Glossary
Scrap words, explained
The words you will hear when you buy or sell scrap in Pakistan, in English, Roman Urdu and Urdu.
Materials
- Tambaتانبا
- Also: tanba, tambe, taamba
- Copper. The most valuable common scrap metal: wire, pipe, coils and motor windings.
- Copper rate today →
- Pitalپیتل
- Also: peetal, pittal
- Brass: yellow metal used in taps, fittings, keys and decorative items. Usually priced below copper and above aluminium.
- Lohaلوہا
- Also: lohe, purana loha
- Iron and ordinary steel. The biggest scrap by weight, at a lower price per kg.
- Loha rate today →
- Silver (aluminium)سلور
- Also: silwar, silver bartan
- In the scrap trade, "silver" usually means aluminium, especially old cookware. Not chandi (the precious metal).
- Aluminium rate today →
- Sikkaسکہ
- Also: battery sikka
- Lead, mostly from batteries. On its own the word also means a coin.
- Jastaجست
- Also: jast
- Zinc.
- Kansaکانسی
- Also: kaansi
- Bronze or bell metal, found in some old utensils.
- Raddiردی
- Also: akhbar ki raddi, kaghaz
- Old paper: newspapers, books, notebooks and office paper.
- Raddi rate today →
- Chadarچادر
- Also: teen chadar, jasti chadar
- Metal sheet. Jasti chadar is galvanised (zinc-coated) sheet.
People and places
- Kabariaکباڑیا
- Also: kabariya, kabari, kabadi wala, kabadiya
- A scrap dealer or collector, usually with a neighbourhood shop.
- For kabarias and dealers →
- Kabarکباڑ
- Also: kabaar, kabaad, kabar ka maal
- Scrap or junk: the goods themselves.
- Raddiwalaردی والا
- Also: raddi wala
- A buyer of paper and household scrap, often going door to door.
- Pheriwalaپھیری والا
- Also: pheri wala, thela wala, rehri wala
- A door-to-door collector with a cart, paying by weight.
- Godownگودام
- Also: godam, thiya, yard
- A dealer's storage yard where scrap is sorted and sold on in bulk.
- Kabari Bazaarکباڑی بازار
- Also: kabari market
- A market for scrap and second-hand goods, such as those in Rawalpindi and Peshawar.
- Rawalpindi scrap rates →
Weights and trade
- Kandaکانٹا
- Also: kanta, dharam kanta
- A weighing scale; a dharam kanta is a weighbridge for vehicles.
- Maundمن
- Also: mann, mun
- A traditional weight: usually 40 kg today, about 37.3 kg in some old markets.
- Maund, mann and kg →
- Fi kiloفی کلو
- Also: per kg
- Per kilogram: how scrap rates are quoted on Scrap Exchange.
- Purana samanپرانا سامان
- Also: purani cheezein
- Old household goods, often sold as scrap.
- Sell from home →