भालू
bhālū/bʱɑː.luː/masculine
The English word bear (the large mammal) is translated into Hindi as भालू (bhālū). Wiktionary also lists भालो (bhālo) and रीछ (rīch).
Meaning: large mammal of family Ursidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| भालू | bhālū | /bʱɑː.luː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| भालो | bhālo | masculine | |
| रीछ | rīch | /ɾiːt͡ʃʰ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
In Hindi, the term refers to the large mammal of the family Ursidae. Note that this noun is distinct from related verbs such as ले जाना, which means to carry or सहना, which means to endure with patience.
Which one should you use?
While भालू is the common term used in everyday speech, रीछ is a more formal or literary term for bear.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms भालो, भालू and रीछ are all masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as /bʱɑː.luː/ (bhālū).
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers might mistakenly use भालो instead of the standard भालू because they sound similar. However, भालू is the correct form to use.
Did you know?
- The formal word for bear रीछ is an ancient relative of the English word 'ursine' through a shared Proto-Indo-European ancestor.
- In Indian folklore and street performances, the भालू is often associated with the 'Madari' or street jugglers who traditionally trained them to dance.
- The standard word भालू traces its lineage back to the Sanskrit word भल्लूक, which has been used in Indian texts for thousands of years to describe the same animal.
Examples in context
- मैंने एक भालू देखा।I saw a bear.
- जंगल में एक भालू था।jangal mein ek bhaaloo tha.There was a bear in the forest.
- क्या आपने भालू देखा?kya aapne bhaaloo dekha?Did you see the bear?
- भालू बहुत बड़ा है।bhaaloo bahut bada hai.The bear is very large.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are talking about a wildlife documentary.
- प्रिया Priyaविकास, क्या तुमने वह भालू देखा?vikas, kya tumne vah bhaaloo dekha?Vikas, did you see that bear?
- विकास Vikasहाँ, वह भालू बहुत डरावना था।haan, vah bhaaloo bahut daravna tha.Yes, that bear was very scary.
- प्रिया Priyaवह भालू बहुत तेज़ भी था।vah bhaaloo bahut tez bhi tha.That bear was also very fast.
- विकास Vikasप्रिया, वह वाकई बहुत शक्तिशाली था।priya, vah vaakai bahut shaktishali tha.Priya, it was truly very powerful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bear” translations and entries भालू, भालो, रीछ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries भालू, रीछ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
