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jihva

Jihva, transliterated jihvā, is the term used in Sanskrit and in several Indian languages to refer to the tongue, the muscular organ located in the oral cavity that assists in tasting, speaking, and swallowing. The modern Devanagari spelling is जिह्वा.

Etymology and cognates: The word derives from Sanskrit जिह्वा (jihvā). It is cognate across Indo-Aryan languages, appearing

Anatomy and function: The tongue is a muscular organ comprising intrinsic and extrinsic muscles. It bears taste

Cultural and medical significance: In Ayurveda and traditional medicine, the tongue is used as a diagnostic

Modern usage: The term jihva remains the standard reference for the tongue in Sanskrit-based scholarship and

in
Hindi
(jihvā),
Marathi,
Nepali,
and
other
languages
with
similar
pronunciation
and
meaning.
buds
on
its
surface,
arranged
on
papillae,
and
its
movements
help
manipulate
food,
form
speech
sounds,
and
aid
swallowing.
It
interacts
with
saliva
and
the
sense
of
taste
to
contribute
to
overall
oral
sensation.
indicator
of
health,
with
changes
in
color,
coating,
and
texture
believed
to
reflect
underlying
conditions.
In
linguistic
and
anatomical
contexts,
jihva
is
discussed
as
the
primary
articulator
for
many
sounds
and
as
a
sensor
for
gustatory
perception,
illustrating
its
multidisciplinary
relevance.
in
Hindi-language
texts.
It
is
commonly
encountered
in
classical
literature,
medical
writings,
and
discussions
of
anatomy,
taste,
and
speech.