Idioms in Urdu - A Complete List

Explore famous Urdu idioms (محاورے) with their English meanings and literal translations. Urdu idioms are colorful expressions that add richness and depth to the language. Each idiom is presented with its original Urdu text, English equivalent, and a word-by-word literal translation to help you understand the imagery behind the expression.

Famous Urdu Idioms (مشہور اردو محاورے)

#	Urdu	English Meaning	Literal Translation
1	آنکھوں کا تارا	Apple of one's eye	Star of the eyes
2	ناک میں دم آنا	To be extremely troubled	Breath coming into the nose
3	ہاتھ پاؤں مارنا	To struggle or strive	To flail hands and feet
4	آسمان سے گرا کھجور میں اٹکا	Out of the frying pan into the fire	Fell from the sky and got stuck in a date palm
5	آنکھیں کھلنا	To have one's eyes opened	Eyes opening
6	منہ میں پانی آنا	To make one's mouth water	Water coming into the mouth
7	دل ٹوٹنا	To be heartbroken	Heart breaking
8	ہوا میں اڑنا	To be very proud or arrogant	Flying in the air
9	ناک کاٹنا	To bring shame	To cut the nose
10	آنکھ مارنا	To wink or flirt	To strike the eye
11	کان بھرنا	To poison someone's ears	To fill the ears
12	پتھر پر لکیر	Something set in stone	A line on a stone
13	ٹانگ اڑانا	To trip someone up or interfere	To fling a leg
14	دل جلنا	To be envious or angry	Heart burning
15	منہ کی کھانا	To be defeated or humiliated	To eat of the mouth
16	آنکھوں میں دھول جھونکنا	To deceive or trick someone	To blow dust into the eyes
17	نمک حرامی کرنا	To be ungrateful or to betray	To be disloyal to salt
18	اپنا اُلّو سیدھا کرنا	To serve one's own purpose	To straighten one's own owl
19	ہوائی قلعے بنانا	To build castles in the air	To build aerial castles
20	ناک بھوں چڑھانا	To frown or show displeasure	To raise the nose and eyebrows
21	تلوے چاٹنا	To flatter shamelessly	To lick the soles of feet
22	آستین کا سانپ	A snake in the grass	A snake in the sleeve
23	نقل میں بھی عقل چاہیے	Even copying requires intelligence	Even in imitation, wisdom is needed
24	گھی کے چراغ جلانا	To celebrate with great joy	To light lamps of ghee
25	پانی پانی ہونا	To be extremely ashamed	To become water water
26	آنکھ کا کانٹا	A thorn in one's side	A thorn in the eye
27	لوہے کے چنے چبانا	To face extreme hardship	To chew iron chickpeas
28	ہاتھ ملنا	To feel regret or helplessness	To rub the hands together
29	ٹوٹ کر محبت کرنا	To love deeply and completely	To love to the point of breaking
30	چراغ تلے اندھیرا	Darkness under the lamp	Darkness beneath the lantern
31	پیٹ میں چوہے دوڑنا	To be very hungry	Mice running in the stomach
32	خون خولنا	To become furious	Blood boiling
33	ہوش اڑنا	To be shocked or stunned	Senses flying away
34	زبان پر آنا	To be on the tip of the tongue	Coming onto the tongue
35	دل بہلانا	To entertain oneself	To amuse the heart
36	گھر کرنا	To settle into the mind	To make a home
37	سر اٹھانا	To rebel or revolt	To raise the head
38	ہاتھ اٹھانا	To raise a hand to hit	To raise the hand
39	کان پر جوں نہ رینگنا	To not pay attention at all	Not even a louse crawling on the ear
40	آنکھیں بچھانا	To welcome warmly	To spread the eyes
41	ناک رگڑنا	To beg or plead humbly	To rub the nose
42	دل دکھانا	To hurt someone's feelings	To pain the heart
43	کمر ٹوٹنا	To be financially or physically ruined	The back breaking
44	آنکھ کا پانی گرنا	To lose all shame	Water falling from the eye
45	نمک کھانا	To be indebted to someone	To eat someone's salt
46	سر پھرا ہونا	To be crazy or eccentric	Head gone astray
47	دانتوں تلے انگلی دبانا	To be amazed	To press finger under teeth
48	ٹکریں مارنا	To wander aimlessly for help	To bump into things
49	گل کھلانا	To do something embarrassing	To make flowers bloom
50	آنکھ دکھانا	To threaten or intimidate	To show the eye
51	نو دو گیارہ ہونا	To run away or flee	Nine two eleven
52	دل پسیجنا	To feel pity or compassion	Heart melting
53	کان کھڑے ہونا	To become alert	Ears standing up
54	ناک کٹنا	To be disgraced	Nose being cut
55	زبان کھینچنا	To take back one's words	To pull the tongue
56	ہاتھ دھو بیٹھنا	To lose something forever	To wash hands and sit
57	دل لگانا	To fall in love	To attach the heart
58	خون کے آنسو رونا	To weep bitterly	To cry tears of blood
59	پتنگ باز ہونا	To be very cunning	To be a kite flyer
60	منہ پھلانا	To sulk	To swell the face
61	بال بیکا نہ ہونا	To remain completely unharmed	Not a hair going astray
62	سر آنکھوں پر	Gladly accepted	On my head and eyes
63	گھوڑے بیچ کر سونا	To sleep without any worry	To sell the horses and sleep
64	اینٹ سے اینٹ بجانا	To destroy completely	To strike brick against brick
65	چھکے چھڑانا	To defeat badly	To loosen the sixes
66	تیر بہدف لگنا	To hit the mark exactly	Arrow hitting the target
67	دھول میں ملانا	To destroy or humiliate	To mix in the dust
68	آبرو لٹنا	To be publicly disgraced	Honor being looted
69	پیر جمانا	To establish a firm foothold	Planting the feet
70	الٹی گنگا بہانا	To do the opposite of what is expected	To flow the Ganges backwards
71	کلیجا ٹھنڈا ہونا	To feel satisfied or relieved	Liver becoming cool
72	کلیجا منہ کو آنا	To be extremely distressed	Liver coming to the mouth
73	روٹی کا سوال ہونا	To be a matter of livelihood	It being a question of bread
74	دودھ کا جلا چھاچھ بھی پھونک پھونک کر پیتا ہے	Once bitten twice shy	Burnt by milk, blows on buttermilk too
75	آگ لگانا	To instigate trouble	To set fire
76	آنکھ اٹھا کر نہ دیکھنا	To completely ignore	To not even lift the eyes to look
77	پانی سر سے گزر جانا	To be past the point of no return	Water passing over the head
78	ہونٹ سینا	To remain completely silent	To stitch the lips
79	خاک چھاننا	To search everywhere	To sift through dust
80	دل پر پتھر رکھنا	To suppress one's feelings	To place a stone on the heart
81	پلکیں بچھانا	To eagerly await or welcome	To spread the eyelashes
82	سر پر خون سوار ہونا	To be overcome with rage	Blood riding on the head
83	گلے کا ہار ہونا	To be very dear and close	To be a necklace of the neck
84	مٹھی میں رکھنا	To keep under control	To keep in the fist
85	پھولے نہ سمانا	To be overjoyed	Unable to contain the swelling joy
86	رنگ لانا	To bear fruit or show results	To bring color
87	زبان چلانا	To talk rudely or excessively	To run the tongue
88	کان کترنا	To outsmart someone	To clip the ears
89	دل کا بوجھ ہلکا ہونا	To feel relieved after sharing	Heart's burden becoming light
90	گردن مارنا	To cheat someone financially	To strike the neck
91	چاند پر تھوکنا	To defame someone great	To spit at the moon
92	پاؤں زمین پر نہ پڑنا	To be extremely happy	Feet not touching the ground
93	تلوار کی دھار پر چلنا	To be in a very risky situation	Walking on the edge of a sword
94	بات بنانا	To make excuses or fabricate stories	To make up talk
95	دل میں گھر کرنا	To win someone's heart	To make home in the heart
96	آنکھوں پر پردہ پڑنا	To be blinded by bias	A veil falling over the eyes
97	رال ٹپکنا	To drool with desire	Drool dripping
99	ناک پر مکھی نہ بیٹھنے دینا	To be very proud or easily offended	Not letting a fly sit on the nose
100	دال میں نمک کے برابر	Very small or negligible amount	Equal to salt in lentils
101	پردے کے پیچھے	Behind the scenes	Behind the curtain
102	چھتیس کا آنکڑا	Total enmity or disagreement	The figure of thirty-six
103	اکھ پھٹنا	To lose all sense of shame	Eye bursting
104	سونے پہ سہاگہ	Icing on the cake	Borax on gold
105	پتھر کا کلیجا	To be very hard-hearted	Liver of stone

About Urdu Idioms

Urdu idioms (محاورے) are figurative expressions that carry meanings beyond their literal words. They are one of the most beautiful and expressive features of the Urdu language, adding color, emotion, and depth to everyday speech. Urdu idioms often use vivid imagery involving body parts, animals, food, and nature to convey complex feelings and situations in just a few words. For example, "آنکھوں کا تارا" (star of the eyes) means someone very dear, while "آستین کا سانپ" (snake in the sleeve) refers to a hidden enemy. These idioms have been an integral part of Urdu literature, poetry, and conversation for centuries. They are widely used across Pakistan and among Urdu-speaking communities around the world. Learning Urdu idioms is essential for anyone who wants to truly master the language, as they appear frequently in both formal writing and casual speech. This collection of common Urdu idioms with their English meanings and literal translations will help students, writers, and language learners understand and use these powerful expressions with confidence.