susi
/ˈsusi/
The Finnish word for wolf is susi. Wiktionary also lists hukka and susihukka.
Meaning: animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Finnish | IPA |
|---|---|
| susi | /ˈsusi/ |
| hukka | /ˈhukːɑ/ |
| susihukka | /ˈsusiˌhukːɑ/ |
The word refers to the animal wolf. In Finnish, common idioms include nälkäinen kuin susi, which means being extremely hungry and ihminen on ihmiselle susi, used to describe the predatory or hostile nature of humans toward one another.
Which one should you use?
susi is the standard, biological term for the animal. In contrast, hukka is an older, more poetic or archaic term often found in folklore. The compound word susihukka is also a form used for wolf.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈsusi/
When do people say it?
When using the idiom nälkäinen kuin susi to express extreme hunger, you are comparing your level of hunger to that of a wolf. The phrase ihminen on ihmiselle susi is a way to describe human hostility.
Did you know?
- If you use the word hukka, you are actually using a word that means 'loss' or 'ruin'. It is a linguistic taboo way of referring to the predator without naming it directly.
- The Finnish idiom ihminen on ihmiselle susi is a direct translation of the Latin phrase 'Homo homini lupus', which reflects a deeply rooted European philosophical view of human nature.
- Due to the historical fear associated with susi, some old Finnish traditions involved using coded language or gestures when mentioning wolves to avoid alerting the forest spirits.
Examples in context
- Olen nälkäinen kuin susi.I'm hungry like a wolf.This sentence shows how to use the idiom for being extremely hungry with susi.Tatoeba #2150703 by Silja, translation #11735027 by Adelpa
- Susi nappasi kaksi kanaa.The wolf snatched two hens.This sentence illustrates a simple action involving the wolf susi.Tatoeba #10477303 by Johannes_S, translation #6379253 by RudeGuyGames
- Ihminen on ihmiselle susi.Man is a wolf to man.This sentence demonstrates the idiom regarding human hostility using susi.Tatoeba #3798915 by Silja, translation #369566 by MUIRIEL
- Se susi on upea eläin.That wolf is a magnificent animal.
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matti and Laura are walking in the woods.
- MattiKatso, tuolla on susi!Look, there is a wolf!
- LauraMissä? En näe mitään.Where? I don't see anything.
- MattiSusi juoksi nopeasti pois.The wolf ran away quickly.
- LauraHätkähdin melkein kuoliaaksi.I almost jumped out of my skin.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wolf” translations and entries susi, hukka, susihukka, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hukka, susi, susihukka, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
