Word Meaning
खानों
khānoñ
hinoun (masculine plural oblique
Meaning
Meals, food; acts of swallowing grief and anger.
Detailed Meaning
Literally denotes foods, meals, or items of nourishment. In this couplet, it functions as a pun on the idioms 'gham khana' (to endure grief) and 'ghussa khana' (to swallow anger), implying that the speaker's sustenance comes solely from consuming suffering.
Etymology
Sanskrit खादन (khādana) via Prakrit to Hindi/Urdu کھانا (khānā).
Usage
Often used punningly in Urdu poetry alongside the verbal idiom 'gham khana' to equate emotional suffering with one's daily bread.
Examples
Surviving on grief as nourishment
A table laid with many meals
Synonyms
ख़ुराकग़िज़ाआहार
Related Words
खानाम'ईशतनिवालारोटी