ناتوان

Persian

Etymology

From (nâ-, “without”) +‎ (tavân, “power”).

Pronunciation

(Classical Persian) IPA^(key): /naː.tu.ˈwaːn/

(Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [nɑː.t̪ʰä.wɑːn]
- (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [nɑː.t̪ʰä.wɑːn]
- (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [nɔː.t̪ʰä.wɔːn]

(Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [nɒː.t̪ʰæ.vɒːn]

(Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [nɔ.t̪ʰä.vɔn]

Readings
Classical reading^?	nātuwān
Dari reading^?	nātawān
Iranian reading^?	nâtavân
Tajik reading^?	notavon

Adjective

ناتَوان • (nâtavân) (comparative ناتَوان‌تَر, superlative ناتَوان‌تَرین)

feeble, powerless
Synonym: ضعیف (za'if)
- 1200s, Amīr Khusraw, “Ghazal 1512”, in دیوان امیرخسرو‎^[1]:
  هوس دارم از آن نرگس نگاهی، سوی من بنگر
  چو چشم ناتوان خود مرا هم ناتوان گردان
  hawas dāram az ān nargis-i nigāhī, sōy-i man bingar
  čū čašm-i nātuwān-i xwad ma-rā ham nātuwān gardān
  I long for the narcissus[-like eyes] of your [drunken] gaze! Look at me,
  And make me helpless too, like your helpless [i.e. inebriated] eyes.
  (Classical Persian transliteration)

Derived terms

ناتوانی (nâtavâni)