तिलचट्टा
tilcaṭṭā/t̪ɪl.t͡ʃəʈ.ʈɑː/masculine
The Hindi word for cockroach is तिलचट्टा (tilcaṭṭā). Wiktionary also lists तिलचटा (tilacṭā) and चपड़ा (capṛā).
Meaning: type of insect (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| तिलचट्टा | tilcaṭṭā | /t̪ɪl.t͡ʃəʈ.ʈɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| तिलचटा | tilacṭā | masculine | |
| चपड़ा | capṛā | masculine |
The term refers to the type of insect known as a cockroach.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word तिलचट्टा is a masculine noun. It changes to तिलचट्टे in the oblique case, which occurs when the noun is followed by a postposition, such as को or में.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is tilcaṭṭā. It consists of three syllables. The IPA transcription is /t̪ɪl.tʃəʈ.ʈɑː/.
Did you know?
- The name तिलचट्टा literally translates to 'oil-licker', describing the insect's habit of seeking out greasy food.
- Hindi speakers often use the English word 'cockroach' in urban settings, making the formal तिलचट्टा sound very literary or scientific.
- In some folk contexts, seeing a cockroach is not just a pest issue but is occasionally linked to superstitions about domestic cleanliness and household energy.
Examples in context
- किचन में एक तिलचट्टा है।kitchen mein ek tilchatta hai.There is a cockroach in the kitchen.
- मैंने एक बड़ा तिलचट्टा देखा।maine ek bada tilchatta dekha.I saw a large cockroach.
- तिलचट्टा बहुत तेज़ी से भागा।tilchatta bahut tezi se bhaga.The cockroach ran very fast.
Example conversation
Pooja and Aditya are in the living room when they spot a bug.
- पूजा Poojaआदित्य, देखो वहाँ एक तिलचट्टा है!Aditya, dekho wahan ek tilchatta hai!Aditya, look, there is a cockroach there!
- आदित्य Adityaकहाँ? मुझे वह नहीं दिख रहा है।Kahan? Mujhe woh nahi dikh raha hai.Where? I don't see it.
- पूजा Poojaवह कोने में है।Woh kone mein hai.It is in the corner.
- आदित्य Adityaओह, मैं अभी उसे हटा देता हूँ।Oh, main abhi use hata deta hoon.Oh, I will remove it right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cockroach” translations and entries तिलचट्टा, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries तिलचट्टा, CC BY-SA 4.0.
