Word Meaning
शोख़ियाँ
shokhiyāñ
Meaning
Coquettishness, playful mischief, vivacity, or charming teasing.
Detailed Meaning
In Urdu poetics, 'shokhiyan' denotes the lively, coquettish, and teasing charms characteristic of the beloved. In this couplet by Iqbal, it conveys the lament that the captivating vivacity and spirit of beauty have vanished alongside the intensity of love. The term highlights a nostalgic contrast between past grand passion and present spiritual decline.
Etymology
Persian: derived from 'shokh' (playful, insolent, bold) combined with abstract suffix '-i' and the plural ending '-an'.
Usage
Commonly employed in the ghazal to portray the charming, elusive, and provocative demeanor of the beloved that torments the lover.
Examples
The playful coquetry of glances that stole my composure.
Where have those lively charms of youthful beauty gone?