muna
/ˈmunɑ/
The Finnish word for egg is muna. Wiktionary also lists kananmuna.
Meaning: edible egg of a domestic fowl, the contents of such an egg or eggs used as food (noun)
Ways to say it
| Finnish | IPA |
|---|---|
| muna | /ˈmunɑ/ |
| kananmuna | /ˈkɑnɑnˌmunɑ/ |
The term refers to the edible egg of a domestic fowl or the contents of such an egg used as food. When discussing the components of an egg, the yolk is called keltuainen and the white is called valkuainen.
Which one should you use?
While muna can mean any egg, kananmuna specifically refers to a chicken egg.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The genitive form of muna is munan, which is used to indicate possession or 'of the egg'. The plural form is munat. If you are referring to an unspecified number of eggs or when the eggs are the object of a partial action, use the partitive plural form munia.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmunɑ/
Did you know?
- In Finnish, muna is used as a colloquial slang term for 'testicle'.
- In ancient Proto-Uralic, the word muna was believed to be a polysemous term that could refer to both an egg and male reproductive organs.
- The components of an egg are named after their colors, with the yolk being keltuainen from 'yellow' and the white being valkuainen from 'white'.
Examples in context
- Munan kuori rikkoutuu helposti.The shell of an egg is easily broken.This sentence is useful for describing the shell of a muna.Tatoeba #5302615 by Orava, translation #325215 by CM
- Kumpi tuli ensin, kana vai muna?Which came first, the chicken or the egg?This sentence illustrates a common riddle involving a muna.Tatoeba #2750953 by Kalle63, translation #623300 by darinmex
- Se on suunnilleen munan kokoinen.It's about the size of an egg.This sentence uses muna to describe a relative size.Tatoeba #3412790 by Silja, translation #42038 by CK
- Kahvi ja muna ovat aamiaiseni perustaCoffee and egg are the basis of my breakfast
- Osta kaupasta kananmuniaBuy some eggs from the store
- 26 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Anna and Antti are preparing breakfast in the kitchen.
- AnnaHaluatko aamupalaksi yhden munan?Do you want one egg for breakfast?
- AnttiKyllä, keitetty muna olisi hyvä.Yes, a boiled egg would be good.
- AnnaLaitan munan heti kiehumaan.I'll put the egg to boil right away.
- AnttiKiitos, Anna!Thanks, Anna!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “egg” translations and entries muna, kananmuna, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kananmuna, muna, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
