ਭੈਣ
bhaiṇ/pɛ˨.ɳə̆/
The Punjabi word for sister is ਭੈਣ (bhaiṇ).
ਭੈਣ refers to a woman or girl having the same parents. In social settings, it is also used as a respectful way to address any woman who is of a similar age or slightly younger than you.
Meaning: woman or girl having the same parents (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is bhaiṇ. It has two syllables: /pɛ˨.ɳə̆/.
When do people say it?
To express endearment towards a sister, the nickname Pari, which means fairy, is often used.
Did you know?
- In Punjabi, the term for sister is linguistically related to the word for 'share' or 'portion', reflecting the idea of sharing a common heritage.
- In Punjabi culture, the ritual of Raksha Bandhan involves a sister tying a sacred thread around her brother's wrist to symbolize her love and his lifelong promise to protect her.
- The word ਭੈਣ is inherited from the Sanskrit word bhaginī.
Examples in context
- ਉਹ ਮੇਰੀ ਛੋਟੀ ਭੈਣ ਹੈ।oh meri chhoti bhaen hai.She is my younger sister.
- ਮੇਰੀ ਭੈਣ ਬਹੁਤ ਸਮਝਦਾਰ ਹੈ।meri bhaen bahut samajhdar hai.My sister is very intelligent.
Example conversation
Simran and Harman are talking about their family.
- ਸਿਮਰਨ Simranਕੀ ਤੁਹਾਡੀ ਕੋਈ ਭੈਣ ਹੈ?ki tuhadi koi bhaen hai?Do you have a sister?
- ਹਰਮਨ Hermanਹਾਂ, ਮੇਰੀ ਇੱਕ ਭੈਣ ਹੈ।han, meri ik bhaen hai.Yes, I have one sister.
- ਸਿਮਰਨ Simranਉਹ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਨਾਲ ਰਹਿੰਦੀ ਹੈ?oh tuhade naal rehndi hai?Does she live with you?
- ਹਰਮਨ Hermanਨਹੀਂ, ਉਹ ਪੜ੍ਹਾਈ ਕਰ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ।nahin, oh padhai kar rahi hai.No, she is studying.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sister” translations and entries ਭੈਣ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ਭੈਣ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
