छुरी
churī/t͡ʃʰʊ.ɾiː/feminine
The English word knife is translated into Hindi as either छुरी (churī) or चाक़ू.
Meaning: utensil or tool designed for cutting (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| छुरी | churī | /t͡ʃʰʊ.ɾiː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| चाक़ू | cāqū | /t͡ʃɑː.quː/ (Hindi, Standard) /t͡ʃɑː.kuː/ (Hindi, Standard) |
masculine |
Both terms refer to a utensil or tool designed for cutting.
Which one should you use?
While both mean knife, चाक़ू (cāqū) is a masculine noun often used for standard kitchen or utility knives. In contrast, छुरी (churī) is a feminine noun that often implies a smaller or sharper blade.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because छुरी is a feminine noun, any adjectives describing it must take the feminine form, such as नुकीली (nukīlī – sharp) instead of the masculine नुकीला (nukīlā). Conversely, because चाक़ू is a masculine noun, adjectives describing it must take the masculine form, such as नया (nayā – new) instead of the feminine नयी (nayī).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of छुरी is /tʃʰʊ.ɾiː/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word छुरी shares a common ancient ancestor with the English word 'shear', both deriving from a root meaning to cut.
Examples in context
- यह छुरी नुकीली है।This knife is sharp.This sentence is useful for describing the sharpness of a छुरी.Tatoeba #10633896 by sabretou, translation #9162486 by CK
- मुझे एक नयी छुरी चाहिए।I want a new knife.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire for a new छुरी.Tatoeba #3784095 by sabretou, translation #2730975 by CK
- मैंने मेरी छुरी निकाली।I got out my knife.This sentence is useful for describing the action of taking out a छुरी.Tatoeba #3788835 by sabretou, translation #3732811 by CK
Example conversation
Pooja and Aditya are preparing vegetables in the kitchen.
- पूजा Poojaआदित्य, क्या आप मुझे छुरी दे सकते हैं?Aditya, kya aap mujhe chhuri de sakte hain?Aditya, can you give me the knife?
- आदित्य Adityaहाँ, यह रही छुरी।Haan, yeh rahi chhuri.Yes, here is the knife.
- पूजा Poojaशुक्रिया, यह छुरी बहुत तेज़ है।Shukriya, yeh chhuri bahut tez hai.Thanks, this knife is very sharp.
- आदित्य Adityaसावधानी से इस्तेमाल करना।Saavdhani se istemaal karna.Use it carefully.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “knife” translations and entries छुरी, चाक़ू, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries चाक़ू, छुरी, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
