इन्द्रधनुष
indradhnuṣmasculine, alternative form
The English word rainbow is इन्द्रधनुष (indradhnuṣ) in Hindi. Wiktionary also lists इंद्रधनुष (indradhnuṣ) and धनुष (dhanuṣ).
Meaning: multicoloured arch in the sky (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| इन्द्रधनुष | indradhnuṣ | masculine, alternative form | |
| इंद्रधनुष | indradhnuṣ | /ɪn.d̪ɾə.d̪ʱə.nʊʂ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| धनुष | dhanuṣ | /d̪ʱə.nʊʂ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| रामधनुष | rāmadhnuṣ | masculine | |
| मेघधनु | meghadhnu | masculine | |
| इंद्रचाप | indracāp | masculine | |
| धनुक | dhanuk | masculine |
In Hindi, a rainbow is a multicolored arch in the sky.
What does it mean word for word?
The word इन्द्रधनुष is a compound of indra (the king of gods/rain) and धनुष (bow).
Which one should you use?
While indradhanush refers specifically to a rainbow, the word धनुष alone refers to a standard weapon bow. The term रामधनुष is a poetic or mythological variation used to refer to a rainbow, specifically invoking the bow of Lord Rama.
How does it change in a sentence?
All forms of the word provided are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
indradhnuṣ
Did you know?
- The spelling of इंद्रधनुष can vary between using the dot called a 'bindu' and the full letter 'n' in इन्द्रधनुष without changing the meaning.
- The word इंद्रचाप replaces 'bow' with चाप, which refers to an arc or a curve, shifting the imagery from a weapon to a geometric shape.
- In some regional dialects and older texts, the rainbow is referred to as मेघधनु, which literally translates to 'cloud bow'.
Examples in context
- इन्द्रधनुष में तुम्हें कितने रंग दिखाई देते हैं?How many colors do you see in the rainbow?This sentence is useful for asking about the colors visible in the इन्द्रधनुष.Tatoeba #937386 by thevikas, translation #281033 by Zifre
- नए ब्रिज को इन्द्रधनुष ब्रिज का नाम दिया गया।The new bridge was named Rainbow Bridge.This sentence shows how इन्द्रधनुष can be used as a proper name for a bridge.Tatoeba #455639 by minshirui, translation #269135 by CK
- मेरे विचार से यदि आप इन्द्रधनुष चाहते हैं, तो आपको वर्षा को सहना होगा।The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.This sentence uses इन्द्रधनुष in a metaphorical context regarding rain and reward.Tatoeba #2655110 by gauravjiii, translation #2655112 by gauravjiii
Example conversation
Vikas and Pooja are looking at the sky after a rain shower.
- विकास Vikasदेखो, आसमान में एक सुंदर इन्द्रधनुष है!Dekho, aasman mein ek sundar indradhanush hai!Look, there is a beautiful rainbow in the sky!
- पूजा Poojaवाह, यह इन्द्रधनुष बहुत चमकीला है।Wah, yeh indradhanush bahut chamkeela hai.Wow, this rainbow is very bright.
- विकास Vikasक्या तुम्हें इसमें सात रंग दिख रहे हैं?Kya tumhe ismein saat rang dikh rahe hain?Can you see seven colors in it?
- पूजा Poojaहाँ, यह बहुत प्यारा लग रहा है।Haan, yeh bahut pyaara lag raha hai.Yes, it looks very lovely.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rainbow” translations and entries इन्द्रधनुष, इंद्रधनुष, धनुष, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
