Word Meaning
ना-आश्ना
nā-āshnā
hiadjective
Meaning
Unacquainted, stranger, unfamiliar, or alien.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'nā-āshnā' describes someone who acts like a stranger or lacks familiarity. In this couplet, it characterizes the beloved's inconsistent temperament, alternating between intimacy and sudden cold estrangement.
Etymology
Persian compound formed from the negative prefix 'nā-' (not) and 'āshnā' (known, familiar, acquainted).
Usage
Commonly contrasted with 'āshnā' in the ghazal tradition to evoke the torment of the beloved's fickle and detached affection.
Examples
Passing by like a stranger after years of intimacy
A heart utterly unacquainted with love
Synonyms
बेगानाअजनबीनावाक़िफ़अनजान
Related Words
आश्नाआश्नाईना-आश्नाई