廓尔喀（古印度土语：gao rakkha，护牛者；梵语：gau-rakṣa；英语：Gurkha）是由卡斯人的一部分（刹库里、切特里和婆罗门）和一些被卡斯人同化了的林布族、拉伊族、古隆族和马嘉族所形成的族群，是尼泊尔的一个重要部族，操卡斯语；廓尔喀王国是尼泊尔沙阿王朝（1768年至2008年）的别称。廓尔喀部族世居于首都加德满都西北（尼泊尔中部，在博克拉与加德满都之间）。这部族的起源于14世纪的北印度契托尔王朝，这个部落相信自己是雅利安人的月族。廓尔喀即是「牛的保护者」之意，他们信仰印度教。这王朝也认为自己与湿婆派上师勾拉克纳特有关。

The Gurkhas (Nepali : गोर्खा) (/ˈɡɜːrkə/ or /ˈɡʊərkə/), pronounced and alternately spelled as Gorkhas, are soldiers from Nepal. Historically, the terms "Gurkha" and "Gorkhali" were synonymous with "Nepali", and derived from the hill town and district of Gorkha from which the Kingdom of Nepal expanded. The name may be traced to the medieval Hindu warrior-saint Guru Gorakhnath who has a historic shrine in Gorkha. The word itself derived from Go-Raksha, raksha becoming rakha. Rakhawala means protector and is derived from raksha as well. The place name called Gorkha from where the battle begin to form great Nepal and with the troops of CHHETRI people in leadership of The Great King Prithivi Narayan shah.