Zarar

Zarar is a noun meaning damage, harm, or loss in Turkish and Urdu. In Turkish, it can refer to physical damage, financial loss, or harm to wellbeing, and it is commonly used in phrases such as zarar görmek (to incur damage) and zarar vermek (to cause damage). The term also appears in broader contexts to denote detriment, including environmental or social harm. In Urdu, zarar carries a similar sense of damage or injury and is used across everyday language, legal discourse, and literature.

Etymology and cognates: Zarar originates in Persian zarar, which itself traces to the Arabic root ḍarar meaning harm. Through Persian and Arabic, the word spread into Turkish and other languages of the region, where it retained its core meaning of harm or damage. Related forms appear in several South Asian languages, including Urdu.

Usage in law, economy, and everyday speech: In Turkish civil law and insurance terminology, zarar denotes harm that may require compensation or remedy; common legal phrases include zarar ve ziyan (harm and loss) and zararın tazmini (compensation for damage). In Urdu and broader South Asian usage, zarar is employed in legal, financial, and literary contexts to express damage or injury, often contrasted with nuqsan or loss in various expressions and discussions of liability, compensation, or risk.

Overview: Across Turkish, Urdu, and related languages, zarar functions as a general term for damage or harm, with specialized usage in law and insurance as well as everyday speech. Its etymological link to Persian and Arabic reflects a shared vocabulary for assessing detriment and responsibility.