I know for instance, between Japanese & Mandarin there are a few words that are written the same despite them being pronounced differently along with having different meanings altogether:

Word Japanese Definition Mandarin Definition
手紙 Letter (mail) Toilet Paper
先生 Teacher Mister (Mr.)
天井 Ceiling Atrium
説話 Folktale To Speak
新聞 Newspaper News (media)
約束 Promise Constrain
文句 Complain Phrase
怪我 Injury Blame me
白鳥 Swan White Bird
皮肉 Irony Skin & Flesh
王妃 Queen Princess
中古 Used Product Medieval Times
氷箱 Ice Box Refrigerator
手袋 Gloves Handbag
邪魔 Hinderance Devil
湯 Hot Water Soup
猪 Boar Pig
腕 Arm Wrist
走 Run Walk
棚 Shelf Shed
首 Neck Head
床 Floor Bed
吃 Scold To Eat
机 Desk (Furniture) Machinery
娘 Daughter Mother

In hindsight: if you are bilingual, do you know any false friends between two languages (i.e. English & French) or (i.e. Spanish & Portuguese) that are spelled the same but have different definitions across both languages?

  • Nibodhika@lemmy.world
    2·
    18 hours ago

    One of my favorites are the chains between Spanish and Portuguese:

    • Garbage in Spanish is Basura
    • But Vassoura in Portuguese means broom
    • But in Spanish broom is said Escova
    • Which in Portuguese means brush

    Or

    • Tea cup in Spanish is Taza
    • A Taça in Portuguese is a wine cup
    • But in Spanish wine cup is a Copa
    • And in Portuguese a Copo is a regular glass
    • But in Spanish regular glasses are called Vaso
    • Which in Portuguese means vase.

    Or

    • Cutlery in Portuguese is Talher
    • But Taller in Spanish is a workshop
    • Which in Portuguese is Oficina
    • Which in Spanish means office
    • But in Portuguese you say Escritorio
    • Which in Spanish means desk

    Or a short one:

    • Your last name in Portuguese is your Sobrenome
    • But in Spanish Sobrenombre is your nickname
    • While in Portuguese nickname is Apelido
    • But in Spanish Apellido means last name

    Another one I like is Vamos a chatear 1 rato which in Spanish means “let’s chat for a little while” but in Portuguese means “let’s bother a mouse”.