Word Meaning
औराक़ी
aurāqī
Meaning
Leafiness, foliage, or the state of possessing leaves.
Detailed Meaning
Derived from 'aurāq' (the plural of 'waraq', meaning leaf), the word denotes foliage or the condition of bearing leaves. In the cited couplet, it appears in the compound 'kam-aurāqī' (scantiness of foliage), conveying that the branch sheltering the nest had too few leaves to conceal the bird from the hunter. It underscores vulnerability caused by the bareness of autumn.
Etymology
Arabic 'waraq' (leaf) -> broken plural 'awrâq' + Persian abstract/relational suffix '-ī'.
Usage
In ghazal poetry, it is rarely used alone and most frequently occurs in compounds like 'kam-aurāqī' to symbolize exposure, autumnal decay, or lack of shelter.
Examples
Shajar kī aurāqī ne dhūp se panāh dī.
Khizāñ ne bāġh kī har shāḳh kī aurāqī chhīn lī.