हिजड़ा

See also: हीजड़ा

Hindi

Etymology

Likely a derivative from Ashokan Prakrit *𑀳𑀺𑀚𑁆𑀚 (*hijja), whence हीज (hīj, “defective; cowardly”). Some have suggested a formation from Arabic ه ج ر (h-j-r), relating to "fleeing" or "departure" from the verb هَجَرَ (hajara, “emigrate, to abandon”), but this derivation is inconclusive. Cognate with Punjabi ਹਿਜੜਾ (hijṛā) / ہجڑا (hijṛā), Gujarati હીજડો (hījḍo), Marathi हिजडा (hij̈ḍā), Bengali হিজড়া (hijoṛa), Odia ହିଜଡ଼ (hijôṛô), Sinhalese [script needed] (hījiṛo).

Pronunciation

• (Delhi Hindi) IPA^(key): /ɦɪd͡ʒ.ɽɑː/, [ɦɪd͡ʒ.ɽäː]

Noun

हिजड़ा • (hijṛā) m (Urdu spelling ہجڑا)

1. hijra; a eunuch

   Synonym: (derogatory) छक्का (chakkā)

2. impotent male

Declension

Declension of हिजड़ा (masc ā-stem)

	singular	plural
direct	हिजड़ा hijṛā	हिजड़े hijṛe
oblique	हिजड़े hijṛe	हिजड़ों hijṛõ
vocative	हिजड़े hijṛe	हिजड़ो hijṛo

References

• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “hijja”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press