بو
bo/buː/feminine
The English word "smell" is translated into Urdu as بو (bo). Wiktionary also lists بُو (bū).
Meaning: sensation (noun)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| بو | bo | /buː/ (Standard, Urdu) /boː/ (Standard, Urdu) |
feminine |
| بُو | bū | feminine |
The word refers to the sensation of smell. The term مہک is a poetic and formal term for smell.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is feminine. To express the action of using one's nose to sense a smell, the verb سُونگْھنا is used.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as /buː/ (bo).
Did you know?
- The verb سُونگْھنا used for the action of smelling is often used figuratively in Urdu to mean 'to investigate' or 'to probe' into a matter.
- The word بو comes from Classical Persian, reflecting the deep historical influence of Persian on the courtly and literary language of South Asia.
- The poetic term مہک is used almost exclusively for pleasant fragrances, such as the scent of flowers or perfume.
Examples in context
- نہانے کے بعد بو لگ رہی تھی۔There was a smell after taking a bath.
- اس پھول کی بو بہت اچھی ہے۔is phool ki boo bohat achi hai.The smell of this flower is very good.
- کچن سے پرانی بو آ رہی ہے۔kitchen se purani boo aa rahi hai.An old smell is coming from the kitchen.
Example conversation
Aisha and Umar are in the living room near an open window.
- عائشہ Ayeshaعمر، کیا آپ کو باہر سے بو آ رہی ہے؟Umar, kya aap ko bahar se boo aa rahi hai?Umar, can you smell something from outside?
- عمر Omarہاں عائشہ، یہ بو بہت عجیب ہے۔Han Aisha, yeh boo bohat ajeeb hai.Yes Aisha, this smell is very strange.
- عائشہ Ayeshaشاید یہ بارش کے بعد کی بو ہے۔Shayad yeh barish ke baad ki boo hai.Maybe it is the smell after the rain.
- عمر Omarہاں، یہ مٹی کی بو لگ رہی ہے۔Han, yeh mitti ki boo lag rahi hai.Yes, it feels like the smell of earth.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “smell” translations and entries بو, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries بو, CC BY-SA 4.0.
