Have you ever wondered how to say “unicorn” in different languages?

If you’re captivated by mythical creatures, a language enthusiast, or just curious about unique words, discovering how to say “unicorn” around the globe can be magical!

This guide will explain the translations, pronunciations, and cultural nuances of the word “unicorn” in over 100 languages.

Why Learning “Unicorn” is Magical

“unicorn” isn’t just a term; it represents imagination, rarity, and wonder. Learning how to say it across different languages can expand your understanding of this mystical symbol’s universal appeal and deepen your appreciation for the magic of languages.

Saying “Unicorn” in European Languages

Western European Languages

  • English: Unicorn (pronounced YOU-ni-korn)
  • French: Licorne (pronounced lee-KORN)
  • German: Einhorn (pronounced EYN-horn)
  • Spanish: Unicornio (pronounced oo-nee-KOR-nyo)
  • Italian: Unicorno (pronounced oo-nee-KOR-no)
  • Portuguese: Unicórnio (pronounced oo-nee-KOR-nyoo)
  • Dutch: Eenhoorn (pronounced AY-nhoorn)
  • Catalan: Unicorni (pronounced oo-nee-KOR-nee)

Northern European Languages

  • Swedish: Enhörning (pronounced EN-hur-ning)
  • Danish: Enhjørning (pronounced EN-yer-ning)
  • Norwegian: Enhjørning (pronounced EN-yor-ning)
  • Finnish: Yksisarvinen (pronounced ook-see-SAR-vee-nen)
  • Icelandic: Einhyrningur (pronounced AY-neer-ning-kur)

Eastern European Languages

  • Russian: Единорог (pronounced ye-dee-nah-ROHG)
  • Polish: Jednorożec (pronounced yed-no-ROH-zhets)
  • Czech: Jednorožec (pronounced yed-no-ROH-zhets)
  • Hungarian: Egyszarvú (pronounced edge-sar-voo)
  • Slovak: Jednorožec (pronounced yed-no-ROH-zhets)
  • Ukrainian: Єдиноріг (pronounced ye-dee-noh-REEH)
  • Bulgarian: Еднорог (pronounced ed-noh-ROG)
  • Serbian: Једнорог (pronounced YED-no-rog)

Celtic Languages

  • Irish Gaelic: Aonbheannach (pronounced ain-VAN-ukh)
  • Scottish Gaelic: Aon-adharcach (pronounced in-AR-kakh)
  • Welsh: Uncorn (pronounced IN-korn)

Other European Languages

  • Basque: Bakeko zaldia (pronounced ba-ke-ko ZAL-di-ah)
  • Maltese: Unikornju (pronounced oo-nee-KORN-joo)
  • Albanian: Njëbrirë (pronounced NYUH-bree-re)

Saying “Unicorn” in Asian Languages

East Asian Languages

  • Chinese (Simplified): 独角兽 (pronounced doo-jyow-shoh)
  • Chinese (Traditional): 獨角獸 (pronounced doo-jyow-shoh)
  • Japanese: ユニコーン (pronounced yoo-nee-ko-on)
  • Korean: 유니콘 (pronounced yoo-ni-kon)

South Asian Languages

  • Hindi: इकसिंग (pronounced eek-sing)
  • Bengali: একসিং (pronounced ek-shing)
  • Tamil: ஒரே கொம்பு (pronounced o-ray kom-boo)
  • Urdu: اک سنگھا (pronounced ik sang-ha)
  • Punjabi: ਇਕ ਸਿੰਗ (pronounced ik-sing)
  • Telugu: ఒక కొమ్మ (pronounced o-ka kom-ma)
  • Gujarati: એકસિંગ (pronounced ek-sing)
  • Kannada: ಒಂದೇ ಕೊಂಬು (pronounced on-day kom-bu)

Southeast Asian Languages

  • Thai: ยูนิคอร์น (pronounced yoo-nee-khon)
  • Vietnamese: Kỳ lân (pronounced kee-lun)
  • Indonesian: Unicorn (pronounced yoo-nee-korn)
  • Malay: Unicorn (pronounced yoo-nee-korn)
  • Khmer (Cambodian): យូនីកន (pronounced yoo-nee-kon)
  • Burmese (Myanmar): ယူနီကွန်း (pronounced yoo-ni-koon)

Central Asian Languages

  • Kazakh: Бірмүйіз (pronounced beer-mwee-yez)
  • Uzbek: Yakkashox (pronounced yahk-ka-shohk)
  • Turkmen: Birgurt (pronounced beer-gurt)
  • Tajik: Якмурғ (pronounced yak-murg)

Saying “Unicorn” in Middle-Eastern Languages

  • Arabic: وحيد القرن (pronounced wa-HEED al-KARN)
  • Hebrew: חד קרן (pronounced khad KE-ren)
  • Persian (Farsi): تکشاخ (pronounced tak-shakh)
  • Turkish: Tekboynuz (pronounced tek-boy-nooz)
  • Kurdish (Sorani): تێك بڕێژ (pronounced tek-brehzh)

Saying “Unicorn” in African Languages

  • Swahili: Farasi wa pembe moja (pronounced fa-RAH-see wa PEM-beh MO-ja)
  • Zulu: Iyunikhoni (pronounced ee-YOO-nee-kho-nee)
  • Afrikaans: Eenhoring (pronounced AY-nho-ring)
  • Amharic: አንድ ቀንድ ፈረስ (pronounced and-ken-deh feh-res)
  • Yoruba: Ẹṣin-kìkan (pronounced eh-sheen kee-kahn)
  • Igbo: Enyi nke otu mpi (pronounced eh-nee nkeh o-toom-pee)
  • Hausa: Doki ɗaya ƙaho (pronounced do-kee dah-ya ka-ho)
  • Somali: Fard xornimo (pronounced fard hor-nee-mo)

Saying “Unicorn” in Austronesian Languages

  • Filipino (Tagalog): Unikorn (pronounced yoo-nee-korn)
  • Cebuano: Unikorn (pronounced yoo-nee-korn)
  • Maori: Kararehe uniki (pronounced ka-ra-re-heh oo-nee-kee)
  • Hawaiian: Unikō (pronounced oo-nee-koh)
  • Javanese: Unikorn (pronounced yoo-nee-korn)
  • Malagasy: Sarim-biby tokana (pronounced sa-reem-BEE-bee TOH-ka-na)

Saying “Unicorn” in Indigenous Languages

Native American Languages

  • Quechua: Hawa q’asa (pronounced ha-wa ka-sa)
  • Navajo: Bee tááłnííʼ nił hólóní (pronounced bey tahh-nee nil hoh-loh-nee)

Australian Aboriginal Languages

  • Pitjantjatjara: Unikorn (pronounced yoo-nee-korn)

More Translations of UNICORN in Different Languages

  • Amharic (Ethiopia): አንድ ቀንድ ፈረስ (pronounced and-ken-deh feh-res)
  • Georgian: ერთრქა (pronounced ert-r-kha)
  • Mongolian: Нэг эвэрт (pronounced neg ever-t)
  • Nepali: एकसिङ्ग (pronounced ek-sing)
  • Sinhala (Sri Lanka): එක්කොම එකට (pronounced ek-ko-ma e-ka-ta)
  • Xhosa (South Africa): Iyunikhoni (pronounced ee-yoo-nee-kho-nee)
  • Estonian: Ükssarvik (pronounced yuk-sar-vik)
  • Latvian: Vienradzis (pronounced vee-en-rad-zees)
  • Lithuanian: Vienaragis (pronounced vee-en-a-rah-gis)
  • Macedonian: Еднорог (pronounced ed-noh-rog)
  • French: Licorne (pronounced lee-KORN)
  • German: Einhorn (pronounced EYN-horn)
  • Spanish: Unicornio (pronounced oo-nee-KOR-nyo)
  • Italian: Unicorno (pronounced oo-nee-KOR-no)
  • Portuguese: Unicórnio (pronounced oo-nee-KOR-nyoo)
  • Dutch: Eenhoorn (pronounced AY-nhoorn)
  • Catalan: Unicorni (pronounced oo-nee-KOR-nee)
  • Swedish: Enhörning (pronounced EN-hur-ning)
  • Danish: Enhjørning (pronounced EN-yer-ning)
  • Norwegian: Enhjørning (pronounced EN-yor-ning)
  • Finnish: Yksisarvinen (pronounced ook-see-SAR-vee-nen)
  • Icelandic: Einhyrningur (pronounced AY-neer-ning-kur)
  • Russian: Единорог (pronounced ye-dee-nah-ROHG)
  • Polish: Jednorożec (pronounced yed-no-ROH-zhets)
  • Czech: Jednorožec (pronounced yed-no-ROH-zhets)
  • Hungarian: Egyszarvú (pronounced edge-sar-voo)
  • Slovak: Jednorožec (pronounced yed-no-ROH-zhets)
  • Ukrainian: Єдиноріг (pronounced ye-dee-noh-REEH)
  • Bulgarian: Еднорог (pronounced ed-noh-ROG)
  • Serbian: Једнорог (pronounced YED-no-rog)
  • Irish Gaelic: Aonbheannach (pronounced ain-VAN-ukh)
  • Scottish Gaelic: Aon-adharcach (pronounced in-AR-kakh)
  • Welsh: Uncorn (pronounced IN-korn)
  • Basque: Bakeko zaldia (pronounced ba-ke-ko ZAL-di-ah)
  • Maltese: Unikornju (pronounced oo-nee-KORN-joo)
  • Albanian: Njëbrirë (pronounced NYUH-bree-re)
  • Chinese (Simplified): 独角兽 (pronounced doo-jyow-shoh)
  • Chinese (Traditional): 獨角獸 (pronounced doo-jyow-shoh)
  • Japanese: ユニコーン (pronounced yoo-nee-ko-on
  • )Korean: 유니콘 (pronounced yoo-ni-kon)
  • Hindi: इकसिंग (pronounced eek-sing)
  • Bengali: একসিং (pronounced ek-shing)
  • Tamil: ஒரே கொம்பு (pronounced o-ray kom-boo)
  • Urdu: اک سنگھا (pronounced ik sang-ha)
  • Punjabi: ਇਕ ਸਿੰਗ (pronounced ik-sing)
  • Telugu: ఒక కొమ్మ (pronounced o-ka kom-ma)
  • Gujarati: એકસિંગ (pronounced ek-sing)
  • Kannada: ಒಂದೇ ಕೊಂಬು (pronounced on-day kom-bu)
  • Thai: ยูนิคอร์น (pronounced yoo-nee-khon)
  • Vietnamese: Kỳ lân (pronounced kee-lun)
  • Armenian: միաեղջյուր (pronounced mi-ay-ye-ghyoor)
  • Hebrew: חד קרן (pronounced khad KE-ren)
  • Arabic: وحيد القرن (pronounced wahid al-qarn)
  • Turkish: Tekboynuz (pronounced tek-boy-nooz)
  • Azerbaijani: təkbuynuzlu (pronounced tek-bwee-nooz-loo)
  • Kazakh: жалғыз мүйізді (pronounced zhal-ghyz mui-iz-dee)
  • Kyrgyz: жалгыз мүйүздүү (pronounced jalg-iz mui-iz-deu)
  • Uzbek: yagona shoxli (pronounced yag-oh-na shohkh-lee)
  • Malay: Unicorn (pronounced yoo-nee-korn)
  • Indonesian: Unicorn (pronounced yoo-nee-korn)
  • Filipino: Kabayong may sungay (pronounced kah-bah-YONG my soo-ngai)
  • Hawaiian: Unikō (pronounced oo-nee-koh)
  • Samoan: Unikone (pronounced oo-nee-ko-neh)
  • Maori: Kararehe uniki (pronounced ka-ra-re-he oo-nee-kee)
  • Swahili: Farasi wa pembe moja (pronounced fa-RAH-see wa PEM-beh MO-ja)
  • Zulu: Iyunikhoni (pronounced ee-YOO-nee-kho-nee)
  • Afrikaans: Eenhoring (pronounced AY-nho-ring)
  • Somali: Fard xornimo (pronounced fard hor-nee-mo)
  • Igbo: Enyi nke otu mpi (pronounced eh-nee nkeh o-toom-pee)
  • Hausa: Doki ɗaya ƙaho (pronounced do-kee dah-ya ka-ho)
  • Yoruba: Ẹṣin-kìkan (pronounced eh-sheen kee-kahn)
  • Tatar: уникор (pronounced oo-ni-kor)
  • Bosnian: Jednorog (pronounced yed-no-rog)
  • Kurdish: Tek bîrnûz (pronounced tek beer-nooz)
  • Burmese: ယူနီကွန်း (pronounced yoo-nee-koon)
  • Pashto: یونیکورن (pronounced yoo-nee-korn)
  • Fijian: Unikoni (pronounced oo-nee-ko-nee)
  • Galician: Unicornio (pronounced oo-nee-KOR-nyo)
  • Latin: Unicornis (pronounced yoo-ni-kor-nis)
  • Greenlandic: Ukiuni (pronounced oo-kee-oo-nee)
  • Cherokee: (translation unavailable, descriptive term used)
  • Tongan: Unikoni (pronounced oo-nee-ko-nee)
  • Corsican: Unicornu (pronounced yoo-nee-kor-noo)
  • Lao: ຢູນິຄອນ (pronounced yoo-ni-korn)
  • Sinhala: යුනිකෝන් (pronounced yoo-nee-korn)
  • Estonian: Ükssarvik (pronounced yuk-sar-vik)
  • Sundanese: Unikorn (pronounced oo-nee-korn)
  • Javanese: Unikorn (pronounced oo-nee-korn)
  • Twi (Ghana): Okokonini (pronounced oh-koh-ko-nee-nee)
  • Chichewa: Unikoni (pronounced oo-nee-ko-nee)
  • Shona: Unikoni (pronounced oo-nee-ko-nee)
  • Amharic: አንድ ቀንድ ፈረስ (pronounced and ken-de fe-res)
  • Ojibwe: (translation unavailable, descriptive term used)
  • Zulu: Inkhonyana (pronounced een-kho-nyah-nah)

Pronunciation Guide and Cultural Insights

Pronouncing “unicorn” in various languages allows you to connect with others through a shared fascination with myth and legend.

Tips for Proper Pronunciation

  • Listen and Repeat: Use online language resources or apps to hear native speakers.
  • Phonetic Spelling: Rely on the phonetic guides provided.
  • Practice Often: Repetition helps in perfecting pronunciation.

Cultural Significance

The unicorn is a symbol of rarity, purity, and enchantment in many cultures:

  • Myth and Legend: Unicorns appear in folklore from Europe to Asia, often representing purity and beauty.
  • Magical and Sacred Qualities: Many cultures regard the unicorn as a mystical or sacred creature.
  • Modern Symbolism: Unicorns today symbolize uniqueness, rarity, and magic, and they are celebrated in literature, art, and media.

Translation, Meaning, and Usage in Sentences

Examples in Different Languages

French

  • Translation: Licorne
  • Meaning: Unicorn
  • Sentence: La licorne est un animal magique. (The unicorn is a magical creature.)

Russian

  • Translation: Единорог
  • Meaning: Unicorn
  • Sentence: Единорог — символ чистоты. (The unicorn is a symbol of purity.)

Swahili

  • Translation: Farasi wa pembe moja
  • Meaning: Unicorn
  • Sentence: Farasi wa pembe moja ni nadra sana. (The unicorn is very rare.)

Arabic

  • Translation: وحيد القرن
  • Meaning:Arabic
  • Translation: وحيد القرن
  • Meaning: Unicorn
  • Sentence: يرمز وحيد القرن إلى النقاء. (The unicorn symbolizes purity.)

Hindi

  • Translation: इकसिंग
  • Meaning: Unicorn
  • Sentence: इकसिंग एक अद्वितीय जानवर है। (The unicorn is a unique creature.)

    This comprehensive list highlights the mythical and magical appeal of “unicorn” across global languages, reflecting the cultural fascination with this legendary creature.

    Whether you’re expanding your vocabulary or connecting with the mysticism in various cultures, learning these translations enhances your appreciation for the magical in language and beyond.

    Conclusion

    Exploring how to say “unicorn” in different languages involves global myths, symbols, and the universal fascination with the magical.

    Each translation reflects a unique cultural connection to this legendary creature, showcasing how the unicorn represents rarity, purity, and wonder across borders.

    Learning these translations can add a sprinkle of enchantment to your vocabulary, whether you’re studying languages, embracing the magic of myth, or connecting with people from different cultures.

    Use this newfound knowledge to celebrate the mythical and appreciate the shared cultural imagination that brings the unicorn to life worldwide!

    Source: University of Illinois – Program in Translation and Interpreting Studies

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