عَقْل
'aqlfeminine
The English word 'mind' can be translated into Urdu as عَقْل ('aql), ذِہْن or ذِہَن.
Meaning: ability for rational thought (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| عَقْل | 'aql | feminine |
| ذِہْن | zihn | masculine |
| ذِہَن | zihan | masculine |
When referring to the ability for rational thought, the term عَقْل is used. You may also encounter the idiom عَقْل سے کام لینا, which is a common way to suggest using one's intelligence or common sense in a situation.
Which one should you use?
While all these terms relate to the mind, عَقْل refers specifically to the faculty of reason, judgment and wisdom rather than just the seat of thoughts. ذِہْن and ذِہَن are also used to denote the mind.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ذِہْن is a masculine noun and requires masculine verb agreements and adjectives.
How do you pronounce it?
'aql
Did you know?
- The word عَقْل shares its root with the Arabic word for 'shackles' or 'bridles'. It implies that reason is a tool used to bind or restrain one's impulsive desires.
- There is a common Urdu expression عَقْل پر پتھر پڑنا, which literally means 'a stone has fallen on the mind' to describe a moment of sudden confusion or stupidity.
- The word عَقْل is often paired with دل (heart) in Urdu poetry to represent the eternal struggle between rational logic and emotional passion.
Examples in context
- میرا ذہن بہت مشغول ہے۔My mind is very occupied.
- اس کام کے لیے عَقْل چاہیے۔is kaam ke liye aqal chahiye.One needs sense for this work.
- بچے کی عَقْل بہت تیز ہے۔bacche ki aqal bahut tez hai.The child's intellect is very sharp.
- اس نے عَقْل سے فیصلہ کیا۔us ne aqal se faisla kiya.He made a decision with reason.
Example conversation
Hamza and Fatima are discussing a difficult problem at work.
- فاطمہ Fatimaکیا آپ کے پاس اس کا حل ہے؟kya aap ke paas is ka hal hai?Do you have a solution for this?
- حمزہ Hamzaہمیں عَقْل سے کام لینا ہوگا۔humein aqal se kaam lena hoga.We will have to use our wits.
- فاطمہ Fatimaحمزہ، آپ کی عَقْل پر بھروسہ ہے۔hamza, aap ki aqal par bharosa hai.Hamza, I trust your intellect.
- حمزہ Hamzaشکریہ، میں کوشش کروں گا۔shukriya, mein koshish karoon ga.Thank you, I will try.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mind” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
