Source: https://jugti.com/kosh/words/hath-malna/ ਹ [Kosh](https://jugti.com/kosh/)/[Words](https://jugti.com/kosh/words/)/Saying Word # ਹੱਥ ਮਲਣਾ hath malna Say it**HUTH MUL-na**Type**Saying**Shahmukhiہتھ ملنا In short To rub one's hands in regret, the gesture and the phrase for realising, too late, that you made the wrong choice. ## How it's used 1. 1ਸਸਤੀ ਜ਼ਮੀਨ ਵੇਚ ਕੇ ਹੁਣ ਹੱਥ ਮਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ।Having sold the land cheap, he now wrings his hands in regret. 2. 2ਹੁਣ ਹੱਥ ਮਲਣ ਨਾਲ ਕੀ ਹੋਣਾ, ਮੌਕਾ ਗਿਆ।No use wringing your hands now; the chance is gone. _Classic form_ 3. 3ਮੇਰੀ ਸਲਾਹ ਨਾ ਮੰਨ ਕੇ ਉਹ ਹੱਥ ਮਲਦਾ ਰਹਿ ਗਿਆ।He ignored my advice and was left regretting it. ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਰਥ ਹੱਥ ਮਲਣਾ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਦਾ ਇੱਕ ਪ੍ਰਸਿੱਧ ਮੁਹਾਵਰਾ ਹੈ। ਇਸਦਾ ਅਰਥ ਹੈ ਪਛਤਾਉਣਾ, ਜਦੋਂ ਮੌਕਾ ਹੱਥੋਂ ਨਿਕਲ ਜਾਵੇ ਜਾਂ ਗਲਤ ਫ਼ੈਸਲਾ ਹੋ ਜਾਵੇ, ਤਾਂ ਵਿਅਕਤੀ ਹੱਥ ਮਲਦਾ ਰਹਿ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਇਹ ਮੁਹਾਵਰਾ ਹਮੇਸ਼ਾ ਉਸ ਸਮੇਂ ਵਰਤਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਜਦੋਂ ਕੁਝ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਸਮਾਂ ਲੰਘ ਚੁੱਕਾ ਹੋਵੇ। 'ਹੁਣ ਹੱਥ ਮਲਣ ਨਾਲ ਕੀ ਹੋਣਾ', ਇਹ ਵਾਕ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਘਰਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਕਸਰ ਸੁਣਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਲੋਕ-ਕਥਾਵਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਮੂਰਖ ਪਾਤਰ ਅਕਸਰ ਅੰਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੱਥ ਮਲਦਾ ਦਿਖਾਇਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਇਹ ਮੁਹਾਵਰਾ ਸਿਖਾਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਸੋਚ-ਸਮਝ ਕੇ ਫ਼ੈਸਲਾ ਲੈਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ, ਨਹੀਂ ਤਾਂ ਪਛਤਾਵਾ ਹੀ ਹੱਥ ਆਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ## Literal meaning Hath means hand and malna means to rub. The literal image is of a person rubbing their hands together, the universal body language of worry, helplessness, and regret. The phrase turns that gesture into words. It is used when the chance has already passed: the land was sold, the offer expired, the words were spoken. Rubbing your hands now changes nothing, and the muhavra knows it. ## What it really means The saying expresses regret over a missed opportunity or a foolish decision. 'Hun hath malan naal ki hona', what is the use of wringing your hands now?, is the classic form, said to someone (or oneself) after the damage is done. Unlike a simple 'I am sorry', it carries the sting of irreversibility. The hands are rubbed because there is nothing left to do with them. It is regret with a lesson attached: think before you act. ## Cultural context This is a favourite moral in Punjabi folk tales and grandmothers' advice. Countless stories end with the foolish character 'rubbing his hands' after losing everything, the gesture is the story's full stop. The phrase is also common in Punjabi songs about lost love and lost chances, where the singer rubs his hands remembering what he threw away. It belongs to the reflective, cautionary side of the language. ## What does hath malna mean in Punjabi? The saying expresses regret over a missed opportunity or a foolish decision. 'Hun hath malan naal ki hona', what is the use of wringing your hands now?, is the classic form, said to someone (or oneself) after the damage is done. ## What does hath malna mean literally? Hath means hand and malna means to rub. The literal image is of a person rubbing their hands together, the universal body language of worry, helplessness, and regret. The phrase turns that gesture into words. ## How is hath malna used in a sentence? In Punjabi: "ਸਸਤੀ ਜ਼ਮੀਨ ਵੇਚ ਕੇ ਹੁਣ ਹੱਥ ਮਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ।", meaning "Having sold the land cheap, he now wrings his hands in regret.". ## What is the cultural significance of hath malna? This is a favourite moral in Punjabi folk tales and grandmothers' advice. Countless stories end with the foolish character 'rubbing his hands' after losing everything, the gesture is the story's full stop. ## ਹੱਥ ਮਲਣਾ ਦਾ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਕੀ ਅਰਥ ਹੈ? ਹੱਥ ਮਲਣਾ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਦਾ ਇੱਕ ਪ੍ਰਸਿੱਧ ਮੁਹਾਵਰਾ ਹੈ। ਇਸਦਾ ਅਰਥ ਹੈ ਪਛਤਾਉਣਾ, ਜਦੋਂ ਮੌਕਾ ਹੱਥੋਂ ਨਿਕਲ ਜਾਵੇ ਜਾਂ ਗਲਤ ਫ਼ੈਸਲਾ ਹੋ ਜਾਵੇ, ਤਾਂ ਵਿਅਕਤੀ ਹੱਥ ਮਲਦਾ ਰਹਿ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ## ਹੱਥ ਮਲਣਾ ਨੂੰ ਵਾਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਵਰਤਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ? ਉਦਾਹਰਨ: "ਸਸਤੀ ਜ਼ਮੀਨ ਵੇਚ ਕੇ ਹੁਣ ਹੱਥ ਮਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ।" (Having sold the land cheap, he now wrings his hands in regret.) ## ਹੱਥ ਮਲਣਾ ਦਾ ਸੱਭਿਆਚਾਰਕ ਮਹੱਤਵ ਕੀ ਹੈ? ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਲੋਕ-ਕਥਾਵਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਮੂਰਖ ਪਾਤਰ ਅਕਸਰ ਅੰਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੱਥ ਮਲਦਾ ਦਿਖਾਇਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਇਹ ਮੁਹਾਵਰਾ ਸਿਖਾਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਸੋਚ-ਸਮਝ ਕੇ ਫ਼ੈਸਲਾ ਲੈਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ, ਨਹੀਂ ਤਾਂ ਪਛਤਾਵਾ ਹੀ ਹੱਥ ਆਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ। Sources (3) 1. Mahan Kosh, Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha 2. Punjabi University Punjabi-English Dictionary 3. Punjabi Muhavre Kosh (idiom collections), Punjabi University, Patiala [Report a correction](https://jugti.com/corrections/) **Jugti is free and independent.** Reader support keeps the Kosh growing. 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