aanaa / anna

coin – a sixteenth of a rupee – nowadays not common.(See also measurements – ana /aanaa is a sixteenth of a ropani, in common, everyday use)

adhiya

(literally, half and half), equal division of  produce between landowner and tenant farmer

bahidar

clerk/accountant

Bahun/bahun

Nepali word for Brahmin, the highest Hindu caste. This is the priestly caste; Brahmin is also used colloquially to mean a priest.

bari

un-irrigated sloping agricultural land

basmati 

variety of rice, high quality

Baun Utthan Samiti

Forest conservation/re-afforestation committee

bensi

lowland, a valley

bhajans

devotional songs, hymns

bhat

(literally, cooked rice); often used to refer to food or meals in general

Bhauju

sister-in-law (wife of older brother)

Bhote /Bhotay / Bhotini; Bhotay-sotay 

Nepali term, usually used in a negative way, to mean people of Tibetan origin such as Sherpa, Tamang and Gurung (Bhotay = masculine form; Bhotini = feminine form)

bhote tea

Tibetan tea, churned with butter and salt

Brahmin

the highest Hindu caste. This is the priestly caste; Brahmin is also used colloquially to mean a priest.

Bratabandha

rite of passage marking the entry to manhood: the young man shaves his hair and symbolically goes to beg alms

carom

popular board game with plastic/wood counters/coins, often played for money

Chettri

the second highest Hindu caste

Chhewar

the first time a baby son’s hair is cut

chiple kira

snail

chori biwah

marriage by elopement

chow chow

instant, packet noodles

chudka

a type of folk song/lyric

Congress

Nepali Congress Party, one of the country’s main political parties. 

dai

(literally, older brother); any older male

dakshina

donation, reward, gift or fee

dal

lentils

dal bhat

literally lentils and rice, but often used to refer to food or meals in general

dalits

lower caste

Damai   

tailors; occupational caste

Danwar

Danwar people are similar to the Majhi, and live primarily in the low lands of the eastern Terai

Dasain / Dashain

The main Nepali festival held after the rice harvest around October; the ceremonies vary slightly and some more Buddhist communities may not participate. People visit friends and relatives, exchange gifts and eat special foods.

daura-suruwal

Nepali national dress for men: daura a long shirt with a nehru style collar and suruwal, trousers which are baggy at the top and tight at the bottom

Dhami / Jhankri

traditional healer using both spiritual and herbal methods of treatment to alleviate general problems and ill health

dharkin markin faria

markin is coarse, canvas-type cloth; faria is an item of clothing like a sari, but worn differently

dhiki

foot-operated pestle for milling grain

dhindo

porridge made of millet or maize flour; considered low quality, only for those who cannot afford rice, or live in areas where there is no rice

dhoti

literally, unstitched cloth. Used to describe cotton sari worn by women, or a seamless white cotton cloth wrapped around the waist worn by men

dhyangro

large hand-held drum mostly used in religious/shamanistic rituals/dances

dohare songs

Dohare / dohari means reciprocal; songs consisting of questions and answers between men and women 

doko

conical basket woven of bamboo strips, used for carrying loads on the back with a strap (namlo, see below) round the head

dhukuti

treasury, store for granary; also refers to cash savings

gagro

pot for carrying and storing water

Gaun Bikash Samiti / GABISA

Village Development Committee (see VDC)

ghatta

water mill

ghee/ghiu

clarified butter

Ghewa

funeral rites of Buddhist communities (ie Tamang, Sherpa, Gurung)

goitre

enlarged thyroid gland, usually caused by lack of iodine in diet

goth; gotha

livestock enclosure in pastures some distance from homestead;livestock shed  

gothala

shepherd

gotra

lineage/clan/extended family affecting many aspects of everyday life, responsibilities and traditions

gundruk

fermented dried spinach

Gurung

One of Nepal’s major ethnic groups; primarily Buddhist

hali

ploughman

hill language

Nepali.  Many ethnic groups, such as the Tamang, have their own language; in remoter districts older people may not speak Nepali.

hulak

post office

IA

Intermediate Arts, exam equivalent to A-level, taken two years after completion of  the school leaving certificate (SLC)

ISc

Intermediate Science, as above

jaldaan

offering of water during religious rites: jal means water; daan means offering

jamindars

rich landowners, consequently powerful people in the village   

janti

marriage procession from the groom’s side

Janryani

women drunkards (male form is janrya)

jard / janr

white beer made of fermented grain – millet, rice etc; general term, along with rakshi, for alcohol   

jadibutis / jardibutis 

medicinal herbs 

jatra

pilgrimage, fair or festival marked by a procession often pulling  or carrying chariots of the gods; also used to mean a crowd or a crowded place

Jayapu

farming caste among the Newar, one of Nepal’s largest ethnic groups

jira

cumin seed

juwari 

style of song: men and women, led by a lead singer, compete with each other in verse, composing lyrics as they go along

jutho

something polluted, in this case food on someone’s plate, which others will not share

Kami  

blacksmiths/ people who work with iron (occupational caste)

karkure (karkalo) ko jhol

soup made from the succulent leaves and soft stem of karkalo, a vegetable which grows easily. Its tuber (pindalo) is usually added to lentil soups.

Kasais  

butchers (occupational caste)

Khaasi

term of endearment (in this case for favoured daughter-in-law)

kharani

ash

khetala

farm labour; working on others’ fields for payment or as labour  exchange

khil

peg, spike, wedge

khole

food for livestock; a kind of soup made of leftovers mixed with a little rice and flour

khukuri

Nepali curved knife

kuli

labourer

Kulo Samiti

Water Users’ Committee

kurta suruwal 

Indian-style women’s dress: kurta, loose fitting collarless shirt; suruwal, trousers which are baggy at the top and tight at the bottom

lakh

one hundred thousand

lalpurja

land ownership certificate

lama

Buddhist priest; some Tamangs use Lama as a surname

lekh

a hilly region

madal

Nepali drum played with the fingers

Magar

An ethnic community found predominantly in western and central Nepal.

Majhi

One of Nepal’s many ethnic groups, traditionally involved in river occupations such as fishing

maita

a wife’s parents’ home

Maiti Nepal

Nepali NGO working on the issue of trafficking and providing shelter and support for woman who return from India’s brothels 

Mansuli rice

local variety of rice, medium quality

mantra

holy incantation, Vedic hymn

maxi  

long skirt

melo  

farm labour / going to work for others

mohani

charming, seductive

mohor/mohur

8 aanaa silver piece; 1 mohr = 50 paise   

nail / nali

small channel

namlo  

band put round forehead to support a load being carried on the back

Nauran

child naming ceremony, usually on the seventh day after birth

Newar 

One of Nepal’s major ethnic groups, mostly Hindu but including some Buddhists, concentrated in the Kathmandu valley.  Have their own occupational cast system.

one-eyed

uneducated

paddy

unharvested rice; also harvested but unhusked rice

paisa / paise

unit of currency: 100 paisa = 1 rupee; also used to mean money generally 

Panchayat;panchayat

the previous non-party political regime;  administrative unit of that regime, which was replaced in 1990 by the multi-party system  

parbate; Parbate

belonging to the mountains, a hill man; the Nepali language (also known as “hill language”) especially as spoken by uneducated Nepalis

parma

system of labour exchange

Pewa

gift of assets to daughters, usually chickens or goats, for them to take to their husband’s house

pradhan pancha / pradhanpanch 

village headman, head of village council (panchayat)

puja

act of prayer; ritual may include making offerings

pundit

Hindu priest

Purnima

day of the full moon

rakshi

distilled spirit made from grain; general term for alcohol

Rodi

Gurung folk dance, a paddy (rice) dance

roti

(unleavened) bread

rupees / Rs

unit of currency in Nepal (also India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka)

sahu

money lender, merchant

Sankranti

the first day of the month

sari

women’s clothing; length of cloth worn draped around the body, usually silk or synthetic material

Sherpa

an ethnic group similar to the Tamang, Buddhists, concentrated in the higher hills, especially around Sagarmatha

shlok

verse of a song, stanza, poetry

sikhar

(literally, a peak or summit), hillside

SLC

School Leaving Certificate

sokan

dried radish

sotar

grass/leaves etc used for animal bedding which, combined with their manure, makes good compost

Swasthani

Hindu religious text, read for a month every winter.  It is directed at women, teaching Hindu values and morals so that they will be faithful wives

suka  

unit of currency. 1 suka = four annas = 25 paise

talukdar

tax collector

Tamang

Ethnic group believed to be of Mongolian, Tibetan ancestry.  They are Lama Buddhists, with their own language and culture; some celebrate Hindu festivals as well.

Teej

Festival celebrated by women and girls who sing, dance, pray and fast in order to secure the well being of their husbands, or to get a good husband

Terai

Lower, sub-tropical plains area of Nepal

thekka patta

contract work

tiffin 

light meal, usually taken at midday

Tihar

Hindu festival of lights.  Tihar takes place in October-November and lasts for 5 days.  Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, is worshipped; towns and villages are illuminated with many flickering lamps.  Also known as Diwali.

tika

decorative mark made on forehead as a blessing

tole

geographical administrative unit: wards are sub-divided into toles, which are clusters of households or villages

VDC

Village Development Committee: a geographical administrative unit below a district; also a committee of elected members,  the smallest local administrative unit 

ward

VDCs are made up of 9 wards.  Representatives are elected from wards and sit on the VDC

Classical name

Colloquial name

English equivalent

Vaishakh

Baisakh

Mid-April to mid-May

Jyesth(a)

Jeth

Mid-May to mid-June

Aashaadh

Asaar

Mid-June to mid-July

Srawan

Saun

Mid-July to mid-August

Bhadra(a)

Bhadau / Bhadan

Mid-August to mid-September

Aaavin

Asoj

Mid-September to mid-October

Kaarttik

Kaattik

Mid-October to mid-November

Margshirs

Mansir

Mid-November to mid-December

Paus

Poos / Pas

Mid-December to mid-January

Maagh

Maagh

Mid-January to mid-February

Falgun

Fagun

Mid-February to mid-March

Chaitra

Chaita

Mid-March to mid-April

ana / anna / aanaa

unit for land measurement in the hills. One ana is one-sixteenth of a ropani and is equivalent to 31.79 square metres

angalo

(literally, embrace); referring an approximate measurement of an armful

bhari

a load

bigha

traditional unit for land measurement in the plains of Nepal. One bigha = 0.676 hectare

dharni

weight of approx 2.4 kg

hal melo

land measurement; hal means yoke, pair of bullocks, oxen, or plough and melo means task, farm work or programme

hals

local land measurement

kattha

land measurement; a twentieth part of a bigha

kos

distance measurement, equivalent to 3.2 kilometres

mana

weight measurement; one mana is 10 handfuls, approx 400 grams

muri

weight measurement for cereals contained in a sack approx 4 feet tall and 1 foot in diameter; approx 64 kg (one muri is equivalent to 20 pathis)

pathi

weight measurement, approx 3.2 kg (one pathi is equivalent to 8 manas); can also refer to the brass or copper vessel which contains a pathi  of grain

ropanis

unit for land measurement: 1 ropani is 70 ft by 70 ft, approx 455 square metres; 16 annas make one ropani

sheer / ser / seer

weight measurement: approx 800 grams; equivalent to 2 mana

amrisho / amliso, tanki, and dubbabe

varieties of grass

babiyo

variety of grass used for ropes, brooms etc

badaar

variety of grass

bala

variety of crop

bhaiya

variety of crop

banmara

literally “forest killer”; exotic weed with limited use as medicinal herb; toxic to cattle when eaten(chromolaena odorata or eupatorium adenophorum)

chilaune;  chiloune / chilaune ko bokra

variety of tree; bark of chilaune tree

chiraita / chiraito / chirantos

medicinal herb: juice is taken to alleviate fever, as a liver tonic, and in the treatment of diabetes and hepatitis (swertia chiraita)

Cowali

variety of crop

dale

variety of grass

dhaddi

variety of grass with long sharp leaves

dudilo 

variety of shrub

chhatiwan

variety of plant; its root is used in traditional medicine

Gava

variety of vegetable

gogan 

variety of tree

Jhyau

moss

Junar

variety of orange

kalo-mashino

variety of rice

kankra ko biew

cucumber seeds (used in traditional medicine)

kanshe 

variety of creeper

kush

plant, dried form used during religious rituals

lahari, bhaiya

types of crop

Lapsi

tree bearing sour fruit used in pickles

maaslari, bhumi champa, syal pothro

different varieties of plant

masyam

variety of lentil

mash dal

variety of lentil

mula ko geda

radish seeds (used in traditional medicine)

Murdha

variety of tree

Musuro

variety of lentil

Neem

tree; leaves, bark etc have variety of uses including antiseptic and medicinal

parwanbet

medicinal herb

phaphar

buckwheat

rayoko saag

broad-leaf spinach

sabitri

new variety of rice

sal 

variety of hardwood tree (shorea robusta);

sallo

chir pine (pinus roxburghii)

sishnu

stinging nettle

siure

variety of plant; its leaf is used in traditional medicine

siyo

variety of rice (also needle)

taichini

new variety of rice

tama

young bamboo shoot

tanki

variety of grass

tinai

grass used for treating cuts

titepati

bitter medicinal plant

totila / totola  

tree; bark and large seeds are used for medicinal purposes

tulsi / tulshi

Indian basil; important symbol in Hindu religious tradition    

urchalu

plant; leaf is used for its iodine-like qualities

utish

alder tree; grows well in damp places, used for firewood and to prevent landslides (alnus nepalensis)