خربوزہ
kharbūzamuskmelon
In Pakistan "melon" usually means the sweet muskmelon, خربوزہ (kharbūza). The watermelon is a different fruit with its own word, تربوز (tarbūz).
Meaning: large sweet fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Pakistan | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| خربوزہ | kharbūza | muskmelon |
| تربوز | tarbūz | watermelon |
Both fruits are summer favorites and sold in carts on roadsides. They are often cut and shared after a meal in hot weather.
Which one should you use?
English "melon" covers both fruits, but Urdu keeps them apart. Ask for خربوزہ (kharbūza) for the pale, fragrant melon and تربوز (tarbūz) for the red watermelon.
Did you know?
- Both خربوزہ (kharbūza) and تربوز (tarbūz) came into Urdu from Persian, where they have the same shapes.
Examples in context
- خربوزہ بہت میٹھا ہےkharbūza bohat mīṭhā haiThe melon is very sweet
- گرمی میں تربوز کھاتے ہیںgarmī meñ tarbūz khāte haiñWe eat watermelon in the heat
Example conversation
A fruit seller, Bashir, serves Sumaira at a roadside cart in Sargodha.
- Sumairaیہ خربوزہ میٹھا ہے؟yeh kharbūza mīṭhā hai?Is this melon sweet?
- Bashirجی بالکل، چکھ لیں۔jī bilkul, chakh leñ.Yes of course, taste it.
- Sumairaٹھیک ہے، ایک دے دیں۔ṭhīk hai, ek de deñ.All right, give me one.
