कर्म
karm/kəɾm/masculine
The Hindi word for karma is कर्म.
कर्म refers to the total effect of a person’s actions and conduct during the successive phases of his existence.
Meaning: the total effect of a person’s actions and conduct during the successive phases of his existence (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
It is pronounced /kəɾm/. The romanization is karm.
Did you know?
- The root of कर्म is shared with the English word 'work' through a distant Proto-Indo-European ancestor, *kʷer-, meaning to do or create.
- In Hindi, कर्म is often paired with the word फल meaning 'fruit'. Together, कर्म-फल refers to the specific result or 'fruit' of one's actions.
- In certain Indian philosophical traditions, the goal is not just to accumulate 'good' कर्म, but to eventually transcend कर्म entirely to achieve liberation.
Examples in context
- इंसान को अपने कर्मों का फल मिलता है।insaan ko apne karmon ka phal milta hai.A person gets the fruit of their karma.
- अच्छे कर्म हमेशा सुख लाते हैं।achhe karm hamesha sukh laate hain.Good karma always brings happiness.
- हमें अपने कर्मों के प्रति सावधान रहना चाहिए।hamein apne karmon ke prati saavdhaan rahna chahiye.We should be mindful of our karma.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing the philosophy of life.
- अमित Amitसब कुछ हमारे कर्म पर निर्भर करता है।Sab kuch hamare karm par nirbhar karta hai.Everything depends on our karma.
- प्रिया Priyaक्या आप सच में यह मानते हैं, अमित?Kya aap sach mein yeh maante hain, Amit?Do you really believe this, Amit?
- अमित Amitहाँ, कर्म कभी खाली नहीं जाते।Haan, karm kabhi khaali nahi jaate.Yes, karma never goes wasted.
- प्रिया Priyaयह सुनकर मुझे अच्छा लगा।Yeh sunkar mujhe achchha laga.I felt good hearing that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “karma” translations and entries कर्म, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries कर्म, CC BY-SA 4.0.
