ਰਾਜਾ
rājā/ɾäː.d͡ʒäː/masculine
In Punjabi, the word for king is ਰਾਜਾ (rājā).
The term refers to a male member of a royal family who serves as the supreme ruler of a nation.
Meaning: a male of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation (noun)
Which one should you use?
While ਰਾਜਾ is the standard term, Maharaja is a specific term reserved for a king of high rank or superior authority.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ਰਾਜੇ (rājē) is used when the word is in the oblique case or when used as a plural in certain grammatical constructions.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ɾäː.dʒäː/.
Did you know?
- In Punjabi folk tales and songs, ਰਾਜਾ is often used as a term of endearment for a husband or a beloved man, regardless of his actual social rank.
- The word ਰਾਜਾ is a doublet of ਰਾਇ, which became the basis for the English word 'raja'. While ਰਾਜਾ is the standard term for a king, ਰਾਇ often evolved into a title for local chieftains or landowners.
- While ਰਾਜਾ means 'king', it is often used metaphorically in Punjabi to describe someone who is the absolute master or 'boss' of a particular skill or domain.
Examples in context
- ਉਹ ਸਾਡਾ ਰਾਜਾ ਹੈ.He is our king.This sentence demonstrates how to use ਰਾਜਾ.
- ਰਾਜਾ ਆਪਣਾ ਕਿਲਾ ਬਣਾ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ।rājā āpaṇā kilā baṇā rihā hai.The king is building his fort.
Example conversation
Preet and Gurpreet are visiting a museum.
- ਪ੍ਰੀਤ Preetਦੇਖੋ, ਇਹ ਰਾਜਾ ਦੀ ਤਸਵੀਰ ਹੈ।Dekhō, ih rājā dī tasvīr hai.Look, this is the king's picture.
- ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ Gurpreetਉਹ ਕਦੋਂ ਰਾਜ ਕਰਦਾ ਸੀ?Uh kadōñ rāj kardā sī?When did he rule?
- ਪ੍ਰੀਤ Preetਉਹ ਬਹੁਤ ਸਾਲ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਰਾਜਾ ਸੀ।Uh bahut sāl pēhlāñ rājā sī.He was king many years ago.
- ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ Gurpreetਇਹ ਬਹੁਤ ਦਿਲਚਸਪ ਹੈ।Ih bahut dilcasap hai.This is very interesting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “king” translations and entries ਰਾਜਾ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ਰਾਜਾ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
