Vocabulary الفاظ

تہذیب

Civilization / Culture

Antonym: وحشت — core essay concept

ترقی

Progress / Development

Appears in nearly every argumentative essay

زوال

Decline / Downfall

Antonym of ترقی; use in downfall essays

تعلیم

Education

Mega-topic: خواتین کی تعلیم، دینی تعلیم

جہالت

Ignorance

Antonym of علم / تعلیم

علم

Knowledge

Distinguished from formal تعلیم

عزم

Determination / Resolve

Key character-trait; pairs with ہمت

مقصد

Purpose / Goal

مقصدِ حیات — purpose of life essays

کامیابی

Success

Antonym: ناکامی

ناکامی

Failure

Antonym of کامیابی

محنت

Hard work / Labour

Paired with لگن، عزم in motivation essays

آلودگی

Pollution

Sub-types: فضائی، آبی، صوتی آلودگی

ماحولیات

Environment

Modern essay topic; also ماحول

بین الاقوامی

International

Global affairs essays

وطن

Homeland

Patriotic essays; synonyms: ملک، دیس

قومی یکجہتی

National unity

Civic / patriotic essay staple

آزادی

Freedom / Independence

Political and philosophical essays

خود انحصاری

Self-reliance

Economic/social development essays

مسابقت

Competition

Education and business essays

اختراع

Innovation / Invention

Technology and progress essays

سائنس

Science

Core modern-topic vocabulary

ٹیکنالوجی

Technology

Often contrasted with روایت (tradition)

روایت

Tradition / Convention

Contrasted with جدت / ٹیکنالوجی

جدت

Modernity / Innovation

Often contrasted with روایت

سیاست

Politics

Current affairs essays

معیشت

Economy

Economic development essays

صحت

Health

Public health, fitness essays

بیماری

Illness / Disease

Health and social problem essays

غذا

Food / Nutrition

Health and poverty essays

غربت

Poverty

Antonym: خوشحالی — key social topic

خوشحالی

Prosperity

Antonym of غربت

بے روزگاری

Unemployment

Social/economic problem essays

آبادی

Population

Development problem essays

شہری

Urban / Citizen

Urban vs. دیہاتی contrast essays

دیہاتی

Rural

Rural-urban contrast essays

نقل مکانی

Migration

Social problem / urbanisation essays

میڈیا

Media

Influence of media essays

سوشل میڈیا

Social media

Modern problem/benefit essay topic

عالمگیریت

Globalisation

Modern world / culture essays

وسائل

Resources

Natural resources, conservation

ادب

Literature / Respect

Dual meaning — know both contexts

نثر

Prose

Paper 2 literary analysis term

نظم

Structured poem

Contrast with غزل

غزل

Ghazal

Specific poetic form tested in Paper 2

شعر

Verse / Couplet

Building block of غزل

مصرعہ

Hemistich (half-line)

Each شعر has two مصرعے

ردیف

Refrain / repeated word

Technical term — end of each verse

قافیہ

Rhyme scheme

Rhyming word before ردیف

تشبیہ

Simile

Like/as — literary device

استعارہ

Metaphor

Implied comparison literary device

صنعت

Literary / rhetorical device

Umbrella term for poetic techniques

کردار

Character / Role

Used in both criticism and essays

فطرت

Nature / Human disposition

Deep literary and philosophical term

وجدان

Intuition / Inner feeling

Appears in poetry analysis

جستجو

Quest / Search

Used in poetry and essay writing

احساس

Feeling / Perception

Core literary and emotional term

تخیل

Imagination

Creative writing and poetry analysis

حقیقت

Reality / Truth

Contrasted with خیال in poetry

خیال

Thought / Imagination

Contrasted with حقیقت

موضوع

Theme / Topic

موضوعِ شعر — theme of a poem

اسلوب

Style / Manner of writing

Used in prose and poetry analysis

پیغام

Message / Moral

شاعر کا پیغام — poet's message

علامت

Symbol

Symbolic meaning in poetry

تجربہ

Experience

Poet's personal تجربہ

تاثیر

Impact / Effect

Effect on reader — Paper 2 question

منظر

Scene / Landscape

منظر نگاری — descriptive writing

واقعہ

Event / Incident

Narrative essay and prose analysis

افسانہ

Short story

Prose genre tested in Paper 2

ناول

Novel

Prose genre; background knowledge

داستان

Legend / Tale

Classical narrative form

تنقید

Criticism / Critique

ادبی تنقید — literary criticism

تجزیہ

Analysis

Core skill word for Paper 2

مفہوم

Meaning / Concept

مفہوم بیان کریں — explain meaning

شاعری

Poetry (as an art)

Distinct from individual شعر

شاعر

Poet

Male poet; شاعرہ for female

مصنف

Author / Writer

Prose context

خودنوشت

Autobiography

Prose genre; Paper 2 context

سوانح عمری

Biography

Prose genre; Paper 2 context

انداز

Style / Manner

اندازِ بیان — manner of expression

بیان

Expression / Narration

اندازِ بیان in Paper 2 questions

خاکہ

Sketch / Character portrait

Prose genre: character sketch

جذبہ

Passion / Emotion

Stronger than احساس; poetic

لہجہ

Tone / Accent

لہجۂ شعر — tone of the poem

سادگی

Simplicity

Style quality; praised in prose

روایت

Tradition / Narrative

Dual meaning; know both

آنکھ اوجھل پہاڑ اوجھل

Out of sight, out of mind

Absence / loyalty theme

اپنا اُلُّو سیدھا کرنا

To serve one's own interests

Selfishness / social criticism

آستین کا سانپ

A traitor / snake in the grass

Betrayal theme in stories

نمک حرامی

Betrayal of trust / ingratitude

Character essay writing

دال میں کچھ کالا ہونا

Something suspicious / fishy

Comprehension passages

خون پسینہ ایک کرنا

To toil extremely hard

Hard work essays

آگ بگولہ ہونا

To be furious

Emotional narratives

انگلی اٹھانا

To criticize / find fault

Social criticism essays

دل پر پتھر رکھنا

To bear grief patiently

Emotional narrative context

جل بھن جانا

Consumed by jealousy / anger

Emotion essays and narratives

سر پر کفن باندھنا

Ready to sacrifice one's life

Patriotic essay context

خاک میں ملنا

To be ruined / destroyed

Downfall and loss narratives

ہاتھ پر ہاتھ دھرنا

To sit idle / do nothing

Motivation / criticism essays

چار چاند لگانا

To add glory to something

Positive compliment expression

آسمان سے باتیں کرنا

To be very tall / boastful

Descriptive / humorous passages

تل دھرنے کو جگہ نہ ہونا

To be packed / no room at all

Crowd scenes in narratives

پیٹ میں چوہے کودنا

To be very hungry

Narrative / humorous writing

ناک میں دم کرنا

To harass / pester greatly

Social problem narratives

کان کھڑے ہونا

To become alert / suspicious

Comprehension passages

کھسیانی بلی کھمبا نوچے

Displacing frustration on others

Character analysis

پردہ اٹھانا

To expose / reveal the truth

Investigative or social essays

سیدھی انگلی سے گھی نہ نکلنا

Straight talk won't always work

Problem-solving context

ہاتھ مارنا

To achieve / grab a success

Informal; comprehension passages

منہ کی کھانا

To suffer a defeat

Competition / battle narratives

دودھ کا دودھ پانی کا پانی

Justice done / truth revealed

Justice / court essays

سانپ سونگھ جانا

To fall into a stupor / go silent

Suspense narratives

آنکھیں کھل جانا

Eyes opened / to be enlightened

Comprehension and essays

اوندھے منہ گرنا

To fall flat / fail completely

Failure narratives

گھر کی مرغی دال برابر

Familiarity breeds contempt

Social observation essays

بکری کے آگے بین بجانا

Wasted effort / pearls before swine

Futility essays

تیل دیکھو تیل کی دھار دیکھو

Watch carefully / be patient

Advice and patience context

آم کے آم گٹھلیوں کے دام

Double benefit / killing two birds

Efficiency / smart-work essays

کوا چلا ہنس کی چال

Trying to imitate beyond ability

Pretension / social essays

نیم حکیم خطرۂ جان

Half-knowledge is dangerous

Education / expertise essays

جیسی کرنی ویسی بھرنی

As you sow, so shall you reap

Moral / consequence essays

محبت

Love

Core emotion in poetry and prose

نفرت

Hatred

Antonym of محبت

الفت

Affection / Fondness

More subtle than محبت; literary

حسرت

Longing / Regret

Very common in ghazal vocabulary

یاس

Despair / Hopelessness

Literary; also مایوسی in essays

مایوسی

Disappointment / Despair

Common in modern Urdu prose

امید

Hope

Antonym of یاس / مایوسی

آرزو

Longing / Wish

Poetic synonym for خواہش

خواہش

Desire / Wish

More everyday than آرزو

خوشی

Happiness / Joy

Antonym of غم

غم

Sorrow / Grief

Core ghazal emotion

درد

Pain / Anguish

درد دل — heartache in poetry

حوصلہ

Courage / Morale

Used in motivational essays

صبر

Patience

Islamic / cultural essay value

شکر

Gratitude

Paired with صبر in essays

قناعت

Contentment

Philosophical; deeper than شکر

حسد

Envy / Jealousy

Social vice essays

کینہ

Malice / Grudge

Social vice essays

بخل

Miserliness

Vice; contrasted with سخاوت

سخاوت

Generosity

Virtue; contrasted with بخل

ہمدردی

Sympathy / Empathy

Human-interest essays

بے حسی

Insensitivity / Apathy

Antonym of ہمدردی

خوف

Fear

Narrative and descriptive writing

حیرت

Astonishment / Wonder

Comprehension and narrative

شرم

Shame / Modesty

Moral essays and character analysis

غرور

Pride / Arrogance

Vice; contrasted with انکسار

انکسار

Humility

Virtue; contrasted with غرور

پچھتاوا

Remorse / Regret

Moral narrative writing

لگن

Dedication / Passion

Paired with محنت in essays

سکون

Peace / Tranquility

Antonym of بے چینی

بے چینی

Restlessness / Anxiety

Antonym of سکون

اشتیاق

Eagerness / Enthusiasm

Positive emotion in poetry

کرب

Anguish / Torment

Intense suffering; literary

وحشت

Dread / Wildness

Antonym of تہذیب; poetic

سرشاری

Ecstasy / Elation

Elevated literary emotion

رنج

Grief / Distress

Synonymous with غم but more formal

خجالت

Embarrassment

Character essays and narratives

جوش

Enthusiasm / Fervour

Motivational and patriotic essays

تجسس

Curiosity

Narrative and descriptive context

اضطراب

Anxiety / Agitation

Deep literary emotion; poetry

معاشرہ

Society

Fundamental social essay term

اتحاد

Unity

Patriotic / civic essays

انصاف

Justice

Law, society and moral essays

بے انصافی

Injustice

Antonym of انصاف

اخلاق

Morality / Ethics

Core concept in social essays

بے اخلاقی

Immorality

Antonym; problem-solution essays

فرض

Duty / Obligation

Citizenship, family essays

حقوق

Rights

Paired with فرائض in civic essays

فرائض

Duties / Responsibilities

Paired with حقوق

خدمتِ خلق

Service to humanity

Highly valued social concept

ظلم

Oppression / Cruelty

Social and historical essays

مظلوم

Oppressed person

Paired with ظالم

ظالم

Oppressor / Cruel person

Paired with مظلوم

رشوت

Bribery / Corruption

Social problem essay staple

سماجی برائیاں

Social evils

Essay topic umbrella term

ملاوٹ

Adulteration

Consumer / social problem essays

خودداری

Self-respect

Character trait in essays

عزت

Honour / Respect

Social value; antonym: ذلت

ذلت

Humiliation

Antonym of عزت

امن

Peace

Antonym of جنگ / فساد

فساد

Disorder / Mischief

Antonym of امن

تعاون

Cooperation

Social harmony essays

اتفاق

Agreement / Harmony

Synonym of اتحاد in some contexts

اختلاف

Disagreement / Difference

Debate and argument essays

برداشت

Tolerance

Interfaith / social harmony essays

تعصب

Prejudice / Bias

Antonym of برداشت

رواداری

Tolerance / Forbearance

Synonym of برداشت; more formal

ذمہ داری

Responsibility

Social and civic duty essays

قانون

Law

Civic and justice essays

نظام

System

نظامِ تعلیم، نظامِ حکومت etc.

اصلاح

Reform / Correction

Social reform essays

تبدیلی

Change

Social change essays

بحران

Crisis

Current affairs and social essays

حل

Solution

Problem-solution essay structure

مسئلہ

Problem / Issue

Core problem-essay vocabulary

خاندان

Family

Family values essays

رشتہ

Relationship / Bond

Social and family essays

پڑوسی

Neighbour

Community and civic essays

اجتماعیت

Collectivism / Community

Social values essays

شہریت

Citizenship

Civic responsibility essays