Khanum,Qanysham, Kanysham, Khanym, Hanum,Hanım,Hanem,Khanom, orKhanoum (Uzbek:Xonim/Хоним,Kyrgyz: Канышам/Qanyshamand Каныш/Qanyshor Каныша/Qanysha,Kazakh:Ханым/Hanym,Mongolian:Ханым;Azerbaijani:Xanım;Turkish:Hanım;Egyptian Arabic:هانم;Levantine Arabic,Persian,Urdu:خانم;Hindi:ख़ानुम;Bengali:খাঁনম/খানম) is a femaleroyal andaristocratic title that was originally derived through aCentral Asian title, and later used in theMiddle East andSouth Asia. It is thefeminine equivalent of the titleKhan for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadicTurkic peoples living in Asia and Europe and alsoMongol tribes living north and northwest of modern-dayChina.[1] In the construction of words of theTurkic languages, the suffix "-um / -ım" adds "my", making the word "Khanum" as "my Khan". This arises from the tale, depicting a Khan announcing to his subjectsI am your Khan, and She is my Khan (Khanum). "Khan" is also seen as a title in theXianbei confederation[2] for their chief between 283 and 289.[3] TheRourans were the first people who used the titlesKhagan and Khan for their emperors, replacing theChanyu of theXiongnu, whomRené Grousset and others assume to beTurkic.[4]
In ModernTurkish, it is spelledHanım and is used similarly to the titles of "lady" or "mrs." or "miss" in the English language. The title ofHanımefendi is a combination of the words Khanum (tr.Hanım) andefendi, and is a more formal title to address women in the modern age.
Today, the term is used as a way to respectfully address women of any social rank. "Khanum" can be understood as equivalent of "madam", or more colloquially, "ma'am" in someOttoman and Turkic influenced countries.
InSouth Asia, particularly inAfghanistan,Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,Sindh,Baluchistan andNorth India,Khanum has been adapted for use as anhonorific forMuslim women of highsocial status.[citation needed]
In the original meaning "begum" and "khanum" are the feminine equivalents or counterparts of "beg" and "khan"—like the English "lord" and "lady".