همچو

Persian

Etymology

Apocope of همچون (hamčo, “such, like”)

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [ham.t͡ʃu]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [häm.t͡ʃʰʊ]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [häm.t͡ʃʰʊ]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [ʔäm.t͡ʃʰʊ]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [ʔäm.t͡ʃʰu]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [hæm.t͡ʃʰo]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [häm.t͡ʃʰu]

Readings
Classical reading?	hamču
Dari reading?	hamču
Iranian reading?	hamčo
Tajik reading?	hamču

Dari	همچو
Iranian Persian
Tajik	ҳамчу

Preposition

همچو • (hamčo)

1. such, as
2. like
   • c. 1260s, Jalāl ad-Dīn Mohammad Rūmī, translated by Reynold A. Nicholson, مثنوی معنوی [Masnavi-ye-Ma'navi], volume II, verse 92:

     کی ببینم روی خود را ای عجب
     تا چه رنگم همچو روزم یا چو شب‏

     kay bi-bīnam rōy-i xwad rā ay 'ajab
     tā či rang-am hamču rōz-am yā šab

     How, I wonder, shall I behold my own face,
     so as to see what complexion I have and whether I am like day or like night?

References

• Hayyim, Sulayman (1934) “همچو”, in New Persian–English dictionary, Teheran: Librairie-imprimerie Béroukhim