مَسْخَرَہ
masxaramasculine
In Urdu, 'clown' can be translated as مَسْخَرَہ (masxara). Wiktionary also lists مَسْخَرا (masxarā) and جوکَر (jokar).
Meaning: performance artist working in a circus (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| مَسْخَرَہ | masxara | masculine |
| مَسْخَرا | masxarā | masculine |
| جوکَر | jokar | masculine |
You might use it to describe a professional circus performer or as a way to mock someone's intelligence or behavior.
Which one should you use?
While مَسْخَرَہ (masxara) can mean a circus clown, it is more commonly used as a derogatory term to describe someone who is a joke or a fool. In contrast, جوکَر (jokar) is a more neutral and professional term for a clown or a comedian, which lacks the insulting connotation found in مَسْخَرَہ. Additionally, ہنسانے والا (Hasayanay Wala) is an informal way to describe 'someone who makes others laugh'.
How does it change in a sentence?
All provided forms are masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
masxara
Did you know?
- In a theatrical context, the role of the comic relief in traditional South Asian plays is often referred to as the vidushak, a term inherited from ancient Sanskrit drama.
- While جوکَر is a loanword from English, the word مَسْخَرَہ is rooted in Arabic, where it originally referred to someone who was mocked or made a target of ridicule.
- In Urdu, the word مَسْخَرَہ is often used to describe a situation or an event that has become a 'farce' or a 'joke', rather than just a person.
Examples in context
- وہ سیرک میں ایک مَسْخَرَہ ہے۔voh circus mein ek maskhara hai.He is a clown in the circus.
- مَسْخَرَہ بچوں کو ہنساتا ہے۔maskhara bachon ko hansata hai.The clown makes the children laugh.
- مَسْخَرَہ نے بہت مزاحیہ کام کیا۔maskhara ne bohat mazaahiya kaam kiya.The clown did a very funny act.
Example conversation
Hamza and Aisha are watching a circus performance.
- حمزہ Hamzaعائشہ، دیکھو وہ مَسْخَرَہ کتنا دلچسپ ہے۔Aisha, dekho voh maskhara kitna dilchasp hai.Aisha, look how interesting that clown is.
- عائشہ Ayeshaہاں حمزہ، اس کا لباس بہت رنگین ہے۔Haan Hamza, is ka libas bohat rangeen hai.Yes Hamza, his costume is very colorful.
- حمزہ Hamzaکیا تمہیں اس کا مذاق پسند آیا؟Kya tumhein is ka mazaq pasand aaya?Did you like his joke?
- عائشہ Ayeshaجی ہاں، مجھے بہت مزہ آیا۔Ji haan, mujhe bohat maza aaya.Yes, I had a lot of fun.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “clown” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
