The Many Names of Boxing: A Global Linguistic Journey
While a punch is a punch in any language, the word we use for the “sweet science” of pugilism can change dramatically across the globe.
This article compiles a comprehensive list of the word "boxing" in over 197 languages, organized by country.
Whether it's a familiar loanword or an entirely unique term, you'll discover the fascinating diversity in how the world talks about one of its oldest and most enduring sports:
Afghanistan: The official languages are Dari Persian and Pashto. Other major languages include Uzbek.
Dari: بوکس (boks)
Pashto: باکسنگ (boxing)
Albania: The official language is Albanian.
Albanian: boks
Algeria: The official languages are Arabic and Berber. French is also widely used.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
French: boxe
Andorra: The official language is Catalan. Other languages are Spanish, French, and Portuguese.
Catalan: boxa
Angola: The official language is Portuguese. Other major languages are Umbundu and Kimbundu.
Portuguese: boxe
Antigua and Barbuda: The official language is English.
English: boxing
Argentina: The official language is Spanish.
Spanish: boxeo
Armenia: The official language is Armenian.
Armenian: բռնցքամարտ (brrnc'k'amart)
Australia: The official language is English. Other widely spoken languages are Mandarin Chinese and Arabic.
English: boxing
Austria: The official language is German.
German: Boxen
Azerbaijan: The official language is Azerbaijani.
Azerbaijani: boks
Bahamas: The official language is English.
English: boxing
Bahrain: The official language is Arabic.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
Bangladesh: The official language is Bengali.
Bengali: মুষ্টিযুদ্ধ (muṣṭiyuddha)
Barbados: The official language is English.
English: boxing
Belarus: The official languages are Belarusian and Russian.
Belarusian: бокс (boks)
Russian: бокс (boks)
Belgium: The official languages are Dutch, French, and German.
Dutch: boksen
French: boxe
German: Boxen
Belize: The official language is English. Spanish is also widely spoken.
English: boxing
Spanish: boxeo
Benin: The official language is French. Other major languages are Fon and Yoruba.
French: boxe
Bhutan: The official language is Dzongkha.
Dzongkha: ཁུ་རེང་ (khu-reng)
Bolivia: The official languages are Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara.
Spanish: boxeo
Quechua: sapak'u
Bosnia and Herzegovina: The official languages are Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian.
Bosnian: boks
Croatian: boks
Serbian: бокс (boks)
Botswana: The official languages are English and Setswana.
English: boxing
Setswana: goa bolaya
Brazil: The official language is Portuguese.
Portuguese: boxe
Brunei: The official language is Malay. English is also widely used.
Malay: tinju
Bulgaria: The official language is Bulgarian.
Bulgarian: бокс (boks)
Burkina Faso: The official language is French.
French: boxe
Burundi: The official languages are Kirundi, French, and Swahili.
French: boxe
Swahili: ndondi
Cabo Verde: The official language is Portuguese.
Portuguese: boxe
Cambodia: The official language is Khmer.
Khmer: ប្រដាល់ (pradal)
Cameroon: The official languages are French and English.
French: boxe
English: boxing
Canada: The official languages are English and French.
English: boxing
French: boxe
Central African Republic: The official languages are French and Sango.
French: boxe
Sango: boxe
Chad: The official languages are Arabic and French.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
French: boxe
Chile: The official language is Spanish.
Spanish: boxeo
China: The official language is Mandarin Chinese. Other major languages include Cantonese.
Mandarin: 拳击 (quánjí)
Cantonese: 拳擊 (cyùn gik)
Colombia: The official language is Spanish.
Spanish: boxeo
Comoros: The official languages are Comorian, French, and Arabic.
French: boxe
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
Democratic Republic of the Congo: The official language is French. Other major languages include Lingala, Swahili, Tshiluba, and Kikongo.
French: boxe
Swahili: ndondi
Republic of the Congo: The official languages are French and Lingala.
French: boxe
Costa Rica: The official language is Spanish.
Spanish: boxeo
Côte d'Ivoire: The official language is French.
French: boxe
Croatia: The official language is Croatian.
Croatian: boks
Cuba: The official language is Spanish.
Spanish: boxeo
Cyprus: The official languages are Greek and Turkish.
Greek: πυγμαχία (pygmakchía)
Turkish: boks
Czech Republic: The official language is Czech.
Czech: box
Denmark: The official language is Danish.
Danish: boksning
Djibouti: The official languages are Arabic and French. Other major languages are Somali and Afar.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
French: boxe
Somali: feerka
Dominica: The official language is English.
English: boxing
Dominican Republic: The official language is Spanish.
Spanish: boxeo
East Timor (Timor-Leste): The official languages are Tetum and Portuguese. Indonesian is also widely used.
Tetum: bokse
Portuguese: boxe
Indonesian: tinju
Ecuador: The official language is Spanish. Quechua is also spoken by a significant minority.
Spanish: boxeo
Egypt: The official language is Arabic.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
El Salvador: The official language is Spanish.
Spanish: boxeo
Equatorial Guinea: The official languages are Spanish, French, and Portuguese.
Spanish: boxeo
French: boxe
Portuguese: boxe
Eritrea: The official languages are Tigrinya, Arabic, and English.
Tigrinya: ቦክሲንግ (boksing)
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
English: boxing
Estonia: The official language is Estonian.
Estonian: poks
Eswatini (Swaziland): The official languages are Swazi and English.
Swazi: isibhakela
English: boxing
Ethiopia: The official language is Amharic. Other major languages include Oromo and Tigrinya.
Amharic: ቦክስ (boks)
Oromo: boksii
Tigrinya: ቦክሲንግ (boksing)
Fiji: The official languages are Fijian, Fiji Hindi, and English.
Fijian: veiqaqa
Fiji Hindi: मुक्केबाजी (mukkebazi)
English: boxing
Finland: The official languages are Finnish and Swedish.
Finnish: nyrkkeily
Swedish: boxning
France: The official language is French.
French: boxe
Gabon: The official language is French.
French: boxe
Gambia: The official language is English.
English: boxing
Georgia: The official language is Georgian.
Georgian: კრივი (k'rivi)
Germany: The official language is German.
German: Boxen
Ghana: The official language is English. Major languages include Akan.
English: boxing
Akan: adagba
Greece: The official language is Greek.
Greek: πυγμαχία (pygmakchía)
Grenada: The official language is English.
English: boxing
Guatemala: The official language is Spanish.
Spanish: boxeo
Guinea: The official language is French.
French: boxe
Guinea-Bissau: The official language is Portuguese.
Portuguese: boxe
Guyana: The official language is English.
English: boxing
Haiti: The official languages are Haitian Creole and French.
Haitian Creole: boks
French: boxe
Honduras: The official language is Spanish.
Spanish: boxeo
Hungary: The official language is Hungarian.
Hungarian: ökölvívás
Iceland: The official language is Icelandic.
Icelandic: hnefaleikar
India: The official languages are Hindi and English. Other major languages include Bengali and Marathi.
Hindi: मुक्केबाज़ी (mukkebazi)
Bengali: মুষ্টিযুদ্ধ (muṣṭiyuddha)
English: boxing
Indonesia: The official language is Indonesian. Other major languages include Javanese and Sundanese.
Indonesian: tinju
Javanese: tinju
Iran: The official language is Persian.
Persian: بوکس (boks)
Iraq: The official languages are Arabic and Kurdish.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
Kurdish: boks
Ireland: The official languages are Irish and English.
Irish: dornálaíocht
English: boxing
Israel: The official languages are Hebrew and Arabic.
Hebrew: איגרוף (igruf)
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
Italy: The official language is Italian.
Italian: pugilato
Jamaica: The official language is English.
English: boxing
Japan: The official language is Japanese.
Japanese: ボクシング (bokushingu)
Jordan: The official language is Arabic.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
Kazakhstan: The official languages are Kazakh and Russian.
Kazakh: бокс (boks)
Russian: бокс (boks)
Kenya: The official languages are Swahili and English.
Swahili: ndondi
English: boxing
Kiribati: The official languages are English and Gilbertese.
English: boxing
Gilbertese: kaba
North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea): The official language is Korean.
Korean: 권투 (gwontu)
South Korea (Republic of Korea): The official language is Korean.
Korean: 권투 (gwontu)
Kosovo: The official languages are Albanian and Serbian.
Albanian: boks
Serbian: бокс (boks)
Kuwait: The official language is Arabic.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
Kyrgyzstan: The official languages are Kyrgyz and Russian.
Kyrgyz: бокс (boks)
Russian: бокс (boks)
Laos: The official language is Lao.
Lao: ມວຍ (muay)
Latvia: The official language is Latvian. Russian is also widely spoken.
Latvian: bokss
Russian: бокс (boks)
Lebanon: The official language is Arabic. French is also common.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
French: boxe
Lesotho: The official languages are Sesotho and English.
Sesotho: litoli
English: boxing
Liberia: The official language is English.
English: boxing
Libya: The official language is Arabic.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
Liechtenstein: The official language is German.
German: Boxen
Lithuania: The official language is Lithuanian.
Lithuanian: boksas
Luxembourg: The official languages are Luxembourgish, French, and German.
Luxembourgish: Boxen
French: boxe
German: Boxen
Madagascar: The official languages are Malagasy and French.
Malagasy: ady totohondry
French: boxe
Malawi: The official languages are Chichewa and English.
Chichewa: ndime
English: boxing
Malaysia: The official language is Malay. Other major languages are English and Mandarin Chinese.
Malay: tinju
English: boxing
Mandarin Chinese: 拳击 (quánjí)
Maldives: The official language is Dhivehi.
Dhivehi: ބޮކްސިންގ (boksing)
Mali: The official language is French. Other major languages include Bambara.
French: boxe
Malta: The official languages are Maltese and English.
Maltese: boks
English: boxing
Marshall Islands: The official languages are Marshallese and English.
Marshallese: boksing
English: boxing
Mauritania: The official languages are Arabic and French.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
French: boxe
Mauritius: The official languages are English and French.
English: boxing
French: boxe
Mexico: The official language is Spanish.
Spanish: boxeo
Micronesia: The official language is English.
English: boxing
Moldova: The official languages are Moldovan (a dialect of Romanian) and Russian.
Moldovan: box
Russian: бокс (boks)
Monaco: The official language is French.
French: boxe
Mongolia: The official language is Mongolian.
Mongolian: бокс (boks)
Montenegro: The official language is Montenegrin (a dialect of Serbian).
Montenegrin: бокс (boks)
Morocco: The official languages are Arabic and Berber. French is also widely used.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
French: boxe
Mozambique: The official language is Portuguese.
Portuguese: boxe
Myanmar (Burma): The official language is Burmese.
Burmese: လက်ဝှေ့ (lat-hway)
Namibia: The official language is English. Other major languages are Afrikaans and German.
English: boxing
Afrikaans: boks
German: Boxen
Nauru: The official languages are Nauruan and English.
Nauruan: boksing
English: boxing
Nepal: The official language is Nepali.
Nepali: मुक्केबाजी (mukkebāji)
Netherlands: The official language is Dutch.
Dutch: boksen
New Zealand: The official languages are English and Māori.
English: boxing
Māori: mekemeke
Nicaragua: The official language is Spanish.
Spanish: boxeo
Niger: The official language is French. Major languages include Hausa.
French: boxe
Hausa: dambe (a traditional form of boxing)
Nigeria: The official language is English. Major languages include Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo.
English: boxing
Yoruba: ìjà-dudu
Igbo: ịkụ ọkpọ
North Macedonia: The official language is Macedonian. Albanian is also widely spoken.
Macedonian: бокс (boks)
Albanian: boks
Norway: The official languages are Norwegian and Sami.
Norwegian: boksing
Oman: The official language is Arabic.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
Pakistan: The official languages are Urdu and English. Major languages include Punjabi.
Urdu: مکے بازی (muke bāzī)
English: boxing
Palau: The official languages are Palauan and English.
Palauan: boksing
English: boxing
Palestine (State of): The official language is Arabic.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
Panama: The official language is Spanish.
Spanish: boxeo
Papua New Guinea: The official languages are Tok Pisin, Hiri Motu, and English.
Tok Pisin: boks
English: boxing
Paraguay: The official languages are Spanish and Guarani.
Spanish: boxeo
Peru: The official languages are Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara.
Spanish: boxeo
Quechua: sapak'u
Philippines: The official languages are Filipino (Tagalog) and English.
Filipino: boksing
English: boxing
Poland: The official language is Polish.
Polish: boks
Portugal: The official language is Portuguese.
Portuguese: boxe
Qatar: The official language is Arabic. English is also widely used.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
English: boxing
Romania: The official language is Romanian.
Romanian: box
Russia: The official language is Russian.
Russian: бокс (boks)
Rwanda: The official languages are Kinyarwanda, French, and English.
Kinyarwanda: iterura
French: boxe
English: boxing
Saint Kitts and Nevis: The official language is English.
English: boxing
Saint Lucia: The official language is English.
English: boxing
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: The official language is English.
English: boxing
Samoa: The official languages are Samoan and English.
Samoan: fusuaga
English: boxing
San Marino: The official language is Italian.
Italian: pugilato
Sao Tome and Principe: The official language is Portuguese.
Portuguese: boxe
Saudi Arabia: The official language is Arabic.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
Senegal: The official language is French.
French: boxe
Serbia: The official language is Serbian.
Serbian: бокс (boks)
Seychelles: The official languages are Seychellois Creole, French, and English.
French: boxe
English: boxing
Sierra Leone: The official language is English.
English: boxing
Singapore: The official languages are English, Malay, Mandarin Chinese, and Tamil.
English: boxing
Malay: tinju
Mandarin Chinese: 拳击 (quánjí)
Tamil: குத்துச்சண்டை (kuttuccanṭai)
Slovakia: The official language is Slovak.
Slovak: box
Slovenia: The official language is Slovene.
Slovene: boks
Solomon Islands: The official language is English.
English: boxing
Somalia: The official languages are Somali and Arabic.
Somali: feerka
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
South Africa: The country has 11 official languages, with Zulu, Xhosa, and Afrikaans being the most widely spoken after English.
English: boxing
Zulu: isibhakela
Xhosa: ibhondi
Afrikaans: boks
South Sudan: The official language is English.
English: boxing
Spain: The official language is Spanish. Other major languages include Catalan and Galician.
Spanish: boxeo
Catalan: boxa
Sri Lanka: The official languages are Sinhala and Tamil.
Sinhala: බොක්සිං (boksing)
Tamil: குத்துச்சண்டை (kuttuccanṭai)
Sudan: The official languages are Arabic and English.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
English: boxing
Suriname: The official language is Dutch.
Dutch: boksen
Sweden: The official language is Swedish.
Swedish: boxning
Switzerland: The official languages are German, French, and Italian.
German: Boxen
French: boxe
Italian: pugilato
Syria: The official language is Arabic.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
Taiwan: The official language is Mandarin Chinese.
Mandarin Chinese: 拳击 (quánjí)
Tajikistan: The official language is Tajik. Russian is also widely used.
Tajik: бокс (boks)
Russian: бокс (boks)
Tanzania: The official languages are Swahili and English.
Swahili: ndondi
English: boxing
Thailand: The official language is Thai.
Thai: มวยสากล (muay sakon)
Togo: The official language is French.
French: boxe
Tonga: The official languages are Tongan and English.
Tongan: fuhu
English: boxing
Trinidad and Tobago: The official language is English.
English: boxing
Tunisia: The official language is Arabic. French is also widely used.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
French: boxe
Turkey: The official language is Turkish.
Turkish: boks
Turkmenistan: The official language is Turkmen. Russian is also spoken.
Turkmen: boks
Tuvalu: The official languages are Tuvaluan and English.
Tuvaluan: boksing
English: boxing
Uganda: The official languages are English and Swahili.
English: boxing
Swahili: ndondi
Ukraine: The official language is Ukrainian. Russian is also widely spoken.
Ukrainian: бокс (boks)
Russian: бокс (boks)
United Arab Emirates: The official language is Arabic. English is also widely used.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
English: boxing
United Kingdom: The official language is English. Major regional languages include Welsh and Scottish Gaelic.
English: boxing
Scottish Gaelic: bogsadh
Welsh: baffio
United States: The official language is English. Spanish is also widely spoken.
English: boxing
Spanish: boxeo
Uruguay: The official language is Spanish.
Spanish: boxeo
Uzbekistan: The official language is Uzbek. Russian is also widely used.
Uzbek: boks
Russian: бокс (boks)
Vanuatu: The official languages are Bislama, English, and French.
Bislama: boksing
English: boxing
French: boxe
Vatican City: The official languages are Italian and Latin.
Italian: pugilato
Latin: pugilatio
Venezuela: The official language is Spanish.
Spanish: boxeo
Vietnam: The official language is Vietnamese.
Vietnamese: quyền Anh
Yemen: The official language is Arabic.
Arabic: ملاكمة (mulakama)
Zambia: The official language is English. Major languages include Bemba and Nyanja.
English: boxing
Zimbabwe: The official languages are Shona, Ndebele, and English.
Shona: mutsipa
Ndebele: ibhola
English: boxing
