World Dictionary of Happiness

Wo r l d D i c t i o n a r y of Happiness

HAP P I N ES S ACROSS CULTURES Matt Mc Gough

Take a tour around the world, exploring what it means to be happy in different cultures and countries.

We take a look at the dictionary definitions of the word ‘happiness’ in 30 different countries, attempting to define what happiness really is, as well as attempting to see if there’s a correlation between definition and actually being happy by taking a look at the United Nations World Happiness report.

The UN WHR surveys the participants of 158 nations and asks the participants to feedback how happy they are over 6 categories, and rate their happiness out of 10. An average is then taken of all the participants, and the countries are ranked based on this average.

Dictionary definitions and translations are sourced from a report by S. Oishi of the University of Virginia (et al.), which looks at the “Concepts of Happiness Across Time and Cultures”, which was printed in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin in 2013.

CONTENTS Argentina Australia Brazil China Ecuador Estonia France Germany Guatemala India Indonesia Iran Israel Italy Japan

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32

Kenya Malaysia Mozambique Norway Pakistan Portugal Romania Russia Senegal Singapore South Africa South Korea Spain Turkey USA

34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62

ARG A R G E N T I N A

FELICIDAD S PA N I S H WOR D FO R HA P P IN E SS

- State of complete and ordered satisfaction that proceeds from the enjoyment of a desirable good.

30 6.574 th

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FELICIDAD

AUS A U S T R A L I A

HAPPINESS E NGL I S H WOR D FO R HA P P IN E SS

- The quality or state of being happy.

- Good fortune; pleasure, content, or gladness.

- Aptness or felicity, as of expression.

10 7.284 th

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HAPPINESS

BRA B R A Z I L

ALEGRIA, ALEGRE, FELICIDATE PORTUGUESE WORDS FOR HAPPINESS

- Concurrence of circumstances that cause venture.

- The eternal happiness; blessedness - Venture, good fortune

16 6.983 th

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FELICIDATE

CHN C H I N A

愉 幸 快 高 快 福 乐 兴 C HINE S E SY M BO L S FO R HA P P INESS

- Circumstances or a life that makes people have ease of mind.

- Referring to life or circumstances, turning out the way one wishes/wished

84 5.140 th

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幸福

ECU E C U A D O R

FELICIDAD S PA N I S H WOR D FO R HA P P IN E SS

- State of great spiritual and physical satisfaction.

- Lack of inconvenience or trouble/mess - Person, situation, object or group of these that contribute to happiness.

48 5.975 th

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FELICIDAD

EST E S T O N I A

ONN, ONNELIK E STO NI AN WOR DS FO R HA P P INESS

- Happy feeling, deep satisfaction with one’s own circumstances, a happy state - The good will of fate; by chance, or success depending on some outside force, windfall.

73 5.429 rd

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ONN

FRA F R A N C E

HEUREUX, BONHEUR F R E N C H WOR DS FO R HA P P IN E SS

- Perfect success in style or manner (literature, and fine art).

- Inner state of perfect satisfaction.

- Happy event, favourable luck.

29 6.575 th

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BONHEUR

DEU G E R M A N Y

GLUECK GE RMA N WOR D FO R HA P P IN E SS

- Something which is the result of a concurrence of especially opportune, fortunate circumstances; especially fortunate or opportune coincidence, fortunate or opportune destiny of fate.

- Pleasant and joyful state of mind, state of inner satisfaction and high spirits - Single fortunate situation, result or experience.

26 6.750 th

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GLUECK

GTM G U A T E M A L A

FELIZ, FELICIDAD S PA N I S H WOR DS FO R HA P P IN E SS

- A mood state acquired through the possession of a good.

- Satisfaction, pleasure, content.

- Good luck, a favourable circumstance

43 6.123 rd

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FELICIDAD

IND I N D I A

KHUSHI HIN D I WOR D FO R HA P P IN E SS

- Bliss, relish, delight, delectation, boot, welfare, quiet, joy, hilarity, gusto, fun - Glee

117 4.565 th

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KHUSI

IDN I N D O N E S I A

B AH AG I A, K E B AH AG I AA N , GE MB IR A, K E GE MB R I AA N , SE NA N G , KESENANGAN INDONESIAN WORDS FOR HAPPINESS

- Feeling happy, gladness and peace of life (physical and mental); luckiness; fortune which is physical and psychological.

74 5.399 th

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KEBAHAGIAAN

IRN I R A N

KHOSHALI FAR S I WO R D FO R HA P P IN E SS

- Good fortune - To become successful - Feeling of joy

110 4.686 th

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KHOSHALI

ISR I S R A E L

OSHER, SIMCHA, SAMEHACH HE B R E W WOR DS FO R HA P P IN E SS

- Full with cheerfulness - Joy, gladness, the feeling of satisfaction and much desire, cheerful mood.

- Pleasure, good fortune, a general feeling of pleasantness that is caused by success and great satisfaction.

11 7.278 th

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SIMCHA

ITA I T A LY

FELICE, FELICITĂ€ I TA L I A N WOR DS FO R HA P P IN E SS

- Event that happens according to one’s wishes - Opportunity that went/ended extremely well - Experiencing fully every fulfilled desire; a serene, pure, calm happiness; to enjoy and taste days of happiness; eternal happiness, heavenly bliss.

50 5.948 th

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FELICITÀ

JAP J A P A N

幸 福

幸 せ

JAPANESE SYMBOLS FOR HAPPINESS

- The state or the fact that the mind is satisfied - Luck, chance, a stroke of good luck.

46 5.987 th

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幸せ

KEN K E N YA

FURAHA SWAH I L I WO R D FO R HA P P IN E SS

- Being jovial - The situation of being satisfied - The state of being between joy and enjoyment

125 4.419 th

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FURAHA

MAL M A L AY S I A

BAHAGIA, BERBAHAGIA, KEBAHAGIAAN M AL AYA N WOR DS FO R HA P P IN ESS

- The feeling of happiness, enjoyment in life, luck, or prosperity.

- A relaxing and peaceful atmosphere, peaceful/prosperous

61 5.770

st

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KEBAHAGIAAN

MOZ M O Z A M B I Q U E

FELICIDADE PORTUGUESE WORD FOR HAPPINESS

- The state of someone who is happy; prolonged prosperity; good fortune; good luck; good success; contentment

94 4.971 th

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FELICIDADE

NOR N O R W AY

LYKKE, LYKKELIG NORW EG I AN WO R D FO R HA P P INESS

- Feeling happy or joyful, marked by being happy - Lucky, joyful, advantageous - Being joyful and grateful

4 7.522

th

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LYKKELIG

PAK P A K I S T A N

KHUSI PUN JA B I WO R D FO R HA P P IN E SS

- Glad, joyful, delighted, pleased, happy; merry, cheerful; well off, willing, ready; lucky, fortunate

81 5.194 st

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KHUSI

POR P O R T U G A L

FELIX, FELICIS, FELICITAS, FELICITATES PORTUGUESE WORDS FOR HAPPINESS

- State of full/absolute inner satisfaction, wellbeing in which all human beings’ aspirations are met or satisfied - Success or good outcome of an action, or achievement - Favourable luck; happy or fortunate event

88 5.102

th

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FELICITATES

ROU R O M A N I A

FERICIT, ˘, FERICÍTA FERICÍRE R O M AN I AN WOR DS FO R HA P P INESS

- A state of intense and complete mental contentment - A state of total satisfaction - Beatitude

86 5.124

th

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FERICÍRE

RUS R U S S I A

СЧАСТЬЕ, СЧАСТЛИВЫЙ, СЧАСТЛИВЫЙАЯ R U SS I AN WOR DS FO R HA P P IN ESS

-

Success, luck Happy occasion, happy turn of events Said about state when one feels very good Said about luck, good fortune that accompany someone

64 5.716 th

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СЧАСТЬЕ

SEN S E N E G A L

HERUEUX, HEUREUSE, BONHEUR F R E N C H WOR DS FO R HA P P IN E SS

-

Which makes happy.

Achievement, success.

State of being fully satisfied.

Luck, well-being, felicity, pleasure, contentment, enchantment, euphoria, ecstasy, joy, satisfaction.

142 3.904 nd

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BONHEUR

SGP S I N G A P O R E

高 快 幸 愉 兴 乐 福 快 C HINE S E SY M BO L S FO R HA P P INESS

- Life or circumstances rendering a person comfortable - Gratifying life circumstances

24 6.798 th

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幸福

RSA S O U T H

A F R I C A

GELUK AF RIKAA N S WO R D FO R HA P P INESS

- State/condition of contentment; satisfaction of your wishes and desires; joy - Favourable coincidence; advantageous circumstances, prosperity gained without own effort - Fortune; fate; opportunity/chance

113 4.642 th

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GELUK

KOR S O U T H

K O R E A

행복 KO RE A N SY M BO L FO R HA P P IN ESS

- A state of being satisfied and feeling joy in daily life - Contentment - Good luck

47 5.984 th

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행복

ESP S P A I N

FELIZ, FELICIDAD S PA N I S H WOR DS FO R HA P P IN E SS

- Satisfaction, pleasure, contentment - Affective state involving satisfaction with the possession of something

36 6.329 th

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FELICIDAD

TUR T U R K E Y

MUTLU, MUTLULUK T UR KI S H WOR DS FO R HA P P IN E SS

- The state of pleasure that comes from having attained all one’s longings completely and lastingly, prosperity, good fortune, felicity.

76 5.332 th

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MUTLULUK

USA U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A

HAPPINESS E NGL I S H WOR D FO R HA P P IN E SS

- Good fortune, prosperity - A state of well-being, contentment, joy - Felicity, aptness

15 7.119 th

UN World Ha ppiness Rep o r t

HAPPINESS