थाली
thālī/t̪ʰɑː.liː/feminine
In Hindi, the English word "plate" can be translated as थाली (thālī). Wiktionary also lists प्लेट (pleṭ) and रकाबी (rakābī).
Meaning: flat dish (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| थाली | thālī | /t̪ʰɑː.liː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| प्लेट | pleṭ | feminine | |
| रकाबी | rakābī | /ɾə.kɑː.biː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
The word थाली is the most common way to refer to a plate or a large platter used for serving food.
How does it change in a sentence?
All three forms, थाली, प्लेट and रकाबी, are grammatically feminine in Hindi.
How do you pronounce it?
thālī is pronounced /t̪ʰɑː.liː/ with two syllables.
When do people say it?
In Indian dining culture, a थाली refers not just to the plate itself, but to a complete meal consisting of various dishes served on a single large plate.
Did you know?
- The phrase थाली बजाना literally means 'to play the plate' and is used as a slang term for protesting or making a loud noise to attract attention.
- The word रकाबी has a surprising connection to horse riding, as it is etymologically related to the Persian word for a stirrup.
- The word थाली shares an ancient root with the Sanskrit word स्थाली, which originally described a dish made of earth or clay.
Examples in context
- कृपया मेरे लिए एक थाली ला दीजिए।Please bring me a plate.
- मुझे एक प्लेट चावल चाहिए।I need a plate of rice.
- उसने मेरी थाली लेकर खाना खाया।He ate food from my plate.
- यह पीतल की थाली बहुत सुंदर है।yah pītal kī thālī bahut sundar hai.This brass plate is very beautiful.
- कृपया मेज़ पर एक थाली रख दो।kṛpā mez par ek thālī rakh do.Please put a plate on the table.
- क्या आपको एक खाली थाली चाहिए?kyā āpko ek khālī thālī chāhiye?Do you want an empty plate?
Example conversation
Priya and Rahul are in the kitchen preparing dinner.
- राहुल Rahulप्रिया, क्या मुझे एक थाली दे सकती हो?Priya, kya mujhe ek thaali de sakti ho?Priya, can you give me a plate?
- प्रिया Priyaहाँ, थाली यहाँ रखी है।Haan, thaali yahaan rakhi hai.Yes, the plate is kept here.
- राहुल Rahulधन्यवाद, मैं इसमें फल रखूँगा।Dhanyavaad, main ismein phal rakhunga.Thanks, I will put fruits in it.
- प्रिया Priyaठीक है, राहुल।Theek hai, Rahul.Okay, Rahul.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “plate” translations and entries थाली, प्लेट, रकाबी, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries थाली, प्लेट, रकाबी, CC BY-SA 4.0.
