Word Meaning
जीते-जी
jīte-jī
Meaning
While alive, during one's lifetime, or as long as life lasts.
Detailed Meaning
In Urdu and Hindi poetry, 'jīte-jī' signifies the state or duration of being alive. In the given couplet, it highlights the transient nature of worldly relationships, emphasizing that all kinships and loyalties endure only while one is breathing. Once life ends, such attachments vanish instantly.
Etymology
Derived from the Indo-Aryan root 'jīv' (to live), giving rise to the Hindi-Urdu verb 'jīnā' used here in the reduplicated participle form.
Usage
Frequently invoked in the ghazal tradition to lament the fleeting loyalty of friends during life compared to the cold abandonment that follows death.
Examples
None inquired after my condition while I was alive.
There was no freedom from this cage as long as life lasted.