ಸೂರ್ಯ
sūrya/suːɾjɐ/
The English word "sun" is ಸೂರ್ಯ (sūrya) in Kannada.
ಸೂರ್ಯ refers to the astronomical star that the Earth revolves around. It is also used in poetic or mythological contexts to refer to the deity Surya. In formal or poetic settings, you might encounter other terms: Bhanu is a formal way to refer to the sun by representing the sun god and Prabhā is used in poetic contexts to signify the sun's light or radiance.
Meaning: the star around which the Earth revolves (name)
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as sūrya (/suːɾjɐ/).
Did you know?
- While ಸೂರ್ಯ refers to the star, Kannada has a distinct word ಬಿಸಿಲು specifically to describe the physical sensation of the sun's heat on the skin.
- The sun is the central figure in the 'Suryanamaskara' yoga sequence, a set of twelve postures used to greet the sun at dawn.
- The word ಸೂರ್ಯ is borrowed from Sanskrit, which heavily influenced the scientific and spiritual vocabulary of Kannada.
Examples in context
- ಸೂರ್ಯನು ಬೆಳಿಗ್ಗೆ ಉದಯಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ.sūryanu beḷigge udayisuttāne.The sun rises in the morning.
- ಸೂರ್ಯನ ಕಿರಣಗಳು ತುಂಬಾ ಬಿಸಿಯಾಗಿವೆ.sūryana kiraṇagaḷu tumbā bisiyāgive.The sun's rays are very hot.
- ಆಕಾಶದಲ್ಲಿ ಸೂರ್ಯ ಕಾಣಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾನೆ.ākāśadalli sūrya kāṇisuttiddāne.The sun is visible in the sky.
Example conversation
Rahul and Kavya are sitting on a balcony on a bright day.
- ರಾಹುಲ್ Rahulಇಂದು ಸೂರ್ಯ ತುಂಬಾ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಮಾನವಾಗಿದ್ದಾನೆ.indu sūrya tumbā prakāśamānavāgiddāne.The sun is very bright today.
- ಕಾವ್ಯ Kavyaಹೌದು, ಸೂರ್ಯನ ಬೆಳಕು ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದೆ.haudu, sūryana beḷaku chennāgide.Yes, the sunlight is nice.
- ರಾಹುಲ್ Rahulಕಾವ್ಯ, ನಾವೀಗ ಒಳಗೆ ಹೋಗೋಣವೇ?kāvya, nāvīga oḷage hōgōṇavē?Kavya, shall we go inside now?
- ಕಾವ್ಯ Kavyaಸರಿ, ತುಂಬಾ ಬಿಸಿ ಇದೆ.sari, tumbā bisī ide.Okay, it is very hot.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sun” translations and entries ಸೂರ್ಯ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ಸೂರ್ಯ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
