Word Meaning
बद-ख़ूयाँ
bad-khūyāñ
Meaning
Ill-tempered, cruel, or harsh people, conventionally referring to disdainful beloveds.
Detailed Meaning
This is the Persian animate plural of 'bad-khū', meaning people of an ill nature, bad temper, or cruel disposition. In the Urdu ghazal tradition, it serves as a conventional epithet for merciless beloveds who perpetually torment their devoted lovers. In this couplet, the poet observes that even the rare favor or grace of such ill-tempered beauties is paradoxically lethal.
Etymology
Persian compound of 'bad' (bad, ill) + 'khū' (temperament, disposition) + plural suffix '-ān'.
Usage
In classical ghazal poetry, 'bad-khūyāñ' personifies the archetypal beloveds whose customary cruelty and fickle temperament torment the helpless lover.
Examples
lutf-e-bad-khūyāñ (the favor of ill-tempered ones)
jafā-e-bad-khūyāñ (the cruelty of harsh beloveds)