I’m always amazed by the beauty of languages. Yes, English could be a lingua franca, but how about untranslatable words? The diversity of languages is full of unique words that describe feelings and abstract ideas that cannot be neatly into a single English word. Below are some of my favorite ones through the years:

侘寂 – Wabi-sabi (Japanese): “Imperfect beauty” – this is my number one philosophy in life. It comes from the teachings of Buddhism, Japan’s most popular religion alongside Shinto, about the transient, imperfect nature of life itself. Wabi-sabi serves to remind us that all things are impermanent, incomplete, and imperfect, which means that perfection is ultimately impossible. Therefore, we should always try to see the beauty in everything.

Merak (Serbian): The feeling you get from simple pleasures that adds up to a sense of happiness and fulfilment.

Duyên (Vietnamese): This is one of the concepts based on the Buddhist teaching of predestined happenings. Many roughly compare the word to fate, and it may be true to some extent that everyone we meet is presented by forces beyond our control. However, duyên is slightly different from fate as the Vietnamese often relate the concept to past lives. Whether it’s có duyên (which means they are predestined for each other) or lỡ duyên (they are not meant for each other), many believe that duyên is tied up with your past lives.

Gökotta (Swedish): Waking up early to hear the first birds sing.

加油 – Jiayou (Chinese): I really like this simple word! The literal definition is “add oil”, but it’s rarely used this way. It’s more of a term of encouragement, when you cheer on your favorite team during a competition, or give encouragement to your friend so they can overcome their dificulties.

木漏れ日 – Komorebi (Japanese): “Dappled sunlight filtered through tree leaves.” Have you ever walked through a wooded area, or Japanese garden, on a sunny summer’s day, and seen beams of light shining through the canopy? That is komorebi. This wonderful word is also used to describe the feeling of longing to be near someone who is too far away for you to visit, and missing their presence and all that it brings.

Resfeber (Swedish): The mixed emotions of fear and excitement before embarking on a journey.

Waldeinsamkeit (German): A desire to escape the crowds and have some time to yourself, to have the chance to appreciate the beauty of the natural world. Wald means forest, and einsamkeit means loneliness or solitude.