fish - Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages

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

The word “fish” has multiple meanings and uses, both in literal and figurative contexts. It refers to a wide variety of aquatic animals found in both saltwater and freshwater environments. However, “fish” can also be used metaphorically in various ways in English. In this article, we will explore the meaning of “fish,” its uses, and its translations in 30 languages, providing example sentences in each language.

Meaning of “Fish” in Different Contexts

1. The Aquatic Animal (Noun)

The most common meaning of “fish” refers to aquatic animals that live in water and have gills for breathing, fins for swimming, and scales covering their bodies.

Example: “The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.”

2. A Group of Fish (Noun)

The word “fish” can also be used to refer to a group of these aquatic creatures.

Example: “A school of fish swam together in the ocean.”

3. To Catch Fish (Verb)

“Fish” can also be a verb, meaning to catch or try to catch fish, either for food or sport.

Example: “They went to the lake to fish for trout.”

4. To Search for Something (Metaphorical Use – Verb)

Metaphorically, “fish” can mean to search for something, often with effort or persistence.

Example: “He was fishing for compliments all evening.”

5. Figurative Meaning (Verb)

In some contexts, “fish” is used figuratively to mean something that is difficult to find, hard to understand, or elusive.

Example: “She’s fishing for an answer, but no one knows what she’s talking about.”

Translations of the Word “Fish” in 30 Languages

Here is a table that shows how “fish” is translated into 30 different languages, along with example sentences illustrating its use.

Language	Translation	Example Sentence (in the target language)	English Translation of Example
English	Fish	“The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Spanish	Pez	“Los peces en el estanque nadan pacíficamente.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
French	Poisson	“Les poissons dans le lac nagent paisiblement.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
German	Fisch	“Die Fische im Teich schwimmen friedlich.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Italian	Pesce	“I pesci nel laghetto nuotano tranquillamente.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Portuguese	Peixe	“Os peixes no lago nadam pacificamente.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Russian	Рыба (Ryba)	“Рыбы в пруду плавают мирно.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Chinese (Simplified)	鱼 (Yú)	“池塘里的鱼游得很安静。”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Japanese	魚 (Sakana)	“池の魚は平和に泳いでいます。”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Korean	물고기 (Mulgogi)	“연못 속 물고기가 평화롭게 헤엄치고 있습니다.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Hindi	मछली (Machhli)	“तालाब में मछलियाँ शांति से तैर रही हैं।”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Bengali	মাছ (Maach)	“পুকুরে মাছগুলি শান্তিপূর্ণভাবে সাঁতার কাটছে।”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Urdu	مچھلی (Machhli)	“تالاب میں مچھلیاں سکون سے تیر رہی ہیں۔”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Turkish	Balık	“Göletteki balıklar huzur içinde yüzüyor.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Dutch	Vis	“De vissen in de vijver zwemmen vredig.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Greek	Ψάρι (Psári)	“Τα ψάρια στη λίμνη κολυμπούν ειρηνικά.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Swedish	Fisk	“Fiskarna i dammen simmar fridfullt.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Danish	Fisk	“Fiskene i dammen svømmer fredeligt.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Finnish	Kala	“Kalat lammessa uivat rauhallisesti.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Norwegian	Fisk	“Fiskene i dammen svømmer fredelig.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Polish	Ryba	“Ryby w stawie pływają spokojnie.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Czech	Ryba	“Ryby v rybníku plavou klidně.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Hungarian	Hal	“A halak a tóban békésen úsznak.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Hebrew	דג (Dag)	“הדגים בבריכה שוחים בשקט.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Thai	ปลา (Bplaa)	“ปลาที่อยู่ในสระว่ายน้ำว่ายน้ำอย่างสงบเงียบ.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Vietnamese	Cá	“Cá trong ao bơi một cách yên bình.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Indonesian	Ikan	“Ikan di kolam berenang dengan damai.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Filipino	Isda	“Ang mga isda sa lawa ay lumalangoy nang mapayapa.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Malay	Ikan	“Ikan di kolam berenang dengan tenang.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Swahili	Samaki	“Samaki kwenye bwawa wanazunguka kwa amani.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)
Arabic	سمك (Samak)	“الأسماك في البركة تسبح بسلام.”	(The fish in the pond are swimming peacefully.)

Final Thoughts

The word “fish” is not only a staple in the natural world but also in language, representing the diversity and importance of aquatic life. It is used in many different ways, from describing the actual animals in lakes, rivers, and oceans to serving as a metaphor for searching, persistence, or elusiveness. Across languages, the word for “fish” may differ, but the connection to nature and its various metaphorical meanings remain consistent.

Whether you’re talking about catching fish, identifying them in a pond, or using them figuratively to represent something elusive, understanding how this word is translated across different languages can enhance your appreciation of both the word itself and the cultures that use it. This exploration of translations showcases how universally understood the concept of “fish” is across the globe.