Definition
Patience is the ability to stay calm and not get upset while you wait, face problems, or deal with annoying things. It means not rushing and not losing your temper easily.
Etymology
“Patience” comes from Latin *patientia*, meaning “the quality of suffering or enduring,” from *pati*, “to suffer or endure.” It originally carried a strong sense of putting up with pain or hardship.
Kelly Says
Patience isn’t just about waiting; it’s about how you behave while you wait. The word’s roots in “enduring suffering” hint that patience is a quiet kind of strength. Every time you stay calm instead of snapping, you’re doing something ancient and powerful.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
忍耐 (nənta)
neh-n-tah
ARالعربية
صبر (sabr)
sa-br
BNবাংলা
ধৈর্য (dhāiryya)
dhai-ree-yah
CACatalà
paciència
pah-thee-en-tsee-ah
CSČeština
trpělivost
trpeh-lee-vohst
DADansk
tålmodig
tahl-moh-dee-g
DEDeutsch
Geduld
geh-doolth
ELΕλληνικά
πάθεια (pátheia)
pah-thee-ah
ESEspañol
paciencia
pah-thee-en-thee-ah
FAفارسی
صبور (sabur)
sa-boor
FISuomi
kärsivällisyys
kar-see-vye-li-syys
FRFrançais
patience
pah-tee-ahnce
GUGU
ધૈર્ય (dhairya)
dhai-ree-yah
HEעברית
סבלנות (savlanut)
sahv-lah-noot
HIहिन्दी
धैर्य (dhairya)
dhai-ree-yah
HUMagyar
türelem
tyoo-reh-lem
IDBahasa Indonesia
kesabaran
keh-sa-ba-ran
ITItaliano
pazienza
pah-tsee-en-zah
MRMR
धैर्य (dhairya)
dhai-ree-yah
MSBahasa Melayu
kesabaran
keh-sa-ba-ran
MYမြန်မာ
ကျွန်းကြီး (kyun-gyi)
kyun-ghee
NLNederlands
geduld
geh-doolth
NONorsk
tålmodighet
tahl-moh-dee-geth
PAPA
धैर्य (dhairya)
dhai-ree-yah
PLPolski
cierpliwość
chy-er-plie-vo-vith
PTPortuguês
paciência
pah-thee-en-sah
RORomână
paciiență
pah-chee-en-tsah
RUРусский
терпение (terpeanie)
ter-peh-nee-yeh
SVSvenska
tålmodighet
tahl-moh-di-geth
SWKiswahili
uvumilivu
oo-voo-mee-lee-voo
TAதமிழ்
பயிர்ச்சி (paiyirchi)
pai-ir-chi
TEతెలుగు
धैర్యం (dhairyaṃ)
dhai-ri-yam
THไทย
ความอดทน (kwan-aht-ton)
kwahn-ahdt-ton
TLTL
pasensya
pah-sen-syah
UKУкраїнська
терпіння (terpinnya)
ter-pee-nnya
VITiếng Việt
sự kiên nhẫn
su-kee-en-nahn
ZH中文
耐心 (nàixīn)
nah-shee-n
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Patience has often been framed as a feminine virtue, with women socially expected to be more patient, accommodating, and self-effacing than men. This expectation has been used to justify unequal emotional labor and tolerance of unfair treatment.
Inclusive Usage
Avoid gendered stereotypes such as “women are more patient” or expecting extra patience from women or marginalized groups. Treat patience as an individual trait or situational choice, not a gendered obligation.
Empowerment Note
Recognizing that expectations of women’s patience have often masked unpaid emotional and caregiving labor can help rebalance how patience is valued and shared across genders.