Word Meaning
स'ई
sa'ī
hinoun (feminine)
Meaning
Effort, striving, toil, endeavor, or diligent attempt.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'sa'i' denotes earnest striving, toil, or human endeavor. In this couplet, Ghalib invokes it to highlight the futility of personal exertion against inexorable misfortune. Even without natural pests like locusts, human effort cannot prevent the harvest from being consumed by fate.
Etymology
Arabic (سَعْي, sa'y), from the root s-'-y, meaning 'to walk briskly', 'to pace', or 'to strive earnestly'.
Usage
In ghazal poetry, it is frequently combined with compounds like 'sa'i-e-la-hasil' (fruitless striving) to emphasize the tragic limitation of human will against cosmic fate.
Examples
sa'i-e-la-hasil ka koi sila na mila
khatm hui dil ki har ek sa'i-e-vafa
Synonyms
कोशिशजद्दोजहदतगो-दौमेहनत
Related Words
स'ई-ए-लाहासिलसा'ईमस्आ