धनुष
dhanuṣ/d̪ʱə.nʊʂ/
The English word 'bow' is translated into Hindi as धनुष (dhanuṣ).
Meaning: to bend oneself as a gesture of respect or deference (verb)
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as dhanuṣ. It has two syllables.
When do people say it?
Namaste is a widely used Hindi greeting that includes an element of bowing. Pranam is a term used to show respect while greeting someone in a formal setting.
Did you know?
- If you were to speak about a 'rainbow' in Hindi, you would use the word इंद्रधनुष (indradhanuṣ), which literally translates to 'the bow of Indra', the king of gods.
- In some Indian folk traditions, the धनुष is not just a weapon but a symbol of the marriage bond, appearing in various wedding rituals across regions.
- While धनुष refers to the weapon, the verb 'to bow' in a gesture of respect is more commonly expressed through words like झुकना (jhuknā) or नमन करना (naman karnā).
Examples in context
- राम का धनुष बहुत लम्बा है।Ram's bow is very long.This sentence describes the length of Ram's धनुष.
- धनुष टूटनाFor a bow to be dischargedThis phrase describes the action of a bow being discharged.
- धनुष चढ़ानाTo draw a bowThis phrase describes the action of drawing a धनुष.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry धनुष, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
