Word Meaning
काटी
kāṭī
Meaning
Passed, spent, or endured painful time; feminine past tense of to cut or spend.
Detailed Meaning
In Urdu poetics, the verb 'काटना' (kāṭnā) is frequently used metaphorically for enduring a painful stretch of time, particularly the agonies of nocturnal separation. In this couplet, it describes surviving or passing the seemingly endless night of parting ('रात-ए-जुदाई'), presented in stark contrast to the fleeting day of union. It conveys the labor, patience, and grief required to live through each slow, agonizing hour.
Etymology
Derived from Sanskrit कृन्तति (kṛntati) / कर्तन (kartana, cutting), through Prakrit कट्टइ (kaṭṭaï), developing into Hindi/Urdu काटना (kāṭnā).
Usage
Frequently paired with 'रात' (raat) or 'शब' (shab) to evoke the agonizingly slow passage of a night of abandonment.
Examples
Spent the night of sorrow awake
Endured the heavy night of grief