jutha

Jutha is a term found in several Indian languages, most commonly in Hindi and Marathi, with meanings that vary by language and region. In Marathi and colloquial Hindi, जूठा (jūthā) refers to leftovers or uneaten food from a meal—the portion that remains on a plate after the main eating is finished. Leftovers are a common concept in South Asian households and may be stored for later consumption or offered to animals, depending on local custom. The term can also appear in expressions describing food that has already been eaten or is not fresh, though usage is highly dialectal.

In Hindi, a related word, झूठा (jhootha), means false or a liar. Although phonetically similar in transliteration, jutha and jhootha are distinct words with different meanings and spellings. The distinction between these terms illustrates how similar-sounding words can diverge in Hindustani languages.

Regional variations exist, and the precise usage of jutha can differ between urban and rural speech, and among Marathi, Hindi, Punjabi, and Gujarati speakers. In some communities, leftovers carry practical implications for food safety and family economies, influencing whether and how they are reused or discarded.

See also: Leftovers; Food waste; Lies and deception in language.