मृग
mṛga/mr̩.ɡɐ́/
The Sanskrit word for deer is मृग (mṛga) or हरिण.
Meaning: animal of the family Cervidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Sanskrit | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| मृग | mṛga | /mr̩.ɡɐ́/ (Vedic) /mr̩.ɡɐ/ (Classical Sanskrit) |
| हरिण | hariṇa | /ɦɐ.ɾi.ɳɐ́/ (Vedic) /ɦɐ.ɾi.ɳɐ/ (Classical Sanskrit) |
Both words refer to animals of the family Cervidae. मृग is a general term that can also refer to wild animals or beasts in a broader sense, whereas हरिण specifically refers to a deer.
Which one should you use?
मृग is a more general and literary term used for deer or even wild beasts. In contrast, हरिण is a descriptive term used to specifically emphasize the deer, often highlighting its golden or yellowish color.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the nominative singular case (the subject form), मृग becomes मृगः. The plural form for मृग in the nominative case is मृगाः. The accusative singular form (the direct object) of हरिण is हरिणम्.
How do you pronounce it?
The word mṛga is pronounced /mr̩.ɡɐ́/ and consists of 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word मृग is a cognate of the modern Persian word 'morġ', which means 'hen'.
- In Buddhist iconography, the 'Deer Park' represents the location where the Buddha gave his first sermon.
Examples in context
- मृगः वनं गच्छति।mṛgaḥ vanaṃ gacchati.The deer goes to the forest.
- तत्र एकः मृगः अस्ति।tatra ekaḥ mṛgaḥ asti.There is a deer there.
- मृगः अति सुन्दरः अस्ति।mṛgaḥ ati sundaraḥ asti.The deer is very beautiful.
Example conversation
Ananya and Aditya are walking through a nature park.
- अनन्या Ananyaआदित्य, तत्र पश्य!āditya, tatra paśya!Aditya, look there!
- आदित्य Adityaकिम् अस्ति तत्र?kim asti tatra?What is there?
- अनन्या Ananyaएकः सुन्दरः मृगः अस्ति।ekaḥ sundaraḥ mṛgaḥ astiThere is a beautiful deer.
- आदित्य Adityaअहो, मृगः अति मनोहरः अस्ति।aho, mṛgaḥ ati manoharaḥ astiOh, the deer is very charming.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “deer” translations and entries मृग, हरिण, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries मृग, हरिण, CC BY-SA 4.0.
