धनिया
dhaniyā/d̪ʱə.nɪ.jɑː/
Cilantro is expressed in Hindi as धनिया (dhaniyā).
धनिया is a noun used to refer to the coriander plant or its leaves, which is known as cilantro in English.
Meaning: leaves of the coriander plant (noun)
Which one should you use?
While धनिया is the general term for the plant or leaves, you can use धनिया पत्ती to be more specific when referring to a coriander leaf. To distinguish the leaves from the spice, note that dhaniyā bīja is the term used specifically for coriander seeds.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced dhaniyā (/d̪ʱə.nɪ.jɑː/). It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- In Indian cooking, the stems of धनिया are rarely thrown away. They are finely chopped and cooked into dishes to provide a more intense flavor than the leaves alone.
- The word धनिया is inherited from the Sanskrit word धानेयक, which is derived from धाना meaning 'grain'.
- धनिया is so essential to the flavor profile of the subcontinent that it is frequently paired with पुदीना 'mint' to create the ubiquitous green chutneys found in almost every meal.
Examples in context
- सब्जी में धनिया डाल दो।sabjee mein dhaniya daal do.Put some cilantro in the vegetable dish.
- क्या आपको धनिया पसंद है?kya aapko dhaniya pasand hai?Do you like cilantro?
- ताज़ा धनिया बहुत खुशबूदार है।taaza dhaniya bahut khushboodaar hai.Fresh cilantro is very fragrant.
Example conversation
At a local vegetable market.
- अंजलि Anjaliक्या आपके पास ताज़ा धनिया है?kya aapke paas taaza dhaniya hai?Do you have fresh cilantro?
- राहुल Rahulहाँ, यह आज ही आया है।haan, yeh aaj hi aaya hai.Yes, it arrived just today.
- अंजलि Anjaliठीक है, आधा किलो धनिया दे दीजिए।theek hai, aadha kilo dhaniya de deejiye.Okay, please give me half a kilo of cilantro.
- राहुल Rahulजी, यह लीजिए।jee, yeh leejiye.Sure, here you go.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry धनिया, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries धनिया, CC BY-SA 4.0.
