بی غیرت (Bi ghairat)
What does بی غیرت (Bi ghairat) mean? بی غیرت (Bi ghairat) is a Dari severe that translates to “spineless / dishonorable coward” in English.
Literal Translation
without zeal / without protective honor
Meaning & Usage
"spineless / dishonorable coward"
Ghairat is the masculine duty to protect your family's honor, especially female relatives, with your life if necessary. Calling someone bi ghairat means they would stand by and watch their sister or wife be dishonored without lifting a finger. It's not just 'coward' — it's a declaration that you are less than a man, less than human.
Examples in the Wild
مرد بی غیرت، زنت با غیر میرود و تو هیچ نمیگویی. (Mard bi ghairat, zanet ba ghair merawad o to hech namigoi. - Spineless man, your wife goes with strangers and you say nothing.) — The nuclear version, implying his wife cheats openly.
When to Use It
Context
- Expressing strong frustration or emphasis
- Only among very close friends who share this register
- Direct confrontation (use with caution)
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Around elders or authority figures
- Public spaces — will cause genuine offense
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
This is arguably more devastating than direct sexual insults in traditional Afghan circles because it attacks the very core of what makes a man worthy of respect. During the Taliban era and in rural Afghanistan today, ghairat killings (honor killings) are justified by this exact concept. Calling a man bi ghairat in a tribal setting can literally get you killed — not because you insulted him, but because he must now prove his ghairat through violence.
More in Dari 🇦🇫
View all →خواهرتو گایدم (Khwahareto gaydam)
“I fucked your sister”
Declaring sexual intercourse with the target's sister.
لعنتی (Lanati)
“damn / goddamn / cursed”
Someone upon whom God's curse (la'nat) has fallen. In everyday use it functions exactly like the English 'damn' — versatile, moderate, and everywhere. 'In telefon-e lanati' (this damn phone) is something every Kabuli says daily. But in its religious sense, being cursed by God is eternal damnation.
بد کاره (Bad kara)
“whore / sex worker (euphemism)”
The Afghan euphemism for a sex worker — someone whose 'work' (kaar) is 'bad.' It's the word people use when they want to accuse a woman of prostitution without using the explicit 'jenda' (whore) or the formal 'fahisha.' The euphemistic nature actually makes it more common in everyday speech, because it's considered less vulgar to say.
دیوث (Dayus)
“cuck / shameless bastard”
A man who is indifferent to his wife's adultery, or actively pimps her out.
پفیوز (Pofyooz)
“limp dick / useless bastard”
An old word for a useless, pathetic man with no backbone.
تف به رویت (Tof ba royet)
“I spit in your face / you disgust me”
The verbal equivalent of spitting in someone's face — the ultimate gesture of contempt and disgust. In many cultures spitting expresses disgust, but in Afghan culture it's particularly loaded because the face (roo) represents honor, dignity, and public reputation. Spitting on someone's face destroys their roo permanently.
نامرد (Namard)
“coward / traitor / backstabber”
This is one of the most loaded words in Afghan masculinity. It doesn't just mean coward — it means someone who broke a promise, betrayed a trust, or abandoned someone in need. A namard is someone whose word means nothing. In a culture built on oral agreements and personal honor, this can end friendships and start blood feuds.
الاغ (Olagh)
“jackass / stubborn fool”
A second word for donkey — used interchangeably with 'khar' but with a slightly more literary, formal register. It's the donkey-insult you'd hear from an educated person rather than a street vendor. Same meaning: stupid, stubborn, and unable to learn. Afghan Dari borrowed 'olagh' from Turkish, while 'khar' is pure Persian.