ख़ाँ

Meaning

Noble title, chieftain, or surname; here part of a proper name.

Detailed Meaning

Originally a Turco-Mongol title denoting a ruler, sovereign, or military commander, it became widely used in South Asia as an honorific title and family surname. In this couplet, it forms an integral part of the poet's official name, Mirza Asadullah Khan 'Ghalib'. The poet uses his own aristocratic name in a self-elegy, humorously yet mournfully mourning his own demise.

Etymology

Turco-Mongol origin, adopted into Persian as 'خان' (Khān) and poetically rendered as 'خاں' (Khāñ).

Usage

In classical Urdu ghazal, poets often employ the nasalized form 'ख़ाँ' rather than 'ख़ान' to satisfy the strict requirements of meter and rhyme.

Examples

Synonyms

Related Words