Body Parts in Punjabi: 50 Essential Words

ਸਿਰ ਤੋਂ ਪੈਰਾਂ ਤੱਕ (sir ton pairaan takk) — head to toe. That phrase alone contains two body part words, one postposition, and a grammatical pattern that runs through the whole vocabulary set. Punjabi body vocabulary is dense, culturally loaded, and practically useful in ways that go well beyond medical visits. You need it to describe people, to understand idioms, to follow folk songs, and to talk to a doctor when something actually hurts. This post covers fifty words, the plural forms for paired parts, the idioms built from the body, and the one phrase that matters most when something goes wrong.

Head and Face

The head is ਸਿਰ (sir, /sɪr/) in Punjabi. Not sar as some Hindi speakers expect — the vowel is the short i of sit, not the open a of car. The distinction matters because Punjabi tones and vowel lengths are carrying meaning across the lexicon.

Body part	Gurmukhi	Romanization	IPA
Head	ਸਿਰ	sir	/sɪr/
Hair	ਵਾਲ਼	vaal	/ʋaːl̤/
Face	ਚਿਹਰਾ	chehra	/tʃɪɦraː/
Forehead	ਮੱਥਾ	mattha	/məttʰaː/
Eye	ਅੱਖ	akh	/əkʰ/
Eyebrow	ਭਰਵੱਟਾ	bharwatta	/bʰərʋəʈʈaː/
Nose	ਨੱਕ	nakk	/nəkk/
Ear	ਕੰਨ	kann	/kənn/
Mouth	ਮੂੰਹ	moonh	/muːⁿɦ/
Lips	ਬੁੱਲ੍ਹ	bullh	/bʊlːʰ/
Teeth	ਦੰਦ	dand	/d̪ənd̪/
Tongue	ਜੀਭ	jeebh	/d͡ʒiːbʰ/
Throat	ਗਲਾ	gala	/gəlaː/
Neck	ਗਰਦਨ	gardan	/gərd̪ən/

ਮੱਥਾ (mattha, forehead) appears far more often in Punjabi daily life than you might expect. ਮੱਥਾ ਟੇਕਣਾ (mattha tekna) — to touch one's forehead to the ground in reverence — is the standard term for bowing before the Guru Granth Sahib or at a shrine. It is performed at every gurdwara visit and referenced constantly in religious speech. Knowing the forehead word unlocks one of the most common ritual phrases in Sikh life.

Trunk and Torso

Body part	Gurmukhi	Romanization	IPA
Shoulder	ਮੋਢਾ	modha	/moːɖʰaː/
Chest	ਛਾਤੀ	chhaati	/tʃʰaːʈiː/
Heart	ਦਿਲ	dil	/d̪ɪl/
Stomach	ਢਿੱਡ	dhidd	/ɖɪdd/
Back	ਪਿੱਠ	pitth	/pɪʈʈʰ/
Waist	ਕਮਰ	kamar	/kəmər/
Navel	ਨਾਭ	naabh	/naːbʰ/
Hip	ਕੁੱਲ੍ਹਾ	kullha	/kʊlːʰaː/

ਢਿੱਡ (dhidd, stomach) is distinctively Punjabi. Where Hindi would often say pet, Punjabi speakers say dhidd, and the difference signals which language someone actually grew up speaking. "ਢਿੱਡ ਭਰ ਗਿਆ" (dhidd bhar giya) — "my stomach got full" — is the natural phrase for having eaten enough, used at the table with the same frequency that "I'm full" appears in English. And ਦਿਲ (dil, heart) is worth learning not just anatomically but poetically: the Punjabi idiom vocabulary built on dil is enormous, as we will see below.

Arms, Hands, Legs, Feet

Body part	Gurmukhi	Romanization	IPA
Arm	ਬਾਂਹ	baanh	/baːⁿɦ/
Elbow	ਕੂਹਣੀ	koohni	/kuːɦɳiː/
Wrist	ਗੁੱਟ	gutt	/gʊʈʈ/
Hand	ਹੱਥ	haath	/ɦəttʰ/
Palm	ਹਥੇਲੀ	hathelee	/ɦətʰeːliː/
Finger	ਉਂਗਲ਼	ungal	/ũːgəl̤/
Thumb	ਅੰਗੂਠਾ	angoothaa	/əŋguːʈʰaː/
Nail	ਨਹੁੰ	nahun	/nəɦũː/
Thigh	ਪੱਟ	patt	/pəʈʈ/
Knee	ਗੋਡਾ	goda	/goːɖaː/
Leg / Foot	ਪੈਰ	pair	/pɛːr/
Ankle	ਗਿੱਟਾ	gitta	/gɪʈʈaː/
Toe	ਪੈਰ ਦੀ ਉਂਗਲ਼	pair di ungal	/pɛːr d̪iː ũːgəl̤/

ਹੱਥ (haath, hand) and ਪੈਰ (pair, foot/leg) are two of the highest-frequency body words you will encounter. They appear in greetings, in gestures, and in religious context. Touching the feet of an elder — ਪੈਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਛੋਹਣਾ (pairaan nu chhohna) — is a gesture of deep respect in Punjabi culture, performed by younger family members when meeting parents or grandparents after a long absence. "ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਪੈਰ ਛੋਹਣੇ ਹਨ" (tuhaade pair chhohne han) is the formal expression of that intent.

Note that ਪੈਰ covers both "leg" and "foot" depending on context — Punjabi does not have separate high-frequency words for the entire lower limb versus the terminal foot in everyday speech. ਲੱਤ (latt) exists for leg specifically, but pair is more commonly used and will be understood first.

Singular and Plural for Paired Body Parts

Punjabi pairs each body part that comes in twos with a regular plural. The pattern is almost entirely predictable: the singular ends in a consonant or short vowel, and the plural adds -ਾਂ (-aan, a long nasalized vowel) for most feminine nouns.

Singular	Gurmukhi (sing.)	Plural	Gurmukhi (pl.)	Meaning
ਅੱਖ (akh)	ਅੱਖ	ਅੱਖਾਂ (akhaan)	ਅੱਖਾਂ	eye / eyes
ਕੰਨ (kann)	ਕੰਨ	ਕੰਨਾਂ (kannaan)	ਕੰਨਾਂ	ear / ears
ਹੱਥ (haath)	ਹੱਥ	ਹੱਥਾਂ (haathaan)	ਹੱਥਾਂ	hand / hands
ਪੈਰ (pair)	ਪੈਰ	ਪੈਰਾਂ (pairaan)	ਪੈਰਾਂ	foot / feet
ਮੋਢਾ (modha)	ਮੋਢਾ	ਮੋਢਿਆਂ (modhian)	ਮੋਢਿਆਂ	shoulder / shoulders
ਗੋਡਾ (goda)	ਗੋਡਾ	ਗੋਡਿਆਂ (godian)	ਗੋਡਿਆਂ	knee / knees

The plural matters immediately in sentences. "ਮੇਰੀ ਅੱਖ ਦੁੱਖਦੀ ਹੈ" (meri akh dukkhdi hai, "my eye hurts") uses the singular. "ਮੇਰੀਆਂ ਅੱਖਾਂ ਦੁੱਖਦੀਆਂ ਹਨ" (merian akhaan dukkhdiaan han, "my eyes hurt") pluralizes both the body part and the verb and adjective endings. The verb agreement system here connects to the broader pattern of Punjabi gender and number agreement covered in the postpositions and grammar guide.

Idioms Built from the Body

Punjabi's most striking feature here is how many common idioms are built on body vocabulary. These are not literary metaphors — they appear in everyday speech, in news, in family conversations.

ਅੱਖ ਦਾ ਤਾਰਾ (akh da taara, /əkʰ d̪aː t̪aːraː/) — literally "star of the eye." Used for someone deeply loved and cherished, the apple of your eye. "ਉਹ ਮੇਰੀ ਅੱਖ ਦਾ ਤਾਰਾ ਹੈ" (oh meri akh da taara hai) — "he/she is the star of my eye," i.e., my most beloved person.

ਦਿਲ ਟੁੱਟਣਾ (dil tutna, /d̪ɪl tʊʈʈɳaː/) — literally "heart breaking." Used exactly as in English: heartbreak, disappointment, betrayal. "ਮੇਰਾ ਦਿਲ ਟੁੱਟ ਗਿਆ" (mera dil tutt giya) — "my heart broke."

ਸਿਰ ਤੇ ਹੱਥ ਰੱਖਣਾ (sir te hath rakkhna, /sɪr t̪eː ɦəttʰ rəkʰːɳaː/) — literally "to place the hand on the head." It means to offer protection or patronage to someone. An elder who takes you under their care is said to have placed their hand on your head. The image is one of blessing and responsibility simultaneously.

ਨੱਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਦਮ ਕਰਨਾ (nakk vich dam karna, /nəkk ʋɪtʃ d̪əm kərɳaː/) — literally "to put breath into the nose." Meaning: to make someone's life miserable by constant irritation. If a relative is driving you to the edge, you would say "ਉਹਨੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਨੱਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਦਮ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ" (uhne mere nakk vich dam kar ditta) — "he has put breath into my nose," i.e., he's driven me crazy.

ਹੱਥ ਪੈਰ ਮਾਰਨਾ (haath pair maarna, /ɦəttʰ pɛːr maːrɳaː/) — literally "to strike with hands and feet." The idiomatic meaning is to make every possible effort, to struggle hard. "ਉਹਨੇ ਬਹੁਤ ਹੱਥ ਪੈਰ ਮਾਰੇ ਪਰ ਨੌਕਰੀ ਨਹੀਂ ਮਿਲੀ" (uhne bahut haath pair maare par naukri nahi mili) — "he struggled hard with every effort but couldn't get the job."

These idioms come up constantly in natural Punjabi speech. They are the difference between technically correct Punjabi and Punjabi that sounds like someone who actually knows the language.

Body Language and Gesture Vocabulary

Punjabi conversation is accompanied by a set of gestures that have their own vocabulary. The most discussed among learners is the head wobble — a lateral oscillation of the head that can mean agreement, acknowledgment, or simply "I'm listening." It does not translate to "no" in Punjabi culture the way visitors sometimes fear. The motion is ਸਿਰ ਹਿਲਾਉਣਾ (sir hilauna) — literally "to shake the head."

The hand-on-chest gesture, made by placing the right palm flat against the sternum, signals sincerity or heartfelt gratitude. ਦਿਲੋਂ ਸ਼ੁਕਰੀਆ (dilon shukriya, /d̪ɪloːⁿ ʃʊkriːaː/) — "thanks from the heart" — often accompanies it. Dilon is the oblique form of dil (heart), created by the postposition implied by the sense of "from."

Learning to recognize that a Punjabi speaker who greets you with both hands pressed together — ਜੋੜੇ ਹੱਥ (jore haath, joined hands) — is performing a gesture of respect, not prayer in a Western religious sense, prevents a large category of cultural misread. The gesture is common at gurdwaras, at formal introductions, and between elder and younger family members.

Medical Phrases: When the Body Needs Attention

The most practical body vocabulary is the kind you need when something is wrong. The core phrase:

ਇਹ ਹਿੱਸਾ ਦੁੱਖਦਾ ਹੈ (eh hissa dukkhda hai, /eː ɦɪssaː d̪ʊkʰd̪aː ɦɛː/) — "this part hurts."

For referring to a specific part: replace hissa (part) with the body part name.

Punjabi phrase	Gurmukhi	Meaning
ਸਿਰ ਦੁੱਖਦਾ ਹੈ	sir dukkhda hai	my head hurts
ਢਿੱਡ ਦੁੱਖਦਾ ਹੈ	dhidd dukkhda hai	my stomach hurts
ਗਲਾ ਦੁੱਖਦਾ ਹੈ	gala dukkhda hai	my throat hurts
ਮੇਰੀ ਪਿੱਠ ਦੁੱਖਦੀ ਹੈ	meri pitth dukkhdi hai	my back hurts (fem. agreement)
ਮੇਰੀਆਂ ਅੱਖਾਂ ਸੜਦੀਆਂ ਹਨ	merian akhaan sardian han	my eyes are burning
ਕੰਨ ਵਿੱਚੋਂ ਆਵਾਜ਼ ਆ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ	kann vichon awaaz aa rahi hai	there's a sound coming from my ear

Notice the gender agreement. ਦੁੱਖਦਾ (dukkhda) is the masculine form of the verb — used with sir (head, masculine), dhidd (stomach, masculine), gala (throat, masculine). ਦੁੱਖਦੀ (dukkhdi) is the feminine form, used with pitth (back, feminine). This is the same agreement system that runs through all Punjabi adjectives and verbs — knowing it in body vocabulary context reinforces the pattern automatically. The full medical phrase toolkit, including how to describe pain intensity and duration to a Punjabi-speaking doctor, is in the medical Punjabi phrases guide.

For pointing to something you cannot name: ਇਹ ਹਿੱਸਾ (eh hissa) — "this part" — while indicating with your hand. It is clear, it is Punjabi, and it will get you understood every time.

The Words You Will Use Most

Body vocabulary behaves like family vocabulary — you learn it once and it comes up constantly. Everyday Punjabi conversation regularly involves referring to what part of the body something relates to, describing how someone looks, asking whether an elder's knee is better, noticing that a child has their grandmother's eyes. "ਤੇਰੀਆਂ ਅੱਖਾਂ ਤੇਰੀ ਦਾਦੀ ਵਰਗੀਆਂ ਹਨ" (terian akhaan teri daadi vargian han, "your eyes are like your grandmother's") is the kind of sentence that comes up at every family gathering.

The idioms listed above will mark you immediately as someone who has gone beyond basic Punjabi. Use ਅੱਖ ਦਾ ਤਾਰਾ (akh da taara) when talking about someone's beloved child, and you will get a smile of recognition that no phrasebook phrase produces. For family context and the kinship vocabulary that surrounds body language in Punjabi households, the family vocabulary guide pairs naturally with what you have learned here.

The Brightwood Apps Learn Punjabi app covers body vocabulary in a dedicated unit with native-speaker audio for every word — essential for getting the vowel lengths right on words like haath versus hath, where the long vowel is load-bearing, and for hearing the natural Punjabi rhythm of these words in real sentences before you try using them yourself.