The Word “Cook”: Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages
Meaning of “Cook”
The word “cook” can function as both a noun and a verb, with different but closely related meanings depending on its usage.
- As a Verb:
To cook means to prepare food by applying heat. It involves the process of making food ready to eat through various techniques such as boiling, baking, frying, grilling, and steaming.- Example: “She loves to cook delicious meals for her family.”
- As a Noun:
As a noun, a cook refers to a person who prepares food, either professionally or as part of daily household activities.- Example: “The cook prepared a feast for the guests.”
- Metaphorical Uses:
The word cook can also have figurative meanings. For instance, it may refer to manipulating or altering information or events in an unethical way (e.g., cooking the books, which means falsifying financial records).- Example: “The accountant was accused of trying to cook the books.”
Usage of “Cook” in Different Contexts
- Cooking Food:
“I like to cook spaghetti for dinner.” This use refers to the preparation of food through heating or combining ingredients. - Professional Cook:
“He works as a cook at a five-star restaurant.” This refers to a person employed to prepare food professionally. - Cooking Techniques:
“To make the soup, first cook the onions in olive oil until they are soft.” This refers to the specific action of applying heat to food. - Metaphor (Dishonesty):
“The executive was caught trying to cook the financial records to avoid taxes.” Here, cook is used metaphorically to describe fraudulent activity. - Casual Cooking:
“We need to cook something quick for lunch.” This refers to making a simple or fast meal.
Translations of “Cook” in 30 Languages
The idea of cooking food or preparing it for consumption exists across cultures, and the word for cook has equivalents in various languages. Below are translations of “cook” along with example sentences illustrating its use in different languages.
| Language | Translation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| English | Cook | “I will cook dinner tonight.” |
| Spanish | Cocinar | “Voy a cocinar la cena esta noche.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| French | Cuisiner | “Je vais cuisiner le dîner ce soir.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| German | Kochen | “Ich werde heute Abend Abendessen kochen.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Italian | Cucinare | “Voglio cucinare qualcosa di speciale stasera.” (I want to cook something special tonight.) |
| Portuguese | Cozinhar | “Eu vou cozinhar o jantar hoje.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Russian | Готовить (Gotovit’) | “Я буду готовить ужин сегодня.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Chinese | 烹饪 (Pēngrèn) | “我今晚要烹饪晚餐。” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Japanese | 料理する (Ryōri suru) | “今晩は夕食を料理するつもりです。” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Korean | 요리하다 (Yorihada) | “저는 오늘 저녁을 요리할 거예요.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Hindi | पकाना (Pakanā) | “मैं आज रात खाना पकाऊंगा।” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Bengali | রান্না করা (Ranna kora) | “আমি আজ রাতে ডিনার রান্না করব।” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Turkish | Pişirmek | “Bu akşam yemeği pişireceğim.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Dutch | Koken | “Ik ga vanavond het diner koken.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Swedish | Laga mat | “Jag ska laga mat ikväll.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Norwegian | Lage mat | “Jeg skal lage mat i kveld.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Greek | Μαγειρεύω (Mageirévo) | “Θα μαγειρέψω το δείπνο απόψε.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Polish | Gotować | “Będę gotować obiad dzisiaj wieczorem.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Czech | Vařit | “Dnes večer budu vařit večeři.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Finnish | Kypsentää | “Aion kypsentää illallisen tänä iltana.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Hungarian | Főzni | “Este vacsorát főzök.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Hebrew | לבשל (Levashel) | “אני אבשל ערב היום.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Thai | ทำอาหาร (Tham āhān) | “คืนนี้ฉันจะทำอาหารเย็น.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Indonesian | Memasak | “Saya akan memasak makan malam malam ini.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Malay | Memasak | “Saya akan memasak makan malam malam ini.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Vietnamese | Nấu ăn | “Tôi sẽ nấu ăn tối nay.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Ukrainian | Готувати (Hotuvaty) | “Цього вечора я буду готувати вечерю.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Romanian | Găti | “Voi găti cina în seara asta.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Swahili | Kupika | “Nitapika chakula cha jioni leo.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Persian | پختن (Pokhtan) | “من امشب شام را پخته خواهم کرد.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Malayalam | പാകം ചെയ്യുക (Pākam ceyyuka) | “ഞാൻ ഇന്ന് രാത്രി ഡിന്നർ പാകം ചെയ്യും.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Tamil | சமைத்தல் (Camaiththal) | “நான் இன்று இரவு சாப்பாடு சமைப்பேன்.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
| Arabic | طهي (ṭahy) | “سأقوم بـ طهي العشاء الليلة.” (I will cook dinner tonight.) |
The word “cook” has various uses, but its most common and universal meaning refers to the preparation of food through the application of heat. It can describe the act of cooking, a person who prepares food (a cook), or even be used metaphorically to describe manipulating or changing something for a specific purpose.
As seen in the translations across different languages, cooking is a fundamental activity with deep cultural significance worldwide. The process of cooking transcends mere preparation; it involves skill, creativity, and tradition, and is essential to bringing people together through shared meals. Whether you’re cooking in your home kitchen or working as a professional cook in a restaurant, the act of cooking holds a universal place in societies around the world.
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