# Urdu: خضرہ - خصره



## iskander e azam

This is the sentence: عورت کا *خضرہ* و رقبہ اپنے شانوں کے تناسب سے مرد کے مقابلے میں زیادہ کشادہ ہوتا ہے. What does Xazrah mean?

All help much appreciated.


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## Faylasoof

iskander e azam said:


> This is the sentence: عورت کا *خضرہ* و رقبہ اپنے شانوں کے تناسب سے مرد کے مقابلے میں زیادہ کشادہ ہوتا ہے. What does Xazrah mean?
> 
> All help much appreciated.


I must say thus far I haven't come across this usage of the term you query. The only thing I can say is that  if خضرہ  is pronounced  _xiDhrah_ (_xizrah_) then it is a girl's name and if pronounced _xaDhrah _(_xazrah_) then it is the technical term for chlorophyll (!), neither of which fit the usage here.

As a matter if interest where did you get this sentence from?


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## iskander e azam

janaab,

Do you wish me to give the book name? Would that not be some kind of advertising? Is that allowed.

 Also, I often often find that I am searching for what turn out to be typographical errors (also known as typos). Could this word be some other word incorrectly spelt?


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## Qureshpor

^ It might help if you provided a sentence or two before and after. No need to advertise anything


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## iskander e azam

Q SaaHib,

I am very sorry. I am currently reading a book on gender relations/human sexuality. The material is very sensitive. I would not wish to offend any readers of this forum by posting additional material. If I had not thought the word innocuous then I would not have posted it at all. 

Have you given any thought to my supposition that it could be a typo? I have been on many a wild goose chase. However, as I am several years into my study of Urdu I can spot the more obvious ones. 

Also, do not worry on my behalf. I do not need to know every word in Urdu! Indeed, the greatest writers in any language only know a percentage of it. 

Moreover, it is possible that if I may find its meaning at a later date (which I would obviously pass on here).

However, it may just be a typo.

Alex


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## Qureshpor

I believe it is a typo and as the topic appears to be anatomy of the human body, I think I might have a solution to your question.

"In proportion to her shoulders, compared with a man a woman's hips and neck are wider."

xaSr (plural xuSuur) = waist/hip/haunch (take your pick!). I think "xasr" has been converted to "xaSrah". ( I wonder if the -ah is the ah of unity, as per Arabic grammar rules.)

raqabah = neck

so, ek izaafii nuqte se kaam bigaR gayaa hai!


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## iskander e azam

Qureshpor said:


> I believe it is a typo and as the topic appears to be anatomy of the human body, I think I might have a solution to your question.
> 
> "In proportion to her shoulders, compared with a man a woman's hips and neck are wider."
> 
> xaSr (plural xuSuur) = waist/hip/haunch (take your pick!). I think "xasr" has been converted to "xaSrah". ( I wonder if the -ah is the ah of unity, as per Arabic grammar rules.)
> 
> raqabah = neck
> 
> so, ek izaafii nuqte se kaam bigaR gayaa hai!



 Many thanks for your dedicated search for the answer I needed. I believe Urdu manuscripts are sent hand written to the printer and hence the typesetter's misreading of the manuscript allows such errors to creep in.


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## Qureshpor

iskander e azam said:


> Many thanks for your dedicated search for the answer I needed. I believe Urdu manuscripts are sent hand written to the printer and hence the typesetter's misreading of the manuscript allows such errors to creep in.


You are welcome. If what I have suggested is correct, I can't understand why the author could not have used the words "kamar"/"kuulhaa" and "gardan" respectively!


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## Faylasoof

Qureshpor said:


> I believe it is a typo and as the topic appears to be anatomy of the human body, I think I might have a solution to your question.
> 
> "In proportion to her shoulders, compared with a man a woman's hips and neck are wider."
> 
> xaSr (plural xuSuur) = waist/hip/haunch (take your pick!). I think "xasr" has been converted to "xaSrah". ( I wonder if the -ah is the ah of unity, as per Arabic grammar rules.)
> 
> raqabah = neck
> 
> so, ek izaafii nuqte se kaam bigaR gayaa hai!


 I reached the same conclusion! This too occurred to me but the 'he ہ' at the end is wrong since in the original (as would be represented by ۃ) is absent. I can see somebody trying to be 'clever' but they should know some Arabic words take the ۃ for singularity but others don't. _ra*qb*ah_ رقبه, on the other hand is correct.

So a wrong dot and a wrong 'he' ruined the word!


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## Faylasoof

Qureshpor said:


> You are welcome. If what I have suggested is correct, I can't understand why the author could not have used the words "kamar"/"kuulhaa" and "gardan" respectively!


As discussed earlier, the use of _kuulaa_ [کولا कूला _kūlā_ [prob. S. कोल, or क्रोड+कः], s.m. The  hip, buttock, haunch; the waist] for hips and buttocks is not considered impolite and yes I agree that this word would be preferable for hips, as would _gardan_ for neck. 

 My suspicion is that the author may be rather devout (or just a bit pedantic perhaps) and has a tendency to go for the less used Arabic words. He / she could have also gone for  P سرين surīn ([Zend śraonī, rt. śru = S. स्रु], s.f. buttocks, hips)! We discussed this one too.


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## iskander e azam

A dialect is a variation of standard speech as used in a region. A sociolect is a variation of standard speech as used amongst a particular social class. An idioloect is a variation of standard speech as used by an individual. An Urduphone doctor writing in Urdu on the subject of cancer may consistently use the word سرطان whilst another Urduphone doctor may consistenly use the Urdu transliteration of the word 'cancer'. This individual preference is what makes us individuals. The mistakes a person makes in his use of language are also a part of his idiolect.


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## Faylasoof

iskander e azam said:


> A dialect is a variation of standard speech as used in a region. A sociolect is a variation of standard speech as used amongst a particular social class. An idioloect is a variation of standard speech as used by an individual. An Urduphone doctor writing in Urdu on the subject of cancer may consistently use the word سرطان whilst another Urduphone doctor may consistenly use the Urdu transliteration of the word 'cancer'. This individual preference is what makes us individuals. The mistakes a person makes in his use of language are also a part of his idiolect.


 I do follow what you are trying to say but allow me to explain something.... and this I say since I'm quite familiar with the phenomenon.
Amongst some there is a tendency to go for the less common word (in this case Arabic or Arabic-based) in preference to the commonly used ones. This can be for a number of reasons. The usage of سرطان in medical discussions is certainly not out of place but even heard in common speech amongst _some _speakers. Usually of course you hear kansar / kainsar (cancer). But some people like to invent a word just because they want to be different or whatever. The word _xaSra*h*_ seems like a recent and _perhaps_ a personal whim and invention designed to impress. My appeal to one and all (and it is only just an appeal, not a command!) is that they at least know the rules of grammar before they undertake such a task. We had a recent example of this, *here*.


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## iskander e azam

Faylasoof said:


> I must say thus far I haven't come across this usage of the term you query. The only thing I can say is that  if خضرہ  is pronounced  _xiDhrah_ (_xizrah_) then it is a girl's name and *if pronounced xaDhrah (xazrah) then it is the technical term for chlorophyll (!),* neither of which fit the usage here.
> 
> As a matter if interest where did you get this sentence from?



Would anyone know if خصرہ meaning chlorophyll is a masculine or feminine noun?

As always, much obliged.

Alex


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## iskander e azam

Dear all,

When I started learning Urdu I created a vocabulary book - basically a list of new words. I am going through it again and came across خصرہ. 
Does anyone have a gender for this noun?

Also, how is the خصرہ that means chlorophyll pronounced and what gender is it?

Much obliged,

Alex


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## marrish

^ Chlorophyll is Ur. خضرہ, not خصرہ

It is pronounced خِضْرَہ _'xiz-ra_. It is a masculine noun, but the English loanword, کلوروفل /k(i)lorofil/ is feminine.


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## iskander e azam

Marrish SaaHIb,

The repeated reproduction of خصرہ for خصرہ on the Internet shows just how easy it is for a typrographical error to spread and confuse the unknowing (me ).

Many thanks for your contribution,

Alex


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## marrish

You're most welcome but do pay attention again, it's with ض
خ ۔ِ ض ۔ْ ر ۔َ ہ = خضرہ 
ض
ص


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