ਦੋਹਤੀDohtiGranddaughter (Daughter's Daughter)
Dohti (ਦੋਹਤੀ) is your daughter's daughter — a maternal granddaughter in Punjabi families. She is the girl who knows you as Nana ji or Nani ji, distinct from a poti, who comes through your son. Dohtri and Nawasi are variants of the same relationship.
How your Dohti connects to you
Who is your Dohti?
The word exists because Punjabi kinship always records which child a grandchild came through. A dohti grows up in her father's household, so her visits to her mother's parents are occasions in themselves — Nani's kitchen, no scolding, and open-handed affection define the nanke experience. Maternal grandparents also traditionally send gifts for their dohti at her major life moments, a duty the mother's side keeps for life even though she lives elsewhere.
How it's used
Nana and Nani say dohti when speaking of their daughter's girl to others; within the family she is simply called by name. Example: "ਮੇਰੀ ਦੋਹਤੀ ਨੇ ਨਾਨੀ ਕੋਲੋਂ ਫੁਲਕਾਰੀ ਕੱਢਣੀ ਸਿੱਖੀ" (Meri dohti ne nani kolon phulkari kadhni sikhi) — "My granddaughter learned phulkari embroidery from her grandmother."
Where Dohti comes from
Dohti is the feminine of dohta — a daughter's daughter.
Dohti vs similar terms
A poti is your son's daughter and calls you Dada or Dadi; a dohti is your daughter's daughter and calls you Nana or Nani. Her brother is a dohta. English flattens all four into grandchild, which is exactly the distinction Punjabi refuses to lose.
Frequently asked questions
What does Dohti mean in Punjabi?
Dohti (ਦੋਹਤੀ) means your daughter's daughter — a maternal granddaughter. She calls her grandparents Nana ji and Nani ji, and in some households the form dohtri or the word Nawasi is used for the same relationship.
What is the difference between Dohti and Poti?
A dohti comes through your daughter and a poti comes through your son. The distinction decides the grandparents' titles too: a dohti's grandparents are Nana and Nani, while a poti's are Dada and Dadi.
Related terms
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