గేదె
gēde/ɡeːd̪e/
The Telugu word for buffalo is గేదె (gēde).
The term refers to a bovid of the Bubalina subtribe.
Meaning: bovid of the Bubalina subtribe (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is gēde. The IPA pronunciation is /ɡeːd̪e/.
Did you know?
- Telugu has distinct gender-specific terms for the గేదె, where the male and female animals are referred to by different words rather than just adding a modifier.
- Because the term is so common in agriculture, a person's proficiency in using specific words for different types of గేదె (gēde) can actually signal their social or regional background in Andhra Pradesh.
- In traditional Telugu agrarian society, the గేదె is not just livestock but a symbol of wealth and stability, often mentioned in folk songs celebrating the harvest.
Examples in context
- ఆ గేదె చాలా పెద్దది.Aa gedhe chaala peddadi.That buffalo is very big.
- గేదె గడ్డి తింటోంది.Gedhe gaddi tintondi.The buffalo is eating grass.
- నా దగ్గర ఒక గేదె ఉంది.Naa daggara oka gedhe undi.I have a buffalo.
Example conversation
Two farmers are standing near a field.
- పల్లవి Pallaviఆ గేదె ఎక్కడికి వెళ్తోంది?Aa gedhe ekkadiki velthondi?Where is that buffalo going?
- సాయి Saiఅది చెరువు వైపు వెళ్తోంది.Adi cheruvu vaipu velthondi.It is going towards the pond.
- పల్లవి Pallaviఅది చాలా వేగంగా ఉంది.Adi chaala veganga undi.It is very fast.
- సాయి Saiఅవును, అది చాలా శక్తివంతమైనది.Avunu, adi chaala shakthivanthamainadi.Yes, it is very powerful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “buffalo” translations and entries గేదె, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
