Word Meaning
किन
Kin
hipronoun
Meaning
Which; what (plural oblique form of the interrogative pronoun).
Detailed Meaning
'Kin' is the oblique plural form of the interrogative pronoun 'kaun' (who/which/what). In this couplet, doubled as 'kin kin', it emphasizes the manifold, unbearable tribulations endured by the lover across the agonizing night of separation. It serves as a rhetorical device expressing overwhelming scale and weariness.
Etymology
From Sanskrit कः (kaḥ) through Prakrit interrogative pronominal stems developing into Hindustani.
Usage
Often reduplicated as 'kin kin' in ghazals to pose evocative rhetorical questions emphasizing an endless count of sorrows or desires.
Examples
Through what varied tortures has this heart survived?
To which people shall I narrate the agony of my spirit?
Synonyms
किसकौन
Related Words
किसकिन्हेंकितनाकिधर