Word Meaning
सीपी
sīpī
hinoun (feminine)
Meaning
A seashell or oyster shell, often metaphor for the ear.
Detailed Meaning
Literally refers to a seashell or the bivalve shell of an oyster that houses a pearl. In classical Urdu and Persian poetry, the ear is frequently compared to a seashell due to its shape and receptivity to speech, which is figured as a pearl. In this couplet, the beloved's speech is likened to a pearl and their ear to a shell.
Etymology
Sanskrit शुक्ति (śukti) / Hindi-Prakrit सीप (sīp).
Usage
In ghazal tradition, 'sīp' or 'sīpī' (often Perso-Arabic 'sadaf') is conventionally paired with 'gohar' or 'motī' (pearl) to symbolize the ear listening to sweet words.
Examples
sīpī sā gosh-e-yār
moti banā har ek qatra jo sīpī meñ girā
Synonyms
सीपसदफ़शुक्ति
Related Words
मोतीगोशगौहरदरिया