Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| धोखेबाज़ | dhokhebāz | /d̪ʱõː.xeː.bɑːz/ (Hindi, Standard) /d̪ʱõː.kʰeː.bɑːd͡ʒ/ (Hindi, Standard) |
masculine |
| ठग | ṭhag | /ʈʰəɡ/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| ठगिन | ṭhagin | feminine | |
| ठगनी | ṭhagnī | feminine |
The terms used to describe a scammer or swindler vary depending on the specific nuance of the deception. धोखेबाज़ is a general term for a deceiver. ठग is used specifically for a con artist or someone who employs trickery to swindle others. In informal speech, you may also encounter the term Chhalia to describe a trickster or the colloquial expression Ghotalebaaz to refer to scammers and con artists.
Which one should you use?
While धोखेबाज़ serves as a general noun for any deceiver, ठग is more focused on the act of swindling through active trickery.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term ठग is the masculine form. To refer to a female con artist, you can use the feminine form ṭhagin or the variation ठगनी, which is often used in colloquial or specific literary contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is dhokhebāz. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word ठग is the root of the English word 'thug'. In early 19th-century India, it referred to a specific gang of professional robbers and murderers known as the Thuggees.
- The word छलिया refers to a trickster and is often used in religious texts to describe the playful and deceptive nature of the god Krishna.
- In Hindi, the suffix -बाज़ is used in both insults and compliments. While धोखेबाज़ is a 'scammer', a नज़रबाज़ is someone with a captivating gaze.
Examples in context
- वह एक बहुत बड़ा धोखेबाज़ है।voh ek bahut baṛā dhokhebāz hai.He is a very big scammer.
- सावधान रहो, वह धोखेबाज़ है।sāvadhān raho, voh dhokhebāz hai.Be careful, he is a scammer.
- पुलिस ने उस धोखेबाज़ को पकड़ लिया।pulīs ne us dhokhebāz ko pakaṛ liyā.The police caught that scammer.
Example conversation
Amit and Priya are discussing a suspicious phone call.
- प्रिया Priyaअमित, क्या तुम्हें वह कॉल संदिग्ध लगा?Amit, kyā tumhē̃ vah kōl sandigdh lagā?Amit, did you find that call suspicious?
- अमित Amitहाँ, वह कॉल करने वाला धोखेबाज़ था।hā̃, vah kōl karnē vālā dhokhebāz thā.Yes, the caller was a scammer.
- प्रिया Priyaशुक्र है कि मैंने उसे पैसे नहीं दिए।shukr hai ki maĩne use paisē nahi diye.Thank goodness I didn't give him any money.
- अमित Amitतुम बहुत समझदार हो, प्रिया।tum bahut samajhdār ho, Priya.You are very sensible, Priya.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “scammer” translations and entries धोखेबाज़, ठग, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
