गधा
gadhā/ɡə.d̪ʱɑː/masculine
The Hindi word for "donkey" is गधा (gadhā). Wiktionary also lists हिमार (himār).
Meaning: a domestic animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| गधा | gadhā | /ɡə.d̪ʱɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| हिमार | himār | /ɦɪ.mɑːɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
गधा refers to the domestic animal known as a donkey. Idiomatically, calling someone a गधा is a common way to tell them they are a fool or stupid.
Which one should you use?
गधा is the standard masculine form, while हिमार is another masculine term for the animal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form for a female donkey is गधी. The plural form गधों is used when the noun is accompanied by postpositions.
How do you pronounce it?
gadhā (two syllables)
Did you know?
- Unlike English where 'ass' can refer to both the animal and a body part, गधा is used exclusively for the animal and the concept of foolishness.
- In rural India, the donkey is often viewed as a symbol of patience and endurance, contrasting with the urban use of गधा as a synonym for stupidity.
- While गधा is the most common term, the word हिमार is a loanword that traveled from Arabic into Classical Persian before entering Hindi.
Examples in context
- वह एक गधा है।vaha ek gadha hai.That is a donkey.
- गधा बहुत मेहनती होता है।gadha bahut mehanati hota hai.A donkey is very hardworking.
- खेत में एक गधा खड़ा है।khet mein ek gadha khada hai.A donkey is standing in the field.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are looking at a farm through a fence.
- विकास Vikasअंजलि, देखो वह गधा कितना बड़ा है!Anjali, dekho vaha gadha kitna bada hai!Anjali, look how big that donkey is!
- अंजलि Anjaliहाँ विकास, वह बहुत प्यारा लग रहा है।haan Vikas, vaha bahut pyaara lag raha hai.Yes Vikas, it looks very cute.
- विकास Vikasक्या वह गधा यहाँ रहता है?kya vaha gadha yahan rehta hai?Does that donkey live here?
- अंजलि Anjaliमुझे नहीं पता, विकास।mujhe nahi pata, Vikas.I don't know, Vikas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “donkey” translations and entries गधा, हिमार, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries गधा, हिमार, CC BY-SA 4.0.
