# Urdu: Parts of the human anatomy



## teaboy

Quick, quick: What words for parts of the human anatomy can you come up with without resorting to the dictionary?


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## Faylasoof

Hi teaboy!

I'm afraid this is too general! The list can be long! I'm sure most of us will be able to tell what you need to know. Which part, if any, are you having trouble naming?


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## teaboy

Well, rather than the typical arm, leg, eye, nose..I was thinking of some of the more esoteric parts (I don't mean erotic!  Necessarily...) such as internal organs (*گردے*,* آنتڑیاں* etc) or vertebrae or sternum or veins or knuckle or ankle or bone marrow or just about anything...


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## Faylasoof

Well, here is an incomplete list of the "esoteric" parts of the body. I'm sure you know the more common ones like, jigar (liver), dil (heart) phepRaa (lung) etc. 

  _3aZm ul qaSS / Sadrii haddii  _عظم القَصّ /  صَدری ہَڈّی = sternum
_3irq / nass _عِرْق / نَس = artery 

 _rag / nass _رَگ / نَس = vein

_unglii joR haddii _اُنگلی  جوڑ  ہَڈّی = knuckle

_aa.nt _آنت = intestine 

 _gattaa / taxnaa  _ٹخنا  / گَٹّا = ankle

 _kalaa'ii _ کَلائی = wrist

 _goodaa_ گُودا = marrow (bone - not the vegetable!)

 _papoTaa / ghilaaf-e-chashm   _پَپوٹا / غلافِ چشم = eyelid

 _palak / mizhah  _پَلَک  /  مِژَہ ( pl. مژگان ) = eyelash

_lau_لَو  = ear lobe

 _chhu.ngalyaa / chhu.ngalii / xinSar   _چُھنگَلیا / چُھنگَلی / خِنْصَر = little finger

 _taaloo_ تالو  = palate

 _talaa_ تَلا = sole (of the foot or shoe / boot).

 _paTThaa / machhlii / 3aDhlah _پَٹھّا ۔  / مَچْھلی / عَضْلَہ = muscle

 _3aSab / naaR _عَصَب / ناڑ = nerve

_parda-e-shikam _پردہ شکم   = diaphragm

 _tillii_ تِلّی  = spleen 

 _pittah_ پِتَّہ   = gall bladder

 _mathaanah_ مَثانَہ = bladder

 _faqrah / riiRh _فَقرہ /  رِیڑھ = vertebra 

 _riiRh kii haddii / 3amood-e-faqraat   _عمود فَقرات / ریڑھ کی ہڈّی = vertebral column 

 _pinDlii / maheech-e-paa  _پنڈلی  / ماھیچہ پا = calf (of the leg not the cow! That is a بچھڑا)

_ungusht-e-paa / paaoo.n kii unglii / paaoo.n kaa panjah _نگشت پا / پاوں کی انگلی / پاوں کا پنجہ  = toe 

_aeRii_ايڑی =  heel

_g-huTnaa band_گھُٹنا بَند  = knee cap

_3aS3aS (3uS3uS) / dumchii _عصعص / دُمچی = coccyx

 _lablabah_لَبلَبَہ  = pancreas 

etc. etc.

... and excuse fore any typos / mistakes! Just let me know!


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## teaboy

Wow - you just pulled those out of your head??  (Well, I suppose I shouldn't be so surprised, since I can do the same in English.)

That's terrific!  Thank you!


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## panjabigator

To the mods, may I suggest that this thread be edited so that all Indo-Iranian languages may be compared?  Persian and Urdu vocabulary intersect quite often, so it would be interesting to extend the discussion to other languages of the region and subcontinent.  I'm especially interested to see what contributions Panjabi and Hindi speakers will add.


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## lcfatima

Can we call human bone marrow *gudda*, too? Or is that just for animals which we eat?


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## Faylasoof

lcfatima said:


> Can we call human bone marrow *gudda*, too? Or is that just for animals which we eat?


 
 Yes, marrow is marrow whether of Man or animal. So it is _goodaa _گُودا. In Urdu it is pronounced as *goodaa* and not *gudda. *Is this how you people pronounce it?


Its synonyms are:
miingii / girii گِری / مِینْگی= marrow (bone).


I had to look up the Urdu words for “solar plexus” and “xyphoid process” – the little process at the end of the sternum.  The former I found but the latter is not listed in any dictionaries I’ve looked up. Still looking!

_shamsi zafiirah_ شَمْسی ضَفِیرَہ  = solar plexus

_hanslii_ ہَنْسْلی = collar bone

_qarniy-e-chashm_ قَرنِیہٴ چشم= cornea (of the eye)

 3inabiya عِنَبِیَہ /  _qazHiyah_ قَزْحِیَہ= iris

_putlii _ پُتلی_ =_ pupil of the eye


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## teaboy

This is a fantastic list - thank you!


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## lcfatima

I asked about *gudda* and several Pakistani people told me *gudda* and *gooda* are both used. Is *gudda* Punjabi by any chance?


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## teaboy

Anyone care to list the proper terms for the racier bits of male and female anatomy?  (I know lots of terms, but they are likely Punjabi and not acceptable in polite company...)


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## panjabigator

Edit: Anyone heard of the word <gurdā> for organ?


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## Faylasoof

panjabigator said:


> Edit: Anyone heard of the word <gurdā> for organ?


Not as a general term for organ! 

Kidney گُردَہ _gurdah_ = كُلیَہ _kulyah _– some Urdu medical texts use this.


عُضْو = organ 

Musical organ = ۔ ارغن


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## teaboy

How does one express "shortness of breath"? * سانس کی کمی؟
*
And to say "joints", is* جوڑیں* sufficient, or should one say *جوڑ ہدیاں* ?

And is there a commonly used word for "cancer", besides the English cognate *کینسر* ?


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## Faylasoof

Shortness of breath / to have shortness of breath:

 سانس كا چڑھنا / سانس چڑھنا 
_saa.ns kaa chaRhna  / saa.ns chaRhnaa_

 I have shortness of breath
 میری سانس چڑھتی ہے 
_merii saa.ns chaRhtii hae_

 جوڑ  = joint / joints 

 انسان كے جسم \ بدن میں كئی جوڑ ہیں
_insaan ke jism / badan mei.n ka’ii joR hai.n_
 Three are many joints in the human body.

 میرے ہر جوڑ میں درد ہے
_mere har joR mei.n dard hae_
 I have pain in every joint.

 But,
 میرے جوڑوں میں درد ہے
_mere joRo.n mei.n dard hae_
 I have pain in my joints.


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## teaboy

Thank you!  Now I remember*سانس چڑھنا* .


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## teaboy

Is there a general word for _guts_?  In English this word covers pretty much anything in the lower digestive tract.  (Or anything one would clean out of a butchered chicken...)  

If there is such a word, does it carry the same metaphorical meaning of _courage_ or _chutzpah_?


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## panjabigator

How about the liver?  The <jigar> has a lot of metaphoric meaning attached to it...

hmmm, antaṛiyā are intestines, I believe.   

Can <andrunī> be used for this or is this just and adj?


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## Faylasoof

teaboy said:


> Is there a general word for _guts_? In English this word covers pretty much anything in the lower digestive tract. (Or anything one would clean out of a butchered chicken...)


 Yes! The general term is:

آنت_ aa.nt_/ انتڑی _antaRii_  / اِمعا _'im3aa_ = intestines 

Although in polite conversation, i.e. when referring to humans, we tend not to use _antaRii_, but always use _aa.nt_.


بڑی آنت _baRii aa.nt_ = large intestine = colon =  قولون_ quuluun_.

چھوٹی آنت_ chhoTii aa.nt_  / پیچیدہ آنت_ paychiidah aa.nt_  = small intestine = ileum  

جِگَر_ jigar_ / کَليجا_ kalejaa_ = liver

کَليجی_ kalejii _= animal liver (often diced) for cooking and eating - not my dish!



teaboy said:


> If there is such a word, does it carry the same metaphorical meaning of _courage_ or _chutzpah_?


 
No, in Urdu we don't use the equivalent of the English "blood and guts" (_xuun aur aa.nte.n!!_) to denote courage! 

Instead we concentrate on the heart (* دِل*_ dil _):

دِلاوَر_ dilaawar_ / دِلیر _diler_ / قَوی دِل_ qawii dil _/ شیر دِل _sher dil _(= _shajaa3 _ شَجاع  [also pronounced as _shujaa3 _ شُجاع ] بَہادُر_ bahaadur_, جَری_jarii_ ,  کَرّار _karraar_, صَفدَر _Safdar_, نڈر _nidar_,   بے باک _bebaak_) = brave / valiant / courageous

… and also on the liver _jigar_ جِگَر  :

Just like one says in English: You had the heart (courage) to do this.

We use both heart (*دِل*_ dil_)  or liver  (جِگَر_ jigar_) to mean courage:

تمہارا ہی یہ دل \ جگر  ) دل  و جگر ( تھا كہ ہم یہ اقدام اٹھائیں

_tumhaaraa hii yeh  dil / jigar ( dil o jigar ) thhaa keh ham yeh aqdaam uThaa’ii.n._

Only you had the courage ( heart / liver) that we take these measures.


However, our obsession with the viscera doesn’t end here.

Going the other way, and to show fear / extreme trepidation /  lose courage, we use:  

  پِتّا پانی ہونا_ pittaa paanii honaa _ = (to have your gall bladder liquefied!!) = to lose courage / be afriad. 


But also جگر پانی ہونا   _jigar paanii honaa_ = to lose courage
 


panjabigator said:


> How about the liver? The <jigar> has a lot of metaphoric meaning attached to it...
> 
> hmmm, antaṛiyā are intestines, I believe.
> 
> Can <andrunī> be used for this or is this just and adj?


 
We really need a separate thread on this! As you say, there are many metaphorical meanings associated with this humble but vital visceral organ!

 _andrunī _ اندرونی  is just used as an adjective, meaning _internal_.  But I guess it conveys the same idea as the English _innards_.  We don’t really use it to mean intestines specifically.


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## teaboy

So if we want to say _intestinal troubles_, would we say* آنۃی مصئلے *?

And what is the plural of *پا* ? I always think *پاؤں *, but that must be only in the oblique.


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## teaboy

What is the most common way to say _heart palpitations_?


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## Faylasoof

Two ways. Like this:

 خفقان  _xafqaan_  /  اختلاج قلب  _ixtilaaj-e-qalb

_Both used almost equally.


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## panjabigator

teaboy said:


> So if we want to say _intestinal troubles_, would we say* آنۃی مصئلے *?
> 
> And what is the plural of *پا* ? I always think *پاؤں *, but that must be only in the oblique.



Just pondered this yesterday.  I think *پاؤں *is nominative as well.  Saying پیر will save you the trouble!


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## Faylasoof

panjabigator said:


> Just pondered this yesterday.  I think *پاؤں *is nominative as well.  Saying پیر will save you the trouble!



Yes! You are right about both!




teaboy said:


> So if we want to say _intestinal troubles_, would we say* آنۃی مصئلے *?
> 
> And what is the plural of *پا* ? I always think *پاؤں *, but that must be only in the oblique.



 ... and as for this. It isn't wrong, just unidiomatic! Normally we use these:

آنت كے مصئلے / آنت كا مصئلہ / آنت میں مصئلہ


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## teaboy

What is the correct spelling/pronunciation of *دل کا دور* (_heart attack_)? I'm not finding it in my dictionary no matter what spelling I use.  

And what is the most common term for _epilepsy_?


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## teaboy

Faylasoof said:


> Two ways. Like this:
> 
> خفقان  _xafqaan_  /  اختلاج قلب  _ixtilaaj-e-qalb
> 
> _Both used almost equally.



Does one say: *

مجھے دل کا خفقان ہوا*

or
*مجھے خفقان ہوا*

or*
میرے دل کو خفقان ہوا*

or...?


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## teaboy

What is the expression for a "black eye"?


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## panjabigator

Buri nazar?  Do you mean in the sense of "evil" eye or "punch in the face" eye?


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## teaboy

You know, the bruised and swollen eye following a collision with a fist...


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## teaboy

Does one's nose "run" in Urdu?  I remember* ناک نکالنا*...


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## panjabigator

I've always heard/said ناك چلنا / بھنا


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## teaboy

I also recall *گیلا ناک*.


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## Faylasoof

Here they are:

_mirgii_مِرْگی     =   _Sar3_ صَرع  = epilepsy

 دل کا دَورَہ _dil kaa daurah_  = heart attack 

 مجھے خفقان ہو رہا ہے
_mujhe khafqaan ho rahaa hai_
 I’m having palpitations

 آنکھ  پر نیل پڑنا  / آنا
 aa.nkh par niil paRnaa / aanaa
 To get / have a black eye.

 (For any severe bruise turning blue you can say _niil aajaanaa_)

 Yes, it is     ناک بہنا_ naak bahnaa_ = to have a runny nose

 BTW, it is گیلی ناک _giilii naak_ (nose is feminine!) . We don’t normally use it to mean runny nose but it can be used.    ناک  بہنا_ naak bahnaa _is very common in our dialect.


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