A Thousand Splendid Suns Vocabulary
1. Harami- illegitimate, child born out of wedlock.
2. Kolba- a small shack.
3. Jinn- supernatural creatures in Arab mythology. They can be good, evil, or neutrally
benevolent.
4. Sufi- a Muslim mystic.
5. Dil- heart, love, passion
6. Didi- sister
7. Kinchini- derogatory word meaning prostitute.
8. Tandoor- a clay oven.
9. Arbab- boss, master, landlord; a Middle eastern title used by tribal leaders.
10. Kichiri- rice and lentils dish
11. Dishlemeh- a sweet candy made mostly of sugar
12. Mullah- Muslim man or woman educated in Islamic theology and sacred law.
13. Akhund- religious leader
14. Namaz- 5 daily prayers that are part of the 5 Pillars of Faith
15. Alef, beh, seh- letters in the Arabic alphabet
16. Bulbul bird- medium sized songbird
17. Tasbeh- type of Muslim rosary beads for saying prayers
18. Allah- name of God in Arabic
19. Akbar- great
20. Sahib- master, holder, owner.
21. Tahamul- to endure, experience.
22. Arbab- tribal leader title
23. Hijab- Islamic headscarf
24. Mashallah- Islamic for “whatever God wills”
25. Minaret- a tall slender tower, typically part of a mosque, with a balcony from which a
muezzin calls Muslims to prayer.
26. Plane tree- a genus of trees that contains maples and sycamores
27. Quinces- a yellow fruit, similar in appearance to a pear.
28. Gari- horse drawn cart, wagon, or carriage
29. Chapan- type of coat worn over clothes during wintertime
30. Hookah- water pipe for smoking tobacco
31. Dokhtar jo- dear daughter or girl.
32. Bas- enough
33. Bia- come here.
34. Matryoshka dolls- a set of wooden dolls of decreasing size placed one inside the other.
35. Sabzi- herbs, or greens
36. Aush soup- beef noodle soup
37. Surah- chapter
38. Ayat- verse
39. No na fahmidi- you do not understand.
40. Khastegar- a man who is willing to marry a girl.
41. Farsi- a modern version of old Persian language that is spoken in Iran, Afghanistan and
Tajikistan
42. Pashto- language spoken in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
43. Moochi- shoe repairman
44. Nikka- marriage
45. Agha- an honorific title used in some Muslim countries
46. Tabreek- congratulations
47. Deh-Mazang- a neighborhood in the city of Kabul
48. Tashakor- thanks
49. Azan- Muslim call to prayer
50. Fahmidi- understand
51. La illah u ilillah- there is no God but Allah
52. Burqa- an enveloping outer garment worn by some women in Islamic societies that
cover their bodies when in public
53. Wallah o billah- never a moments rest
54. Rupiah- form of currency where approximately 12,000 rupiah = 1 US dollar
55. Salaam khala jan- peace dear aunt
56. Hamshira- sister, just not in the biological sense
57. Sofrah- type of tablecloth
58. Daal- dish of lentils with spices
59. Aftawa- water pitcher
60. Nang and namoos- pride and honor or dignity
61. Logari- type of music in Afghanistan
62. Poostin- fur lined sheepskin coat
63. Ramadan- the 9th month of the Islamic calendar; Muslims worldwide observe this as a
month of fasting
64. Iftar- the evening meal when Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset.
65. Qurma- type of stew
66. Eid-ul-Fitr- Feast of breaking the fast; it is an important Muslim holiday at the end of
Ramadan.
67. Eid Mubarak- traditional Muslim greeting usually reserved for Eid-ul-Fitr or Eid-ul-Adha.
68. Chaman- the capital of Qilla Abdullah district, Balochistan, Pakistan
69. Sujda- kneeling
70. Borani- Persian appetizer with yogurt
71. Aushak- pasta dumplings filled with scallions, with a meat sauce on top
72. Harmonium- A type of musical instrument with a bellows and reed organ
73. Tabla- a type of small drums
74. Namaz- ritualistic prayer in Islam
75. Hamam- Turkish version of the Roman bath
76. Inshallah- God willing, or if Allah wills.
77. Kofr- sacrilege
78. Bebakhsh-sorry.
79. Chup ko- shut up
80. Watan- homeland, country, or nation
81. Hamwatans- compatriot
82. Nepotism- the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or
friends, especially by giving them jobs.
83. Aristocracy- the highest class in certain societies, especially among those holding
hereditary titles or offices.
84. Pari- beautiful woman, angel, fairy
85. Ghazals- poetic form of rhyming couplets and a refrain.
86. Jihad- Arabic word meaning struggle or resisting.
87. Inqilabi- Azerbaijani term meaning revolutionary
88. Coup- a sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government.
89. Mujahideen- those who engage in struggle (Jihad)
90. Moalim- teacher
91. Badmash- Hindi word that means naughty.
92. Aroos- Arabic word meaning bride.
93. Shokr e Khoda- praying to God for your good fortune.
94. Shorwa- soup
95. Mozahem- intruder
96. Panjpar- card game similar to poker.
97. Giryanok- crybaby
98. Pakol- an Afghan cap, a soft round top men’s hat, typically made of wool.
99. Fatiha- the first chapter of the Qur’an; funeral
100.
Khatm- funeral
101.
Shaheed- a Muslim martyr
102.
Pajalusta- Russian for you are welcome.
103.
Koochi- Afghan Pashtun nomads of the Ghilzai tribal confederacy.
104.
Badar- Arabic meaning full moon
105.
Hazara- Persian speaking people who live in central Afghanistan.
106.
Chutney- a type of Indian sauce.
107.
KHAD- secret police of Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation.
108.
Mantu- beef or lamb dumplings
109.
Rafiq- friend
110.
Loya Jirga- “grand assembly”. It is used to choose a new head of state in case of
death, adopt a new Constitution, or to settle regional or national issues such as war.
111.
Ustad Sarahang- Afghan musician.
112.
Dogh- Afghan yogurt drink that is served cold.
113.
Mastawa- a dish of rice, lentils, beef and yogurt.
114.
Ho bacha- hey kid
115.
Ustad Awal Mir- Afghan musician who sang patriotic Pashto songs.
116.
Kalashnikov- AK-47
117.
Tofangdar- riflemen
118.
Inshallah- God willing, or if Allah wills
119.
Nau socha- good as new
120.
Salaam- peace
121.
Khodaya- oh God
122.
Tumban- a long loose shirt that hangs below the knees
123.
Alhamdulellah- all praise and thanks to God
124.
Zahmat- bother
125.
Lorry- truck for transporting goods
126.
Lotfan- please
127.
Kenarab- a dirty nasty place
128.
Ambagh-fool, loser, shamed
129.
Gap Bezan- talk
130.
Wallah- I promise by God
131.
Dehati- a rural person, a villager
132.
Diwana- crazy or mad
133.
Malika- queen
134.
Dokhtar e Jawan- young woman
135.
Almari- a wardrobe or closet
136.
Sharab- wine
137.
Gul- flower, rose
138.
Buzkashi- a central Asian sport where horse mounted players attempt to drag a
goat’s carcass toward a goal.
139.
Pahlawan- warrior
140.
Degeh- other
141.
Dozd- thief
142.
Khosh shodi- are you happy now
143.
Bacha- baby boy
144.
Espandi smoke- smoke from a dried herb used to keep one safe from evil.
145.
Yaklenga- one foot, cripple
146.
Khayat- tailor
147.
Chai- Indian tea of boiled tea leaves with milk, sugar, and cardamom
148.
Halwa- a sweet Indian dish of carrots or semolina, boiled with milk, almonds,
sugar, butter, and cardamom
149.
Khala- aunty
150.
Shaitan- devil, Satan or evil spirit
151.
Khar- donkey; can be used to describe someone who is dumb or an idiot
152.
Ona- girls
153.
Visa- an endorsement on a passport indicating that the holder is allowed to
enter, leave, or stay for a certain amount of time in a country.
154.
Biwa- a widow
155.
Sawab- spiritual merit or reward that accrues from the performance of good
deeds.
156.
Bov- bus
157.
Kaka- uncle
158.
Qanoon- law
159.
Aishee- milk
160.
Taliban- an Islamic fundamentalist political movement in Afghanistan
161.
Madrasas- educational institution, either religious or secular
162.
Risha- roots
163.
Kafir- a person who is not a Muslim; an infidel
164.
Watan- homeland, heimat, country, or nation
165.
Mahram- unmarriageable kin with whom sexual intercourse would be considered
incestuous, a punishable taboo.
166.
Rubab- a lute like musical instrument
167.
Tambouras- a Greek traditional stringed instrument of Byzantine origins.
168.
Surah of Ikhlas- chapter 112 of the Qur’an
169.
Surah of fatiha- chapter 1 of the Qur’an
170.
Raqats- movements and words followed by Muslims while offering prayers to
God
171.
Deltoid- muscle that forms the round contour of the shoulder.
172.
Jelabi- deep fried wheat batter in a circular or pretzel shape covered in sugar
syrup.
173.
Wahshis- savages
174.
Naswar- moist, powdered tobacco snuff consumed in Afghanistan
175.
Deodars- Himalayan cedar trees
176.
Jerry can- metal 5 gallon fuel can
177.
Dysentery- inflammation of the intestines that causes bloody diarrhea, usually
caused by contaminated food or water.
178.
Tuberculosis (TB)- a contagious bacterial infection that involves the lungs
179.
Noqul candy- sugar coated almonds
180.
Samovar house- tea house
181.
Chapli kebab- a flat patty of beef or chicken, with onions and spices.
182.
Mehman- guest
183.
Pashtunwali- non-written ethical code and traditional lifestyle of the Pashtun
people.
184.
syrup
Gaaz- nougat made with egg white, pistachio or almond kernels, sugar and corn