ਭਾਲੂ
bhalu
The English word "bear" is translated into Punjabi as ਭਾਲੂ (bhalu).
ਭਾਲੂ refers to the large mammal belonging to the family Ursidae.
Meaning: large mammal of family Ursidae (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
bhalu
Did you know?
- Because the sloth bear is native to the region, the ਭਾਲੂ is more often associated with honey and insects in Punjabi culture than with fish, as is common in Western bear imagery.
- The word ਭਾਲੂ shares a deep linguistic ancestor with the Sanskrit word bhallūka, which means 'bear'. This connection makes it a cognate with many other Indo-Aryan languages across South Asia.
- In some Punjabi idioms, calling someone a ਭਾਲੂ can imply they are physically large or slow moving.
Examples in context
- ਮੇਰੇ ਦੋਸਤ ਨੇ ਰਿੱਛ ਦੇਖਿਆ ਸੀ।My friend saw a bear.
- ਅਜਿਹੀ ਲੜਾਈ ਵਿੱਚ ਰਿੱਛ ਮਰ ਗਿਆ।The bear died in such a fight.
- ਦੋ ਰਿੱਛ ਪਰਿਵਾਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਹਨ।There are two bears in the family.
- ਜੰਗਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਇੱਕ ਭਾਲੂ ਹੈ।jangal vich ik bhalu hai.There is a bear in the forest.
- ਭਾਲੂ ਬਹੁਤ ਤਾਕਤਵਰ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ।bhalu bahut takatvar hunda hai.A bear is very strong.
- ਮੈਂ ਚਿੜੀਆਘਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਭਾਲੂ ਦੇਖਿਆ।main chiriyaghar vich bhalu dekhiya.I saw a bear at the zoo.
Example conversation
Manpreet and Harman are looking at a book about animals.
- ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ Manpreetਹਰਮਨ, ਇਹ ਤਸਵੀਰ ਦੇਖੋ!Harman, ih tasvīr dekho!Harman, look at this picture!
- ਹਰਮਨ Hermanਇਹ ਕੀ ਹੈ?Ih kī hai?What is this?
- ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ Manpreetਇਹ ਇੱਕ ਭਾਲੂ ਹੈ।Ih ik bhaalū hai.This is a bear.
- ਹਰਮਨ Hermanਇਹ ਬਹੁਤ ਡਰਾਉਣਾ ਲੱਗਦਾ ਹੈ।Ih bahut ḍarāuṇā lagdā hai.It looks very scary.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ਭਾਲੂ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
