Word Meaning
निशाँ
nishaan
hinoun
Meaning
Mark, sign, trace, track, or imprint.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'nishāñ' refers to a trace, imprint, or outward symbol left behind by an event or emotion. In this couplet, it denotes the visible stains or tracks of bloody tears on the lover's torn collar. The vanishing of these marks underscores a progression toward absolute ruin, where even the traces of active weeping turn barren.
Etymology
Persian 'nishān' (نشان), signifying mark, emblem, signal, or trace.
Usage
Commonly invoked in ghazals to signify footprints of the beloved, scars of wounded hearts, or the vanishing relics of a past passion.
Examples
The trace of prostration remained upon the brow.
No sign was left of the wanderer in the desert.
Synonyms
दाग़चिह्नसुराग़अलम
Related Words
निशानीबे-निशाँनिशाना