Language: Nepali
Source: A 1931 dictionary

Description

Paṭpaṭe (पट्पटे); A particular kind of tree, the wood of which is used for making khukurī handles. It is scientifically known as Talauma Hodgsoni and Magnolia hodgsonii, or more commonly; Chinese magnolia.

In Nepali the wood is also called bhālu kāṭh.

Paṭpaṭe is also an adjective, meaning "striped".

Wooden handle on a mid 19th-century khukurī.
Notice the subtle relief created by decades of handling.

Notes
1. Sir Ralph Lilley Turner; A comparative and etymological dictionary of the Nepali language. London: K. Paul, Trench, Trubner, 1931.