कृष्ण
kŕṣṇa/kɾɪʃnᵊ/masculine
The English name Krishna is written as कृष्ण (kŕṣṇa) in Hindi.
कृष्ण is used as a proper noun for the deity and as a common name for males in India. There are several informal and endearing nicknames used for Krishna, such as Kanha, Kanhaiya and Makhan Chor, the latter of which means "Butter Thief".
Meaning: name (name)
What does it mean word for word?
The name कृष्ण literally means "black" or "dark" in Sanskrit and Hindi.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form कृष्ण is masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
/kɾɪʃnᵊ/
When do people say it?
The name is associated with the deity Krishna, who is often referred to by nicknames like Kanha, Kanhaiya or Makhan Chor (Butter Thief).
Did you know?
- Despite the name कृष्ण meaning 'black' or 'dark', the deity is often depicted in art with blue skin. This artistic choice represents the infinite nature of the sky or the ocean.
- In some regions, the name कृष्ण is combined with other words to create a 'composite name', such as राधा-कृष्ण, which treats two distinct people as a single linguistic unit.
- When speaking of the deity, followers may add the suffix जी to the name, saying कृष्णजी, to show a level of respect that is not required for humans with the same name.
Examples in context
- भगवान कृष्ण ने कुरुक्षेत्र की रणभूमि में अर्जुन को गीता का उपदेश दिया।Lord Krishna gave the teachings of the Gita to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.This sentence is useful for seeing कृष्ण used in a sentence describing his teachings.
- क्या कृष्ण तुम्हारा मित्र है?Kya Krishna tumhara mitra hai?Is Krishna your friend?
- कृष्ण एक बहुत अच्छा लड़का है।Krishna ek bahut achha ladka hai.Krishna is a very good boy.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a classmate at school.
- अंजलि Anjaliक्या तुम कृष्ण को जानते हो?Kya tum Krishna ko jaante ho?Do you know Krishna?
- राहुल Rahulहाँ, वह मेरा सहपाठी है।Haan, vah mera sahpaathi hai.Yes, he is my classmate.
- अंजलि Anjaliक्या कृष्ण आज स्कूल आया है?Kya Krishna aaj school aaya hai?Has Krishna come to school today?
- राहुल Rahulनहीं, वह आज नहीं आया।Nahi, vah aaj nahi aaya.No, he did not come today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “krishna” translations and entries कृष्ण, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
