Word Meaning
दहाँ
dahan
Meaning
Mouth, orifice, or lips, often symbolizing delicate beauty or non-existence in poetry.
Detailed Meaning
In Persian and Urdu poetic traditions, 'dahan' refers to the mouth or lips of the beloved. Classical poets conventionally depict the beloved's mouth as imperceptibly tiny, delicate, or virtually non-existent, symbolizing an elusive mystery. In this couplet, it represents the beloved's exquisite mouth and waist as the sole objects of desire and poetic fascination.
Etymology
Persian 'dahan' (دہن / دہاں), meaning mouth or opening.
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, the beloved's mouth ('dahan') is frequently paired with the slender waist ('kamar') as an archetype of delicate, almost metaphysical beauty.
Examples
tang dahan (narrow mouth)
nuktah-e-dahan (the subtle point of the mouth)