Word Meaning
काँ
kāñ
hinoun
Meaning
A mine, quarry, or subterranean source of minerals and ores.
Detailed Meaning
In Persian and Urdu, 'kān' denotes a mine or underground source where metals and gems reside before extraction. In this couplet, it represents the mine where raw iron lies, already trembling with excitement at the thought of becoming fetters for the passionate lover. Ghalib personifies the unmined metal as possessing an innate instinct to serve madness.
Etymology
Persian کان (kān), meaning mine or quarry.
Usage
In classical Urdu ghazal, it is often employed in idioms like 'kān-e-namak' (salt mine) or to invoke the raw, destined origin of precious stones and metals.
Examples
Restless within the mine before the hammer fell.
A diamond slumbering in the darkness of the mine.
Synonyms
खानखदानमादन
Related Words
आहनजौहरमादन