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?

  • Lee
    1·
    3 days ago

    Thanks for the background. I think I’ve heard “camera obscura” before and it didn’t occur to me that “camera” is the shortened form or that it may be related.

    I’m probably only B1 in Italian. I am familiar with camera used like “camera da letto”. Granted my vocabulary isn’t huge and I don’t know subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) differences in word meanings. I’m going to look in to this distinction with stanza. Perhaps this interaction will make me remember it better. Thanks!