# blond, blonde



## MarX

Hello!

I'd like to know the words for blond in various languages.
I've always wondered where the word comes from in regions where there are barely any blonds, like Indonesia, for example.

Indonesian*:*
*pirang*

German*:*
*blond*

English*:*
*blond(e)*

Spanish*:*
*rubio*


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## shannenms

Indonesian Pirang seems much like Persian Birang which means colorless. Maybe thet are related.


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## Lingvisten

Danish: blond/Lyshåret - blondine (a girl with blond hair)
Russian: светловолосый/светловолосая


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## Benvindo

Portuguese: *loiro* (masc.)/*loira* (fem.) or *louro* (masc.)/*loura* (fem.)


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## MarX

shannenms said:


> Indonesian Pirang seems much like Persian Birang which means colorless. Maybe thet are related.


 
That's possible.
We do have a number of words borrowed from Persian.
Thanks for the enlightment!


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## Piotr_WRF

Polish:

blondyn _m_, blondynka _f

_These are nouns, not adjectives.


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## shannenms

MarX said:


> That's possible.
> We do have a number of words borrowed from Persian.
> Thanks for the enlightment!


Does it mean colorless or just blond?


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## MarX

I remember that some algae which are half-transparent are called pirang, as well. So it's possible that it originates from Persian.

Btw, what's the Persian word for *blond*?


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## shannenms

we call it boor or talaee(means golden) or eloquently zarrin moy (means of golden hair).


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## Mahaodeh

In Arabic it's ashqar (male) and shaqraa (female); but this specifically means light color complextion with blonde hair; you have to specify the skin color if it was a dark color person with yellow hair.


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## dudasd

Serbian/Croatian: *plav* (from IE _*bleu_). Also *plavokos* (blond-haired) and *plavook* (blue-eyed). (In modern language, it means both blond and blue.)


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## labrapalabras

In Mexican Spanish, we use "huero" (or "güero") more than "rubio" to talk about a blond person. It is also used for people with fair skin.


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## OldAvatar

Romanian:
blond, bălai


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## sam1978

*Italian:

*Biondo (M)
Bionda (F)
Biondi (M.Pl.)
Bionde (F.Pl)


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## Maurice92

En vietnamien : vàng  =  or (métal)


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## n2zstik

Malay: Perang. Similar to 'Bahasa Indonesia'.


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## ivanovic77

Catalan:

ros _m_
rossa _f_


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## elpoderoso

Is the Romanian 'balai' related to slavic words for white,i.e Polish Bialy/a?
Sorry I don't have the accents.


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## MarX

n2zstik said:


> Malay: Perang. Similar to 'Bahasa Indonesia'.


 
In Indonesian, *perang* means _war_.


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## CatStar

As gaeilge/ In Irish:

*fionn*

Cat


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## Stéphane89

In French:

*Blond m*
*Blonde f*


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## robbie_SWE

elpoderoso said:


> Is the Romanian 'balai' related to slavic words for white,i.e Polish Bialy/a?
> Sorry I don't have the accents.


 
Yes, it comes from the Slavic *bĕlŭ*. But it's listed as a regionalism, thus making it an "uncommon" word in quotidian Romanian.

 robbie


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## jana.bo99

Slovenian: Blond 

We have no other word for that like "blue woman" or modra žena (it sounds stupid). 

Where is then origin for: Blond?


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## kusurija

In Czech:
blondýnka ( = dívka/žena s blonďatými vlasy) (f.) or in slang: bloncka
blondýn  ( = muž s blonďatými vlasy) (m.) or in slang: blonďák

In Lithuanian: 
blondinė (moteris su šviesais plaukais) (f.)
blondinas (m.) 

Nothing special, ordinary international words...


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## jana.bo99

Hello Robi_SWE,

You mean Slavic: Bela (Serbian) or Bijela (Croatian)? 

To me sounds better English: blue - blond.

In fact nothing here is origin.


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## OBrasilo

- jana.bo99: Actually, there is _plavolas_, and _plavi lasje_, in Slovenian, for _blonde_, and _blonde hair_, respectively, but it's very litterary, and you hardly ever hear it n common spoken language.

And here come the nouns: _blonde male_ is _plavolasec_, and _blonde female _is _plavolaska_. And this two are very litterary as well.


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## OldAvatar

@jana.bo99

Many of the Slavic words of Romanian language came from Serbian or from Bulgarian. But considering that Slavic words are part of the Romanian language from the early stages of the language evolution, we could say that the Slavic Romanian words came from a time when you couldn't split the Slavic tongues into straight different languages, as they are nowadays.
Therefore, it is difficult to mention the exact origin of a word, and that's why, in general, Romanian dictionaries do not mention the particular origin, Serbian, Bulgarian, Polish etc, for example, but only prefer to mention the Slavic origin of such a word.
It is like a parallel evolution, similar with what happened with Slavic languages...


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## jana.bo99

Hello OBrasilo,

I see that you are already very good in Slovenian.

Maybe I am stubborn (it is my last comment about blond): 

Plava, plavo, plavi in English is: Blue!

It has no sense. Where did you see "Plava ženska" or "Blue woman"?

Maybe is there somebody who knows about BLOND a bit more?


Hello Old Avatar,

Thank you for all explanations.

Regards to both,
jana.bo99


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## dudasd

In my previous post, I mention the origin, it's IE *_bleu _(or _*pleu_, you will find different explanations)_,_ the word that probably meant the "colour/light of the sky". So in South Slavic languages (at Serbian and Croatian at least) word "plav" developed two meanings: blond (colour of the sun - or even white) and "blue" (colour of the sky). English "blue" is of the same origin, as well as German "blau", etc. "Modar" means "blue" only, though in Serbian it has a more precise nuance, it's always purplish-blue, and it's used to describe bruises (the very word "modrica" - bruise - comes from "modar"). Blond seems to come from the same origin, at least according to some etymologists, though some of the older ones connected word "plav" with IE *_pel_, which really has not much sense for they admit themselves that *_pel- _meant dark colours. But if we accept *_bleu _or _*pleu_, then there is an obvious connection between words like "blue" and "pale", for example. (This theory is not accertained yet, but has a better stand than other ones.)


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## OBrasilo

- jana.bo99: I haven't seen _plava ženska_, nor _plav moški_, anywhere, because the adjective for _blonde_ is _plavolas(a)_, only with the word _lasje_ (meaning _hair_), can you use simply _plavi_. And as someone else (could have been dudasd himself), said, that they have similar expressions in Serbian as well, such as _plavokos(a)_, meaning the exact same, as Slovenian _plavolas(a)_.


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## dudasd

Yes, it was me, and I forgot to mention one more term: "plavuša" (femininum, older variant was "plavojka"), also "plavušan" (masculinum).


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## Never_Stop_Learning

in Lithuanian it is:
Blondinas m, blondine f


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## kusurija

Never_Stop_Learning said:


> in Lithuanian it is:
> Blondinas m, blondine blondinė f


I posted it yesterday.. ..
Labas, gal malonėtum kitakart pasižiūrėti. Ir atsiprašau, kad pirma parašiau savo gimtąja čekų kalba o tik po to lietuviškai... Dėl ko galėjai ir nepastebėti. 
Sekmės toliau dalyvauti šiame forume.


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## n2zstik

MarX said:


> In Indonesian, *perang* means _war_.



same here in malay only that the pronounciation is different..Perang(blondeay-rung)..Perang(warurr-rung)..LoL..


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## MarX

Aha! Ngerti, ngerti.
Makasih, n2zstik!!


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## Nizo

*Esperanto*:

blonda (adj)
blondulo (man)
blondulino (woman)


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## Abbassupreme

shannenms said:


> we call it boor or talaee(means golden) or eloquently zarrin moy (means of golden hair).


 
Really?  Those words are used colloquially?  I always thought the word for blonde was "muzard" ("yellow-haired")


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## shannenms

It's the first time I heard Muzard, it is in rhythm with tuzard and I don't like it


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## Abbassupreme

"Tuzard" . . . . I don't follow.


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## Qcumber

n2zstik said:


> same here in malay only that the pronounciation is different..Perang(blondeay-rung)..Perang(warurr-rung)..LoL..


I have checked this in a dictionary. I'm afraid you didn't write these words properly. The correct forms are:
*perang = war
pérang / pirang = red-haired*

I wonder if _pérang / pirang_ does not come from *Peranggi = European.*

_Peranggi_ itself comes from Medieval Arabic *Farangii*, (through Persian). _Farangii_ in its turn comes from French / German* Frank*.

The Siamese term *Farang* also comes from Frank through Arabo-Persian.

In brief: Frank > Farang > Farangii > Peranggi > Pérang ?


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## MarX

I personally use *pirang* for _blond_ and for _red hair _I just use the literal translation *rambut mèrah*. But some people have a hair color something between blond and red, so I understand if *pirang* may be used to denote _red hair._

I don't know the word *Peranggi*. Is that a Malaysian word?

The theory from Shannenms might be true because as I said, there are semi-transparent algae which are called *pirang* as well.

Groetjes,


MarX


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## avok

Turkish:

Blond:Sarışın

Fair:Kumral


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## Rolley

Hungarian: szőke

Can be used either as the english blond or blondie.


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## Maurice92

MarX said:


> I don't know the word *Peranggi*. Is that a Malaysian word?



Yes  : Peranggi = European  ( my Malay-English dictionary)


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## Consimmer

Peranggi is not used any more to describe a European. It has been replaced by _Orang Eropah _(European) or more generally _Orang Putih _(White Person)_. _It has been so for generations.

_Peranggi _or _Feringghi _remains as place names (such as _Batu Feringghi _in Penang). _Feringghi _was used by Arab and Indian traders to describe the Portuguese and other Europeans.

Back to topic. While _rambut perang _is acceptable to describe blond or auburn hair, these days _rambut blond _is acceptable in spoken Malay as it would be understood.


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## MarX

robbie_SWE said:


> Yes, it comes from the Slavic *bĕlŭ*. But it's listed as a regionalism, thus making it an "uncommon" word in quotidian Romanian.
> 
> robbie


Two questions:

1) Is *bălai* indeclinable? Having only one form for feminine & masculine, plural & singular?

2) If it's listed as regionalism, what is then the Romanian word for _blond _that is accepted as standard?


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## robbie_SWE

Hi!

1) Bălai is declined as follows:

_bălai_ (m.), _bălai_ (mpl.)
_bălaie_ (f.), _bălaie_ (fpl.)
_bălai_ (n.), _bălaie_ (npl.)

2) The most common word for blond in Romanian is *blond *(from French _blond_). Its declination:

_blond _(m.), _blonzi _(mpl.)
_blondă_ (f.), _blonde _(fpl.)
_blond _(n.), _blonde _(npl.)

Hope I managed to answer your questions!

 robbie


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## Kanes

Bulgarian for blond:

rus (m)
rusa (f)


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## apmoy70

In Greek:
Ξανθός (Ksanθ*o*s, _m._), Ξανθή (Ksanθ*i*, _f._), Ξανθό (Ksanθ*o*, _n._), of unknown etymology. From this adjective derived the ancient Greek name Ξάνθος (Ks*a*ntʰos), probably after the colour of the skin/hair
(Ξάνθος was the name of the last King of Thebes, and of one of Achilles' horses).
Asteroid No 4544 is also named Ξάνθος (Xanthus)


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## MarX

Thank you!



robbie_SWE said:


> Hi!
> 
> 1) Bălai is declined as follows:
> 
> _bălai_ (m.), _bălai_ (mpl.)
> _bălaie_ (f.), _bălaie_ (fpl.)
> _bălai_ (n.), _bălaie_ (npl.)
> 
> 2) The most common word for blond in Romanian is *blond *(from French _blond_). Its declination:
> 
> _blond _(m.), _blonzi _(mpl.)
> _blondă_ (f.), _blonde _(fpl.)
> _blond _(n.), _blonde _(npl.)
> 
> Hope I managed to answer your questions!
> 
> robbie


Multsumesc foarte mult! 



apmoy70 said:


> In Greek:
> Ξανθός (Ksanθ*o*s, _m._), Ξανθή (Ksanθ*i*, _f._), Ξανθό (Ksanθ*o*, _n._), of unknown etymology. From this adjective derived the ancient Greek name Ξάνθος (Ks*a*ntʰos), probably after the colour of the skin/hair
> (Ξάνθος was the name of the last King of Thebes, and of one of Achilles' horses).
> Asteroid No 4544 is also named Ξάνθος (Xanthus)


 


			
				Wiki said:
			
		

> *Xanthos* (Lycian: _Arñna_, Greek: Ξάνθος) was the name of a city in ancient Lycia, the site of present day Kınık, Antalya Province, Turkey, and of the river on which the city is situated. In early sources, "Xanthos" is used synonymously for Lycia as a whole.


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## RaLo18

In Hebrew:
בלונדיני (_blondini_, m.)
בלונדינית (_blondinit_ f.)


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## Volcano

In Turkish

Sarı, sarışın


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## Black4blue

Yeah. I should write their translations too.

*Sarı* (yellow)
*Sarışın* (blond, blonde)


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## Orlin

Bulgarian:
рус/руса - adj., m./f.
блондин/блондинка - n., m./f.
(In fact блондин is rare while блондинка is common).


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## rusita preciosa

Lingvisten said:


> Russian: светловолосый/светловолосая


I suppose you can say that, but it means something like "light-haired".

блондин (m), блондинка (f) /blondin(ka)/- light blonde
русый (m), русая (f)  /rusyi, rusaya/ - darker blonde (I think in English it is "dirty blonde").


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## Määränpää

Finnish has a couple of old-fashioned words that mean "light-color-blooded":

_vaaleaverinen_ (adjective, any gender)
_vaaleaverikkö_ (noun, women only)

It's kind of funny in a macabre way that the old-fashioned, humorous, sexist noun for a blonde woman has the word "blood" in it. 

Modern words include _vaalea_ (light-colored, adjective), _vaaleahiuksinen_ (light-color-haired, adjective) and _blondi _(noun/adjective, colloquial).


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## Awwal12

rusita preciosa said:


> I suppose you can say that, but it means something like "light-haired".
> 
> блондин (m), блондинка (f) /blondin(ka)/- light blonde
> русый (m), русая (f)  /rusyi, rusaya/ - darker blonde (I think in English it is "dirty blonde").


Русый with its shades, in fact, covers the range from dark blonde to light brown, plus prototypically it lacks any considerable reddish tint.


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## bibax

kusurija said:


> In Czech:
> *blondýnka* (= dívka/žena s blonďatými vlasy) (f.) or in slang: bloncka
> *blondýn*  (= muž s blonďatými vlasy) (m.) or in slang: blonďák
> Nothing special, ordinary international words...


The Czech native words:

*plavovlasý* adj. (plavý = fair/flaxen/fallow [colour]; vlas = hair);
*plavovláska* f. noun (e.g. Forman's Lásky jedné plavovlásky = The Loves of a Blond);

there is no common masculine native Czech form (hypothetically *plavovlásek*; but it sounds like a name of a pet);

*světlovlasý* adj. (lit. light-haired; světlý adj. = light [colour]);
*světlovláska* f. noun;

*rusý* or *rusovlasý* adj. = strawberry blond, red-haired;
*rusovláska* f. noun;

*zrzavý, ryšavý* adj. = red-haired, gingery, carroty;
*zrzek* m. *zrzka* f. noun;
*ryšavec* m. noun;

the adjective _ryšavý_ is somewhat derogatory, it is not used about women:
Boleslav III. Ryšavý = Boleslaus III the Red;
Zikmund, liška ryšavá = Sigismund [of Luxembourg], the carroty (red-haired) fox;


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## Awwal12

bibax said:


> *rusý* or *rusovlasý* adj. = strawberry blond, red-haired


I actually find it curious how it's blond in Bulgarian, red in Czech and, well, pale brown in Russian. 
The Czech meaning seems closer to the etymological one, though.


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## apmoy70

Similar thread HERE


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