Hacker News Reader

This is a fine example of "chit bhi meri, pat bhi meri" which in Hindi translates to "heads I win, tails I win".

That saying exists in English, with a (in my opinion) more pleasing phrasing: heads, I win; tails, you lose.

Not sure why you're being downvoted – this is a perfectly interesting fact.

Presumably the words "chit" and "pat" don't literally mean "heads" and "tails", though, even if they correspond to those sides? If not, what do they mean?

"chit" is derived from "chitra" which means "picture". It translates to face side. "pat" has the same origins as "sapaat" which means "flat"/"plane". So it IS the heads/tails analogue for Hindi and Urdu.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com