گورا
gorā/ɡoː.ɾɑː/
The Urdu phrase for "white person" is گورا (gorā).
The term is used to describe white people or individuals with fair skin.
What does it mean word for word?
The word گورا is derived from an adjective meaning "fair-skinned" or "white".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term گورا is an informal and colloquial word. Depending on the context, it can sometimes be used in a slightly reductive or informal way.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regions, such as Punjab, the form گوری is used to specifically refer to a white woman.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word changes based on gender and number: گوری is the feminine form and گوروں is the plural form.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as gorā (/ɡoː.ɾɑː/).
Did you know?
- The term is often used in the phrase گورا صاحب 'white master' to refer to British colonial officials, a relic of the linguistic habits from the British Raj era.
- The word گورا shares an ancient root with the Sanskrit word for 'golden' or 'yellowish', reflecting how early South Asians perceived fair skin as a warm or metallic hue rather than a pure white.
- The feminine version گوری is not just a grammatical shift but is often used in poetry to describe a beautiful woman.
Examples in context
- وہ ایک گورا آدمی ہے۔voh ek gora aadmi hai.He is a white man.
- کیا وہ گورا شخص آپ کا دوست ہے؟kya voh gora shakhs aap ka dost hai?Is that white person your friend?
Example conversation
Hamza and Aisha are talking about a new neighbor.
- حمزہ Hamzaہمارے نئے پڑوسی گورا ہیں۔Hamare naye parosi gora hain.Our new neighbors are white.
- عائشہ Ayeshaکیا وہ انگریز ہیں؟Kya woh Angrez hain?Are they British?
- حمزہ Hamzaہاں، وہ ایک گورا خاندان ہے۔Haan, woh ek gora khandaan hai.Yes, they are a white family.
- عائشہ Ayeshaیہ تو بہت اچھی بات ہے۔Yeh toh bohat achi baat hai.That is a very good thing.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry گورا, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries گورا, CC BY-SA 4.0.
