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In Hindi/Urdu, one phrase to describe a beloved is jigar/kaleja kā ṭukṛā/जिगर का टुकड़ा/⁧⁧⁩جگَرکا ٹکڑا meaning "a piece of my liver".

kelipso 3y ago
Similar in Malayalam. Lots of romantic songs translated literally would have "my liver" (കരൾ, karal), instead of "my heart" for example.
- temp_malayali 3y ago
  And it makes no sense to me. Back in the day when I used to have crushes on others, my heart used to feel funny (beat faster etc), but liver? Nope, nothing. ഇതുവരെ മനസ്സിലായിട്ടില്ല why liver is considered romantic. (Translated as: haven't yet understood why liver is considered romantic )
  - DANmode 3y ago
    Brain and other underrated endocrine organs play the heart like a drum.
  - kelipso 3y ago
    Yeah, I thought കരൾ was heart for years because of this lol.
pySSK 3y ago
Same in Persian. I didn't know the difference between jigar and kaleja. Looks like kaleja is of Sanskrit origin while jigar is of Persian origin.
fooker 3y ago
When you use kaleja in that phrase, it means heart.
dotnet00 3y ago
I speak hindi and never realized that's what jigar means! Always just assumed it was another word for heart or soul.
kblissett 3y ago
The Malay/Indonesian “hati” is the same.
- AmericanChopper 3y ago
  The origin of this meaning is very similar, but hati means either heart or liver depending on the context. With heart probably being a more common way that it is used.
dkarras 3y ago
Also in Turkish. "Canım ciğerim" (my beloved, my liver) is a term of friendly affection. Also when we want to say something like "I know what kind of person you are and what you are up to!" we say "ciğerini bilirim" which literally means "I know your liver" / "I know how your liver is like". One more: "ciğersiz" (liverless) is an insult for a person who wrongs you, schemes behind you, does not help you when you are in need, ungrateful etc.
- Twisol 3y ago
  Even in English, the term "lily-livered" is an insult (meaning "cowardly", apparently).
kbf 3y ago
In norwegian we use the phrase “snakke rett fra levra”(speaking from the liver). It means you’re speaking your honest opinion.

kelipso 3y ago

Similar in Malayalam. Lots of romantic songs translated literally would have "my liver" (കരൾ, karal), instead of "my heart" for example.

temp_malayali 3y ago
And it makes no sense to me. Back in the day when I used to have crushes on others, my heart used to feel funny (beat faster etc), but liver? Nope, nothing. ഇതുവരെ മനസ്സിലായിട്ടില്ല why liver is considered romantic. (Translated as: haven't yet understood why liver is considered romantic )
- DANmode 3y ago
  Brain and other underrated endocrine organs play the heart like a drum.
- kelipso 3y ago
  Yeah, I thought കരൾ was heart for years because of this lol.

pySSK 3y ago

Same in Persian. I didn't know the difference between jigar and kaleja. Looks like kaleja is of Sanskrit origin while jigar is of Persian origin.

fooker 3y ago

When you use kaleja in that phrase, it means heart.

dotnet00 3y ago

I speak hindi and never realized that's what jigar means! Always just assumed it was another word for heart or soul.

kblissett 3y ago

The Malay/Indonesian “hati” is the same.

AmericanChopper 3y ago
The origin of this meaning is very similar, but hati means either heart or liver depending on the context. With heart probably being a more common way that it is used.

dkarras 3y ago

Also in Turkish. "Canım ciğerim" (my beloved, my liver) is a term of friendly affection. Also when we want to say something like "I know what kind of person you are and what you are up to!" we say "ciğerini bilirim" which literally means "I know your liver" / "I know how your liver is like". One more: "ciğersiz" (liverless) is an insult for a person who wrongs you, schemes behind you, does not help you when you are in need, ungrateful etc.

Twisol 3y ago
Even in English, the term "lily-livered" is an insult (meaning "cowardly", apparently).

kbf 3y ago

In norwegian we use the phrase “snakke rett fra levra”(speaking from the liver). It means you’re speaking your honest opinion.