを受けました。”
Korean	따귀 (Ttagwi)	“그녀는 그에게 따귀를 맞았다.”
Hindi	तमाचा (Tāmācā)	“उसने उसे गुस्से में तमाचा मारा।”
Bengali	থাপ্পড় (Thāpṛa)	“তাকে তিরস্কারের পর থাপ্পড় দেওয়া হল।”
Turkish	Tokat	“O, ona tartışma sonrası tokat attı.”
Greek	Σφαλιάρα (Sfaliára)	“Της έδωσε μια σφαλιάρα μετά από την προσβολή.”
Hebrew	סטירה (Stira)	“היא נתנה לו סטירה אחרי שהוא הכעיס אותה.”
Swedish	Överraskning (Slå)	“Han gav henne en snabb smäll i ansiktet.”
Norwegian	Slå	“Hun slo ham etter at han sa något elakt.”
Danish	Læsning	“Han gav hende et slag efter diskussionen.”
Finnish	Läimäys	“Hän antoi hänelle läimäyksen suoraan kasvoille.”
Polish	Policzek	“Dostała policzek po złośliwej uwadze.”
Czech	Facka	“Dal jí facku, když se rozčílila.”
Hungarian	Pofon	“Adott neki egy pofont, miután megsértette.”
Romanian	Palmă	“I-a dat o palmă după comentariul jignitor.”
Thai	ตบ (Top)	“เธอตบเขาหลังจากที่เขาพูดคำหยาบ.”
Vietnamese	Tát	“Cô ấy tát anh ấy vì hành động thô lỗ.”
Indonesian	Tampar	“Dia menamparnya setelah kata-kata kasar.”
Malay	Tampar	“Dia menamparnya setelah komentar kasar.”
Swahili	Pigo	“Alimpiga kofi baada ya kusema neno la matusi.”
Filipino	Sampal	“Binigyan siya ng sampal pagkatapos ng kanilang pagtatalo.”
Arabic	صفعة (Safʿa)	“أعطاها صفعة على وجهها بعد أن قالت شيئًا جارحًا.”
Tamil	அடி (Aṭi)	“அவள் அவனை தூக்கி அடித்தாள்.”
Telugu	తడిరి (Taḍiri)	“ఆమె అతనికి ఒక తడిరి ఇచ్చింది.”
Punjabi	ਥੱਪੜ (Thappaṛ)	“ਉਸਨੇ ਉਸਨੂੰ ਗੁੱਸੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਥੱਪੜ ਮਾਰਿਆ।”
Mongolian	Алгадах (Algadhakh)	“Тэр түүнд алгадах ёстой байсан.”
Turkmen	Tapan	“Ol, ona yaman sözlerden soň tapany berdi.”
Japanese	平手打ち (Hirateuchi)	“彼は怒りの後、彼女に平手打ちをしました。”

Additional Examples:

Spanish:
- “Después de la discusión, le dio una bofetada para mostrar su enojo.”
- “El comentario hiriente fue una bofetada para sus sentimientos.”
French:
- “Elle lui donna une claque en guise de sanction après sa mauvaise attitude.”
- “Sa remarque acide était une véritable claque pour la confiance de son collègue.”
Russian:
- “Он дал ей пощёчину в ответ на её оскорбление.”
- “Её реакция была как пощёчина, такой резкий и неожиданный ответ.”
Chinese (Simplified):
- “他给了她一巴掌，表示他的愤怒。”
- “他的批评就像一巴掌，让她难堪。”
Arabic:
- “أعطاها صفعة على وجهها بعد أن أساءت إليه.”
- “كلماته كانت بمثابة صفعة لهؤلاء الذين عملوا جاهدًا في المشروع.”

By exploring the word “slap” and its translations in various languages, we gain insight into how a simple physical action can carry significant emotional or symbolic weight across different cultures. Whether it’s a slap in a literal sense or a metaphorical reprimand, this word highlights universal human expressions of anger, surprise, and rebuke. The diverse examples illustrate that while the gesture may change, the emotions behind it remain a common thread globally.