कील
kīl/kiːl/feminine
The English word nail is कील (kīl) in Hindi. Wiktionary also lists नेल (nel).
Meaning: spike-shaped metal fastener used for joining wood or similar materials (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| कील | kīl | /kiːl/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| नेल | nel | masculine |
The term कील refers to a spike-shaped metal fastener used for joining wood or similar materials. To express the action of hammering or driving a nail into something, use the verb phrase कील ठोकना.
Which one should you use?
While the English word 'nail' can refer to both hardware and body parts, कील refers specifically to the metal hardware. To refer to a fingernail or toenail, you should use the word नाखून instead.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /kiːl/ (kīl).
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, कील can refer to a mystical 'nail' or 'peg' used in traditional Indian occult practices to 'fix' or 'lock' a location's energy.
- The word कील can occasionally be used metaphorically in Hindi to describe a 'key point' or a 'central stake' in an argument or a situation.
- In certain technical or architectural contexts in Hindi, you might encounter the word कील used to describe a 'pivot' or 'axis' around which something turns.
Examples in context
- लकड़ी में एक कील लगा दो।lakṛī mē̃ ēk kīl lagā dō.Drive a nail into the wood.
- मुझे एक लंबी कील चाहिए।mujhe ēk lambī kīl cāhi'ē.I need a long nail.
- क्या यह कील बहुत बड़ी है?kyā yah kīl bahut baṛī hai?Is this nail too big?
Example conversation
Vikas is helping Neha repair a wooden crate.
- नेहा Nehaविकास, क्या तुम्हारे पास एक कील है?vikās, kyā tumhāre pās ēk kīl hai?Vikas, do you have a nail?
- विकास Vikasहाँ, मेरे पास एक कील है।hā̃, mere pās ēk kīl hai.Yes, I have a nail.
- नेहा Nehaइसे इस लकड़ी के बक्से में लगा दो।isē is lakṛī kē baksē mē̃ lagā dō.Drive it into this wooden box.
- विकास Vikasठीक है, मैं अभी लगा देता हूँ।ṭhīk hai, maĩ abhī lagā dētā hū̃.Okay, I will do it right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nail” translations and entries कील, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
