ਸਿਰ

Sirr (ਸਿਰ), pronounced exactly like the English word sir, is the Punjabi word for head. It names the upper part of the body that holds the eyes, ears, nose, mouth and brain. In everyday Punjabi it is a masculine noun, and it is also used for a chief or leader, the way English uses head in head of the family.

Meaning

In its plain sense, sirr is simply the head on your shoulders. Punjabi dictionaries list sirr as the everyday equivalent of the English word head. The word is masculine in Punjabi grammar, so verbs and adjectives around it take masculine forms. It is one of the first body words a learner meets, and one of the most used.

How is sirr used in everyday speech?

Several everyday phrases are built on sirr. Sirr jhukna means to bow the head, a sign of respect or defeat. Sirr dard is a headache, said plainly when your head aches. Sirr te means on the head, as in carrying a load on it or wearing a dastaar, the turban, on it. And the sirr of a family is its head or leader, the person who takes charge.

Is sirr the same as sees?

No, though both mean head. Sirr is the ordinary word for everyday speech. Sees (ਸੀਸ) is the respectful form, heard in prayer, poetry and formal address. A devotee bows the sees before the Guru, while a person with a headache simply holds the aching sirr.