ਮੂੰਹ

What does munh mean in Punjabi?

Munh (ਮੂੰਹ) means mouth in Punjabi: the opening of the face with the lips, teeth and tongue, used for eating, tasting and speaking. It is a masculine noun. In everyday Punjabi, munh also often means the face itself, which is why so many daily phrases and idioms are built on this one small word.

Munh in everyday speech

The munh is where meals and conversation both begin, so the word is heard all day. Munh kholna means to open the mouth, and by extension to speak up at last. Munh band rakhna means to keep the mouth shut and say nothing. Good manners at the table are often summed up in one line: do not speak with the munh full.

Because Punjabis use munh for the face as well, washing up is munh dhona, literally washing the munh, and pulling a face at someone is munh banana. The same word is also used for the mouth or opening of a thing, as in the munh of a bottle or a bag, where anything goes in or comes out.

Phrases built on munh

Two much loved Kosh phrases show the munh at work. Munh vich pani auna, water coming into the mouth, is the vivid phrase for craving something delicious the moment you see or smell it. Munhon phull jharna, flowers falling from the mouth, describes someone whose speech is so sweet and graceful that listening to them is a pleasure.

Together these phrases explain why munh matters beyond the body. In Punjabi, what comes out of the munh (words, manners and temper) says as much about a person as what goes into it, so the word sits at the centre of how speech and character are judged.

Does munh mean mouth or face?

Both. Munh first means the mouth, the opening used for eating and speaking. In everyday phrases it also stands for the whole face, as in munh dhona, to wash the face, and the sense is always clear from the words around it.

How do you say mouth in Punjabi?

Mouth in Punjabi is munh (ਮੂੰਹ). You can say mera munh for my mouth, and munh kholo for open your mouth, a sentence heard in every home and in every dentist's chair.

How is munh used in a sentence?

You can say: ਸਵਾਦ ਖਾਣਾ ਵੇਖ ਕੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਮੂੰਹ ਵਿੱਚ ਪਾਣੀ ਆ ਗਿਆ, which means seeing the tasty food made my mouth water. More examples are given below on this page.