پِیٹھ
pīṭhmasculine
The English phrase "back" (referring to the rear of the body) is translated into Urdu using several different nouns. The default form is پِیٹھ (pīṭh). Wiktionary also lists پُشْت (puśt) and ظَہْر (zahr).
Meaning: the rear of body (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| پِیٹھ | pīṭh | masculine |
| پُشْت | puśt | feminine |
| ظَہْر | zahr | feminine |
Which one should you use?
پُشْت is a more literary or poetic term for the back, while ظَہْر is a more formal or medical term for the back, often used in literature or technical contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The term پِیٹھ is a masculine noun, whereas both پُشْت and ظَہْر are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
pīṭh
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers may confuse the anatomical 'back' with the adverb 'back' (returning), but in Urdu, the anatomical noun is پِیٹھ while the adverb is واپس.
Did you know?
- The word پُشْت shares a root with the word for 'generation' or 'descendant' in several Indo-Iranian languages, linking the idea of the 'back' to lineage and what follows behind.
- Urdu uses the phrase پِیٹھ دکھانا, meaning 'to show the back', as a specific idiom for cowardice. It evokes the image of a soldier turning around to flee a battle.
- The word پُشْت is used to describe the reverse side of a coin or a page. In these cases, it functions as 'back' for objects, whereas پِیٹھ is reserved for living beings.
Examples in context
- اس کی پِیٹھ پر نشان ہے۔us ki peeth par nishan hai.There is a mark on his back.
- اس نے اپنی پِیٹھ سیدھی رکھی۔us ne apni peeth seedhi rakhi.He kept his back straight.
Example conversation
Ahmed is helping Fatima with her luggage.
- فاطمہ Fatimaکیا آپ میری مدد کر سکتے ہیں؟kya aap meri madad kar sakte hain?Can you help me?
- احمد Ahmedجی، کیا ہوا؟ji, kya hua?Yes, what happened?
- فاطمہ Fatimaوزن اٹھانے سے میری پِیٹھ میں درد ہو رہا ہے۔wazan uthane se meri peeth mein dard ho raha hai.My back is hurting from lifting the weight.
- احمد Ahmedآرام کریں، میں یہ سامان اٹھا لوں گا۔aaram karein, mein yeh saman utha loon ga.Please rest, I will lift this luggage.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “back” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
