piling
/pɪˈlɪŋɡ/
The word for tiger in Kurdish is piling. Wiktionary also lists بەور (bewr).
Meaning: The mammal Panthera tigris (noun)
Ways to say it
| Kurdish | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| piling | /pɪˈlɪŋɡ/ | |
| بەور | bewr | /bau̯ɾ/ |
The term refers to the mammal Panthera tigris.
Which one should you use?
piling is the default form, while بەور is an alternative form of the word.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɪˈlɪŋɡ/
Did you know?
- The term بەور shares an ancestor with the Middle Persian word babr, which is also related to the Hindi word 'bagh' for tiger.
- In certain Kurdish dialects, calling someone a 'tiger' is not an insult, but a way to praise their unstoppable and fierce temperament.
- Using the word بەور in a modern conversation can make a speaker sound like they are reading from an ancient text.
Examples in context
- Piling to xurt û mezin e.The tiger is strong and large.
- Min wêneya pilingekê girt.I took a photo of a tiger.
- Piling di nav daran de dijî.The tiger lives among the trees.
Example conversation
Sarya and Heval are looking at a picture book of animals.
- SaryaHeval, li vê wêneyê binêre.Heval, look at this picture.
- HevalEv pilinge?Is this a tiger?
- SaryaBelê, pilingekî mezin e.Yes, it is a big tiger.
- HevalZêde xweş e.It is very beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tiger” translations and entries piling, بەور, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries piling, بەور, CC BY-SA 4.0.
