The word “mean” can convey unkindness or malice and is a common adjective in many languages. However, the term varies across different languages and cultures. In this article, we’ll explore how the word for “mean” is expressed in 70 different languages, from the most widely spoken to some of the lesser-known ones.
Here is a list of how to say “mean” in 70 different languages:
- Albanian (🇦🇱) – I keq | Pronunciation: Ee kech
- Arabic (🇸🇦) – لئيم (La’im) | Pronunciation: La-eem
- Armenian (🇦🇲) – Չար (Char) | Pronunciation: Char
- Azerbaijani (🇦🇿) – Pis | Pronunciation: Pees
- Basque (🇪🇸) – Gaizto | Pronunciation: Guyz-to
- Belarusian (🇧🇾) – Злы (Zly) | Pronunciation: Zly
- Bengali (🇧🇩) – দুষ্ট (Dusṭa) | Pronunciation: Doosh-ta
- Bosnian (🇧🇦) – Zao | Pronunciation: Zah-oh
- Bulgarian (🇧🇬) – Зъл (Zal) | Pronunciation: Zal
- Catalan (🇪🇸 – Catalonia) – Dolent | Pronunciation: Doh-lent
- Czech (🇨🇿) – Zlý | Pronunciation: Zlee
- Danish (🇩🇰) – Ond | Pronunciation: Ohnd
- Dutch (🇳🇱) – Gemeen | Pronunciation: Khuh-main
- English (🇺🇸 / 🇬🇧) – Mean | Pronunciation: Mean
- Estonian (🇪🇪) – Kuri | Pronunciation: Koo-ree
- Farsi (Persian) (🇮🇷) – بدجنس (Badjens) | Pronunciation: Bad-jens
- Finnish (🇫🇮) – Ilkeä | Pronunciation: Eel-keh-ah
- French (🇫🇷) – Méchant | Pronunciation: May-shan
- Georgian (🇬🇪) – ბოროტი (Boroti) | Pronunciation: Bo-ro-tee
- German (🇩🇪) – Gemein | Pronunciation: Geh-mine
- Greek (🇬🇷) – Κακός (Kakos) | Pronunciation: Ka-kos
- Hebrew (🇮🇱) – רשע (Rasha) | Pronunciation: Ra-sha
- Hindi (🇮🇳) – दुष्ट (Dusht) | Pronunciation: Doosht
- Hungarian (🇭🇺) – Gonosz | Pronunciation: Go-nohz
- Icelandic (🇮🇸) – Illgjarn | Pronunciation: Eel-gyarn
- Indonesian (🇮🇩) – Jahat | Pronunciation: Jah-hat
- Irish Gaelic (🇮🇪) – Suarach | Pronunciation: Soo-ah-rahk
- Italian (🇮🇹) – Cattivo | Pronunciation: Ka-tee-vo
- Japanese (🇯🇵) – 意地悪 (Ijiwaru) | Pronunciation: Ee-jee-wah-roo
- Kazakh (🇰🇿) – Жаман (Zhaman) | Pronunciation: Zha-mahn
- Khmer (Cambodian) (🇰🇭) – ឆ្កួត (Chhkuot) | Pronunciation: Chhkoot
- Korean (🇰🇷) – 심술궂은 (Simsulgut-eun) | Pronunciation: Sim-sool-goot-oon
- Kurdish (🇮🇶 / 🇸🇾 / 🇹🇷 / 🇮🇷) – Xayn | Pronunciation: Khayn
- Kyrgyz (🇰🇬) – Жаман (Zhaman) | Pronunciation: Zha-mahn
- Lao (🇱🇦) – ຊົ່ວຮ້າຍ (Sủa hāi) | Pronunciation: Soo-a high
- Latvian (🇱🇻) – Ļauns | Pronunciation: Lyouns
- Lithuanian (🇱🇹) – Piktas | Pronunciation: Pik-tas
- Luxembourgish (🇱🇺) – Béis | Pronunciation: Bays
- Macedonian (🇲🇰) – Лош (Losh) | Pronunciation: Losh
- Malay (🇲🇾 / 🇮🇩) – Jahat | Pronunciation: Jah-hat
- Maltese (🇲🇹) – Ħażin | Pronunciation: Ha-zeen
- Mandarin Chinese (🇨🇳) – 刻薄 (Kèbó) | Pronunciation: Kuh-baw
- Marathi (🇮🇳) – वाईट (Vāiṭa) | Pronunciation: Vah-ee-tah
- Mongolian (🇲🇳) – Хорон (Khoron) | Pronunciation: Kho-ron
- Nepali (🇳🇵) – दुष्ट (Dushta) | Pronunciation: Doosh-ta
- Norwegian (🇳🇴) – Slem | Pronunciation: Slehm
- Pashto (🇦🇫) – بد (Bad) | Pronunciation: Bad
- Polish (🇵🇱) – Zły | Pronunciation: Zlee
- Portuguese (🇵🇹 / 🇧🇷) – Mau | Pronunciation: Mow
- Romanian (🇷🇴) – Rău | Pronunciation: Ruh
- Russian (🇷🇺) – Злой (Zloy) | Pronunciation: Zloy
- Serbian (🇷🇸) – Зао (Zao) | Pronunciation: Zah-oh
- Sinhala (🇱🇰) – නපුරු (Napuru) | Pronunciation: Na-poo-roo
- Slovak (🇸🇰) – Zlý | Pronunciation: Zlee
- Slovenian (🇸🇮) – Zloben | Pronunciation: Zlo-ben
- Somali (🇸🇴) – Xun | Pronunciation: Hoon
- Spanish (🇪🇸) – Malo | Pronunciation: Mah-loh
- Swahili (🇰🇪 / 🇹🇿) – Mbaya | Pronunciation: M-bah-ya
- Swedish (🇸🇪) – Elak | Pronunciation: Eh-lak
- Tajik (🇹🇯) – Бад (Bad) | Pronunciation: Bad
- Tamil (🇮🇳) – கெட்ட (Ketta) | Pronunciation: Ke-tah
- Telugu (🇮🇳) – దుష్ట (Dushṭa) | Pronunciation: Doosh-ta
- Thai (🇹🇭) – ใจร้าย (Jai rai) | Pronunciation: Jai rai
- Turkish (🇹🇷) – Kötü | Pronunciation: Kew-tew
- Ukrainian (🇺🇦) – Злий (Zlyi) | Pronunciation: Zlyi
- Urdu (🇵🇰) – ظالم (Zalim) | Pronunciation: Zaa-lim
- Uzbek (🇺🇿) – Yomon | Pronunciation: Yo-mon
- Vietnamese (🇻🇳) – Xấu xa | Pronunciation: So-sah
- Welsh (🇬🇧 – Wales) – Drwg | Pronunciation: Droog
- Zulu (🇿🇦) – Nenzuzo | Pronunciation: Nen-zoo-zo
Learning how to say “mean” in different languages is a fascinating journey into the nuances of expressing unkindness across various cultures. Whether you’re a language enthusiast, a traveler, or simply curious, this list serves as a comprehensive guide to this commonly used adjective around the world.