Word Meaning
कान
kaan
hinoun, masculine
Meaning
Ear, the organ of hearing.
Detailed Meaning
Literally refers to the anatomical ear. In this couplet, it evokes the vivid everyday posture of a professional scribe or clerk tucking a reed pen behind the ear while stepping out for work. Poetically, it also figures in idioms relating to listening closely, heedfulness, or intentional deafness to lovers' laments.
Etymology
Sanskrit कर्ण (karṇa) > Prakrit कण्ण (kaṇṇa) > Hindi/Urdu कान (kaan).
Usage
In classical Urdu poetry, it frequently appears in idioms like 'kaan dharnaa' (to pay heed) or in physical sketches of street clerks and scribes.
Examples
Keeping a reed pen behind the ear
To lend an ear to the complaints of the heart
Synonyms
कर्णगोशश्रवण
Related Words
क़लमसुननाआवाज़