# Hindi/Urdu: excrement



## tonyspeed

There seem to be at least have a dozen words for excrement aka faeces in Platts. Which are the common ones used? And is there a difference between them?


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## greatbear

You could list out the words here, maybe, tonyspeed, to understand which words you are talking about?

Meanwhile, the words that are used for "feces" are usually "TaTTii", "laiTriin" (from the English word "latrine"), and "gobar" (for animals' feces). The word "shauch" is only used in the word "shauchalay" (the abode of excrement!, otherwise toilet). I think there is some word like "chhiinke" (not to be confused with sneezing, "chhiiNknaa") or something (I have never used it, so it escapes my memory) as well for feces.

Do note that as in most languages of the world, this is a word that varies a lot depending on the region/people you are in/among, including colorful/onomatopoeic terms.


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## Faylasoof

tonyspeed said:


> There seem to be at least have a dozen words for excrement aka faeces in Platts. Which are the common ones used? And is there a difference between them?


Well, TS SaaHib, I can tell you that the ones below are used by us:

گُو _guu_ (masc.) (has the variant: _hagguu_ !) - most general meaning and therefore most common in our speech and preferred to _TaTTii_ the usage of which we consider a bit rude! [ٹَٹّی _TaTTii _also has a different meaning of a screen made of reed or bamboo, etc.]
 گوبر _gobar_ (masc.) - mostly for quadrupeds (cattle etc.)
پاخانہ _paa xaanah_ (also پائخانہ, often pronounced as _pai-xaanah_, the preferred choice for us, but the more vulgate and quite common pronunciation is _pa-xaana_). This has been discussed earlier. Used for both humans and animals.
 مینگنی _meNgnii_ (fem.) = بیٹ _biiT (fem.)_(= droppings) [alternative is _biiT*h*_] - for goats, sheep, rodents, bats etc.
 لِید  _liid_ (fem.) - interestingly mostly for horses, donkeys, etc
فُضلہ  _fuDhlah_ (masc.) [the Arabic original is _faDhlah_ but in Urdu we don’t always stick to the original pronunciation] = refuse; offal;  excreta; remainder - rarer and more general usage
بول و براز _baul o baraaz_ (masc.) or just _ baraaz_, given that _baul_ = urine - frequent usage in literary circles in place of the more common ones above, since _baraaz_ (= shit) is considered more formal and so polite!
اجابت (fem.) =  bowel motion, motions, evacuation, stool, excrement - another polite usage! But other meanings too which have nothing to do with the topic.


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## greatbear

^ We use _guu_ only for excreta of dogs, etc., and it is a highly vulgar word for us! As for _biiT_, we also use it for bird droppings (or, rather, for all tiny excreta kinds).

 A quite popular word for feces is also "chhi(i)-chhi(i)" - the usage has become much less than it was say twenty years ago, but still on the popular side, especially when it relates to young children.


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## Faylasoof

> We use _guu_ only for excreta of dogs, etc., and it is a highly vulgar word for us! As for _biiT_, we also use it for bird droppings (or, rather, for all tiny excreta kinds).


  In Urdu and Colloquial Hindi *گو गू gū* is and has been widely used to mean excrement of both _humans and animals_ but there are other words as well as, mentioned above. Yes, one can use _biiT _for bird droppings too but we also us _guu _because it is a general term.

*H گو गू gū *[for gūh; S. गूथं, rt. गू], s.f. *Human excrement*, _ordure,_ *dung*, _filth_:—gū ućhālnā, lit. 'To throw up dung'; to sully (one's own) good name, to bring disgrace upon oneself:—gū-se 

*गू gu: (nm) faeces*; —का चोथ (चोंत) an ugly inert man; —मूत human excreta; —में घसीटना to subject (somebody) to grave humiliation and embarrassment; —में ढेला फेंकना to provoke a wily tongue.




> A quite popular word for feces is also "chhi(i)-chhi(i)" - the usage has become much less than it was say twenty years ago, but still on the popular side, especially when it relates to young children.


 We use _chhii-chhii _too for faeces when _talking to children but it can also mean just any dirt or filth -_ more than one usage.  _chhii _by itself is also used and can mean dirt, filth etc. or just used as an interjection to express disgust.

*H چهي छी ćhī, छि ćhi* [Prk. छि; S. धिक्], intj. *Fy! foh! faugh!*_—*ćhī-ćhī,* s.f. *Dirt, filth*, *excrement*_;—(colloq.) an epithet applied to a class of Eurasians (by whom the expression ćhī is commonly used);—intj. *Fy! shame!* &c. (see ćhī).

*چهي chhī* H interj. *Tush! tut! fy! foh!*


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## tonyspeed

GB-ji Here is the massive list you requested.

S اميدهيه अमेध्य _amedhya_, adj. Impure;—s.m. Impure  substance, impurity; fæces, *excrement*.
A براز _barāz_, _birāz_, s.m. Satisfying a want of nature; stool,  motion; *excrement*, human ordure;—coming out or forth to battle; fighting.
H بشٿها बिष्ठा _bishṭhā_ [S. विष्ठा], s.f. Ordure, *excrement*, filth, dirt.
H بيٿهہ बीठ _bīṭh_ [S. विष्टा, rt. विष्], s.f. *Excrement*,  dung (especially of birds).
S پريش पुरीष _purīsh_, s.m. Refuse, rubbish; the remains  of food (left in a pot); fæces, *excrement*, ordure
H پوت पोत _pot_ [S. पूतिकः], s.m. Dung, ordure, *excrement*.
P پيخال _pīḵẖāl_, vulg. _paiḵẖāl_, s.m. *Excrement*, dung (esp.  of birds):—_pīḵẖāl karnā_, v.n. To dung; to mute.
झाड़ा _jhāṛā_ [rt. of _jhāṛnā_+_ā_ = Prk. अओ=S.  अ+कः], s.m. Sweeping, cleaning, clearing; minute search (made by making a person suspected of stealing take off all his clothes); sweepings; a stool, purge, evacuation; *excrement*, dirt, filth
_deh-ćyut_, part. adj. Separated or detached from the body (as *excrement*, or the spirit)
P سرگين _sargīn_ (=S. सर्ग+इन्), s.m. Dung, *excrement*,  cow-dung.
S سمل समल _sa-mal_, adj. (f.-_ā_), Having dirt, dirty, foul,  filthy, muddy; impure, polluted, sinful;—s.m. *Excrement*, feculent matter, ordure.
H سندا सन्दा _sandā_ (for P. _sanda_), s.m. An anvil (=_sandān_, q.v.); a broad stone; fetid *excrement*  (=_sanḍā_, q.v.).
H سنڐا सण्डा _saṇḍā_ [prob. Prk.संडओ; S. षण्ड+कः],  adj. (f.-_ī_), Big, fat, burly, stout, strong, sturdy;—s.m. A big or fat ox;—hardened *excrement*, scybala:
A غائط _g̠āʼit̤_ (v.n. fr. غوط 'to sink; to become hidden,' &c.), s.m. *Excrement*, ordure.
_faẓla_, vulg. _fuẓla_ (for A. فضلة _faẓlat_, v.n. fr. فضل 'to exceed,' &c.; see _faẓl_), s.m. Remaining portion, remainder, residue; redundant portion,  redundance, superfluity, exuberance; overgrowth;—leaving, refuse, orts; *excrement;* filth, dirt:
S کٿ किट्ट _kiṭṭa_, vulg. _kiṭṭ_, s.m. Secretion; excretion;  *excrement;* dirt, filth, impurity
H گو गू _gū_ [for _gūh_; S. गूथं, rt. गू], s.f. Human *excrement*,  ordure, dung, filth:
H هگ हग _hag_ (fr. _hagnā_, q.v.), s.m. Evacuation, stool;  excrement, fæces:
S وشٿا विष्टा _vishṭā_, s.f. Ordure, fæces, *excrement* (cf. _bīṭh_  or _bīṭ_).
S وش विष _vish_, s.f. Fæces, ordure, *excrement*.
H مل मल _mal_ [S. मलं], s.m. Dirt, filth; dust; impurity;  impure matter; excrement;_mal-mūtr_, s.m. *Excrement* and urine:
H لينڐي लेंडी _leṅḍī_ [S. लेण्ड+इका], s.f. Excrement,  dung (of sheep, or goats, &c.); a lump or nodule of dung
H لينڐ लेंड _leṅḍ_ [S. लेण्डं, लण्डं], s.f. *Excrement*, filth;  orbicular dung (as of camels, goats, &c.); a lump of hardened fæces or scybala (=_leṅḍī_).
H گوبر गोबर _gobar_ [prob. S. गो+वरः or वटः], s.m.  Cow-dung (used for plastering floors, &c., and dried for fuel)
H بتهيا बथिया _bathiya_, s.f. Heap of dried cow-*dung*.
H برکلا बुरकला _burkalā_, _burkulā_, _birkulā_, s.m. A small  cake of cow-*dung* with a hole in the middle
H بڙهاون बढ़ावन _baṛhāwan_, s.m.=_baṛhāʼo_, q.v.;—s.f.  Cake of cow-*dung* placed on the top of a heap of corn as a charm against the effects of an evil eye.
H بن बन _ban_ [S. वन], s.m._ban-kanḍā_, s.m. Dried cow-*dung* found in forests
P پاچك _pāćak_, s.m. Cowdung dried for fuel (syn. _uplā_):—_pāćak-i-dashtī_, s.m. Dry *dung* (of animals)  found in fields and jungles (syn. _kanḍe_).
H پانس पांसु _pāṅsu_, पांस _pāṅs_ [S. पांसु], s.m. Dust;  particle of dust; *dung*, manure; dunghill:
P پشکل _pishkil_, s.m. The orbicular *dung* of sheep, goats,  deer, &c. (=_meṅgnī_).
H گوئينٿها गोईंठा _goʼīṅṭhā_, or गुईंठा _guʼīṅṭhā_, or गोयंठा _goʼeṅt̤hā_ [S. गो+विष्ठा], s.m. Cow-*dung* (found  in the fields or jungle), a dry cake of cow-dung (used as fuel).
H گهورا घूरा _ghūrā_ (i.q. _kūṛā_, q.v.), s.m. Sweepings, rubbish;—soil, manure;—a dust-heap, *dung*-hill;
H ليد लीद _līd_ [prob. Prk. लित्ता; S. लिप्ता, rt. लिप्;  _lit._ 'what is smeared or plastered over'], s.f. *Dung* (of horses, mules, asses, and elephants):
H مينگني मेंगनी _meṅgnī_, and _miṅgnī_ [_meṅg˚_ = _mīṅg_ or  _miṅg_, prob. akin to S. मृज्, and मज्जा;+_nī_ = _lī_ = Prk. अडिआ or अलिआ=S. अ+ल+इका], s.f. The orbi. cular dung of goats, sheep, deer, camels, rats, &c.


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## HafizAliH

Tonyspeed, that is quite a intimidating list you have there, but may I say that many words in that list are not used frequently for excrement. I did not read the entire list thoroughly, but the word "jhara" caught my attention. According to my knowledge (of "coloquial" urdu/punjabi, never learned it in a formal setting, although I spoke them almost exclusively at home) the word jhara (or jhaRa, perhaps may be what is intended) is the past tense of "jhaRna," meaning to shake off or brush off (filth or dirt of some sort). Just what I thought might be a beneficial clarification.

Although I do agree with the other posters, the word is subjective to where/who it is spoken by, as almost everyone has different ways to say such words at a young age. I regards to "chhii," it was always used it to mean urine, and not excrement in my family.

My two cents.


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## greatbear

^ Since _jhaaRaa_ has come into discussion, the word, or rather its plural form, _jhaaRe_, is certainly used in my family but only when one has _dast_ (dysentery) - that particular form of excrement with its "texture" and frequency! There is also the very common _aaoN ban-naa_, which happens again when one passes liquids instead of proper excrement (when one's _peT _is _gaRbaR_).

That list is surely intimidating; "sanDaa" in that list reminds me of "sanDaas", a common word for toilet in Gujarati (and also in Hindi in certain regions). Never heard many of the words in that list.

Welcome to the forum, btw, Hafiz!


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## Qureshpor

Faylasoof said:


> Well, TS SaaHib, I can tell you that the ones below are used by us:
> 
> گُو _guu_ (masc.) (has the variant: _hagguu_ !) - most general meaning and therefore most common in our speech and preferred to _TaTTii_ the usage of which we consider a bit rude! [ٹَٹّی _TaTTii _also has a different meaning of a screen made of reed or bamboo, etc.][...]


nah puuchho kuchh GhariiboN ke makaaN kii
zamiiN kaa farsh hai chhat aasmaaN kii
nah paNkhaa hai nah TaTTii hai nah kamrah
zaraa sii jhaunpaRii miHnat kaa samrah
amiiroN ko mubaarak ho Havelii
GhariiboN kaa bhii hai Allah belii

Isma'il Merathi


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## Qureshpor

Faylasoof said:


> Well, TS SaaHib, I can tell you that the ones below are used by us:
> [...]
> بول و براز _baul o baraaz_ (masc.) or just _ baraaz_, given that _baul_ = urine - frequent usage in literary circles in place of the more common ones above, since _baraaz_ (= shit) is considered more formal and so polite![...]


"davaa kii puRiyaa takiye ke niiche, joshaande kii degchii sarhaane rakhii hu'ii, chaar-paa'ii se milaa hu'aa *baul-o-baraaz *kaa bartan..."

From "chaar-paa'ii" by Rasheed Ahmed Siddiqui (1896-1977)


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## Faylasoof

Qureshpor said:


> "davaa kii puRiyaa takiye ke niiche, joshaande kii degchii sarhaane rakhii hu'ii, chaar-paa'ii se milaa hu'aa *baul-o-baraaz *kaa bartan..."
> 
> From "chaar-paa'ii" by Rasheed Ahmed Siddiqui (1896-1977)


 It is quite understandable that Rasheed A. Siddiqui opted to use _*baul*_-*o*-_*baraaz*_ instead of_ *hag*-*muut *_! The former sounds less offensive for obvious reasons. In some circles _*baul*_-*o*-_*baraaz*_ would be far more common even in daily speech than the latter.


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## Sheikh_14

Is the Punjabi alternative to biiT for bird droppings biT or wiT? I have to say I've heard both. In fact in Urdabi I've heard biT been used far more than beeT


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## Qureshpor

Sheikh_14 said:


> Is the Punjabi alternative to biiT for bird droppings biT or wiT? I have to say I've heard both. In fact in Urdabi I've heard biT been used far more than beeT


biTh


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## desi4life

Qureshpor said:


> biTh



According to the Punjabi dictionary on DSAL, the accepted terms in Punjabi are “viTTh” and “biTTh”.


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## Qureshpor

desi4life said:


> According to the Punjabi dictionary on DSAL, the accepted terms in Punjabi are “viTTh” and “biTTh”.


Based on this injunction, perhaps, I ought to be banished from the Punjabi speaking community for using an "unacceptable" term!


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## Sheikh_14

Qureshpor said:


> Based on this injunction, perhaps, I ought to be banished from the Punjabi speaking community for using an "unacceptable" term!


Who dare wish such a thing upon you QP saaHib!? Like Urdu is BiTTh/ViTTh also feminine? In which case how is it pluralised? BiTTheiN? Also how is the Urdu biiT pluralised? Would it be BiiTeiN?


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## Happu

As far as 'the big business' goes, I like the expression दीर्घ-शंका (lit. long-lasting unease / shame / fear). It's a euphemism and as such polite and not offensive to anyone (I think).

'Small business' (urination): लघु-शंका = short unease / shame / fear.


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## littlepond

Happu said:


> As far as 'the big business' goes, I like the expression दीर्घ-शंका (lit. long-lasting unease / shame / fear). It's a euphemism and as such polite and not offensive to anyone (I think).


I have never heard it, and I wonder how many native Hindi speakers would get it. I wouldn't have.



Happu said:


> 'Small business' (urination): लघु-शंका = short unease / shame / fear.


I've heard this one, though very rarely. Again, many native Hindi speakers won't recognise this word as well.


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## Happu

littlepond said:


> I have never heard it, and I wonder how many native Hindi speakers would get it. I wouldn't have.
> 
> 
> I've heard this one, though very rarely. Again, many native Hindi speakers won't recognise this word as well.


I often try out 'exotic' sounding words or expressions in conversation to gauge the reaction or the opposite's depth of knowledge. Not so long ago I used लघु-शंका in a cheap restaurant, and two lowly-educated employees from U.P. got it. One even chuckled and to confirm asked me लघु या दीर्घ?

But I agree, not everyone would have understood, especially if from outside the Hindi heartland.


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## littlepond

Happu said:


> I often try out 'exotic' sounding words or expressions in conversation to gauge the reaction or the opposite's depth of knowledge. Not so long ago I used लघु-शंका in a cheap restaurant, and two lowly-educated employees from U.P. got it. One even chuckled and to confirm asked me लघु या दीर्घ?
> 
> But I agree, not everyone would have understood, especially if from outside the Hindi heartland.


I am only talking of the Hindi heartland, where not everyone would understand it, especially those who are from upper- and middle-class families in cities. It is a very rural expression or from those who try to make their language "shuddh" or humoristic.

But it's a good addition to the discussion: I am grateful for your input.


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