चित्र
citra/t͡ʃɪt̪.ɾᵊ/
The Hindi word for 'drawing' is चित्र (citra).
चित्र is a noun that refers to a picture or a drawing. If you are referring to the skill or the artistic process of drawing and painting, the word चित्रकारी is more commonly used.
Meaning: act of producing a picture (noun)
Which one should you use?
While चित्र refers to the finished picture itself, चित्रकारी refers to the art or skill of drawing/painting.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as citra. It has two syllables.
Did you know?
- The word चित्र is a doublet of चीता, the word for 'leopard'. This is because the spots on a leopard's coat were seen as natural drawings.
- The word चित्र is also used in the compound चित्रपट, which is a formal term for a cinema screen or a movie. It literally means a 'cloth of pictures'.
- In historical Indian texts, the word चित्र was often used to describe anything that was 'bright' or 'variegated', not just a physical drawing.
Examples in context
- चित्रण कार्यशाला बहुत चमत्कारिक थी!The drawing workshop was fascinating!
- मैंने आज कला संग्रहालय में एक सुंदर चित्रकारी देखी।I saw a beautiful drawing in the art gallery today.
- यह चित्र बहुत सुंदर है।Yeh chitra bahut sundar hai.This drawing is very beautiful.
- मैंने एक नया चित्र बनाया।Maine ek naya chitra banaya.I made a new drawing.
- क्या आपने यह चित्र देखा?Kya aapne yeh chitra dekha?Did you see this drawing?
Example conversation
Puja and Aditya are looking at an art project in school.
- पूजा Poojaआदित्य, यह चित्र किसका है?Aditya, yah chitra kiska hai?Aditya, whose drawing is this?
- आदित्य Adityaयह चित्र मेरा है, पूजा।Yah chitra mera hai, Puja.This drawing is mine, Puja.
- पूजा Poojaयह बहुत अच्छा बना है।Yah bahut achchha bana hai.It is made very well.
- आदित्य Adityaशुक्रिया, मुझे चित्र बनाना अच्छा लगता है।Shukriya, mujhe chitra banana achchha lagta hai.Thank you, I like making drawings.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry चित्र, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries चित्र, CC BY-SA 4.0.
