Muhavare, or idioms, are an essential part of any language, adding depth and expression to communication. In this article, we’ll learn some commonly used Urdu muhavare with their English meanings and example sentences. These phrases are not only helpful in daily conversations but also valuable for exams like CSS, PPSC, FPSC, NTS, IELTS, and TOEFL. Understanding and using these muhavare can make your speech more engaging and expressive.
In This Page
Common Muhavare with Meanings and Examples
Below is a list of muhavare, their meanings in English, translations in Urdu, and example sentences to help you understand their usage better:
| Muhavara | Meaning | Urdu Translation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Above all | Most important | سب سے بڑھ کر اہم | Ali is wise, hardworking, and above all, honest. |
| After all | Ultimately, despite difficulties | بہرحال | You should help Asad; after all, he is your friend. |
| Beneath one’s dignity | Below one’s status | شان کے خلاف | It is beneath your dignity to disobey your teacher. |
| Better half | Life partner | جیون ساتھی | His better half is a good housekeeper. |
| A bird’s eye view | A brief overview | سرسری نظر | We got a bird’s eye view of the city from the top of the tower. |
| Birds of a feather | People with similar interests | ہم مزاج لوگ | He will get along well with Adil; they are birds of a feather. |
| To the bitter end | To the very end | آخری انجام تک | The workers vowed to fight to the bitter end for their rights. |
| Below the belt | Unfair or inappropriate | نامناسب | Cheating a friend is below the belt. |
| Broken reed | An unreliable person | ناقابل اعتبار شخص | I cannot trust him as he is a broken reed. |
| Bring something to light | Reveal something hidden | سامنے لانا | New facts about the case have been brought to light. |
| Build castles in the air | Make unrealistic plans | خیالی پلاؤ پکانا | To pass exams without studying is like building castles in the air. |
| A close-fisted man | Stingy person | کنجوس شخص | He doesn’t spend any money because he is a close-fisted man. |
| Come to terms | Make an agreement | سمجھوتا کر لینا | At last, they had to come to terms with each other. |
| Come to grief | Face failure | ناکام ہو جانا | Their plan came to grief in the end. |
| Come to an end | Finish | ختم ہونا | The war finally came to an end. |
| Be at daggers drawn | Be in strong opposition | ایک دوسرے کے سخت مخالف ہونا | She is at daggers drawn with her husband. |
| Cut something short | End quickly | مختصر کر دینا | His glittering career was cut short by a heart attack. |
| A dog’s life | Miserable life | ذلت کی زندگی | Death is better than living a dog’s life. |
| Fair or square deal | Honest treatment | منصفانہ سلوک | Most workers do not feel they are getting a fair or square deal. |
| Find fault with | Criticize someone | عیب نکالنا | Don’t find faults with others; improve yourself first. |
| Go up in smoke | Fail completely | تباہ ہو جانا | Her dreams went up in smoke when she couldn’t get admission to medical college. |
| Be at hand | Be nearby | قریب ہونا | The exam is at hand, so I’m studying hard. |
| Be hard up | Be in financial trouble | تنگی میں ہونا | He is too hard up to afford even one meal a day. |
| Hard and fast | Strict rules | معین قواعد | We have to follow the hard and fast rules of this office. |
| Hair-breadth escape | Narrow escape | بال بال بچنا | Adeel had a hair-breadth escape from the accident. |
| Good-for-nothing | Useless person or thing | بے کار شخص | The government should get rid of good-for-nothing departments. |
| Golden age | A prosperous period | سنہری دور | Muslims remember the golden age of their forefathers. |
| Green horn | Inexperienced person | نا تجربہ کار شخص | He can easily be tricked as he is a green horn. |
| Golden opportunity | A rare chance | سنہری موقع | Wise people make use of golden opportunities. |
| Heart and soul | Fully devoted | دل و جان سے | She loves her children heart and soul. |
| High and mighty | Arrogant | مغرور | People dislike him because he always tries to act high and mighty. |
| In black and white | In written form | تحریری | Saleem makes every agreement in black and white. |
| In a nutshell | In brief | مختصر | To put it in a nutshell, the event was amazing. |
| Hold one’s tongue | Stop speaking | بکواس بند کرو | Hold your tongue and listen to me carefully. |
| Hold one’s head high | Be proud | سربلند ہونا | Those who work honestly can hold their heads high. |
| Hue and cry | Loud protest | شور و غوغا | There was a great hue and cry in the marketplace. |
| Jack of all trades | Versatile person | ہر فن مولا | Naeem is a jack of all trades but master of none. |
| Keep an eye on | Supervise | نگرانی کرنا | Please keep an eye on the children while I’m away. |
| Keep at arm’s length | Maintain distance | فاصلے پر رکھنا | Teachers should keep troublemakers at arm’s length. |
| Lame excuse | False justification | جھوٹا بہانہ | You cannot win her favor with lame excuses. |
| Make the best of it | Adapt to the situation | ناکامی کو کامیابی میں بدلنا | Despite difficulties, she made the best of the situation. |
How to Use Muhavare in Daily Life
- Understand Context: Use muhavare in relevant situations to add meaning and depth to your speech or writing.
- Practice Regularly: Create sentences for each muhavara to remember them better.
- Use in Exams: Idioms like these are commonly tested in language exams. Practice to score better.
FAQs
What is the importance of muhavare?
Muhavare make language expressive and help in communicating complex ideas easily. They are widely used in spoken and written Urdu.
How can I learn muhavare easily?
Practice by using them in sentences. Focus on 3-5 muhavare daily and revise them regularly.
Are muhavare used in exams?
Yes, many exams like CSS, PPSC, FPSC, and IELTS test knowledge of muhavare to assess language skills.
By incorporating these muhavare into your speech, you can enhance your communication skills and sound more fluent in Urdu and English.
Download Idioms PDF Book
Read More
