ਸੁੱਖ

What does sukh mean in Punjabi?

Sukh (ਸੁੱਖ), also written sukhh in careful spelling, means peace, comfort, ease and happiness in Punjabi: the good state of a body at rest and a mind without worry. It is one half of the pair sukh and dukh, comfort and sorrow, and it appears in everyday blessings, in names, and throughout Gurbani as the deeper peace a person hopes for.

Sukh in everyday speech

Sukh is heard most often in wishes and blessings. Elders bless a young couple or a child with sukh, meaning a life of peace and comfort, and people ask after a family's sukh sant, its peace and well being. The word is warmer and calmer than a word for excitement: sukh is the quiet state of having enough, being safe, and being with your own people.

Because of this warm meaning, sukh sits inside many Punjabi names, joined to a second word: names built on sukh wish peace and happiness on the child. At home, the short adjective sukhi describes a person who is comfortable, content and doing well.

Sukh and dukh: the pair

Punjabi usually names sukh together with its opposite, dukh, as sukh dukh: the good times and the hard times of a life. Gurbani teaches that the two come to everyone, like two garments a person is given to wear, and that real sukh is not just comfort of the body. The deeper sukh described in Gurbani is a steady inner peace that does not vanish when outer comfort ends.

That deeper sense gives us Sukhmani Sahib, the long composition by Guru Arjan Dev Ji whose name is often explained as the pearl or jewel of peace. Many families read or listen to it for calm, both in ordinary days and in hard ones, which shows how strongly the word sukh is tied to peace of mind in Punjabi life.

Is sukh the same as khushi?

Not exactly. Khushi is happiness or joy, often felt at a happy moment, while sukh is wider and calmer: peace, comfort and ease that last. A celebration gives khushi; a peaceful home gives sukh.

What is the opposite of sukh?

The opposite of sukh is dukh, meaning sorrow, pain and suffering. Punjabi speakers pair them as sukh dukh, because every life moves between the two.

How is sukh used in a sentence?

You can say: ਘਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਭ ਨੂੰ ਸੁੱਖ ਮਿਲੇ, which means may everyone in the home find peace and comfort. More examples are given below on this page.