त्वचा
tvacā/t̪ʋə.t͡ʃɑː/feminine
In Hindi, the English word skin is primarily translated as त्वचा (tvacā). Wiktionary also lists चमड़ी (camṛī) and चमड़ा (camṛā).
Meaning: outer protective layer of the body of a person or animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| त्वचा | tvacā | /t̪ʋə.t͡ʃɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| चमड़ी | camṛī | /t͡ʃəm.ɽiː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| चमड़ा | camṛā | /t͡ʃəm.ɽɑː/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
The term refers to the outer protective layer of the body of a person or animal.
Which one should you use?
While त्वचा refers to biological skin, the masculine form चमड़ा is used to refer to leather (processed animal skin). The feminine form चमड़ी is a common, slightly more colloquial way to refer to biological skin compared to the formal त्वचा.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The most formal and widely-used Hindi word for skin is त्वचा, often used in medical or dermatological contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms त्वचा and चमड़ी are feminine, while चमड़ा is masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
tvacā (two syllables)
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers may confuse छिलना (to scrape/graze the skin) with छीलना (to peel/remove the skin of a fruit or animal).
Did you know?
- In Hindi, the phrase चमड़ी उतारना literally means 'to peel the skin' but is used idiomatically to mean harshly scolding or punishing someone.
- A person with very fair skin in Hindi is often described as having दूध जैसी त्वचा, which literally means 'skin like milk'.
- The word त्वचा comes from the Sanskrit root त्वच्, which is linked to the Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to weave' or 'cover'.
Examples in context
- त्वचा मुलायम है।The skin is soft.This sentence is useful for describing the texture of the त्वचा.Tatoeba #10054875 by sabretou, translation #2002562 by bichodebola
- उसका रंग बहुत सुंदर है।His skin color is very beautiful.
- धूप से त्वचा काली हो सकती है।dhoop se tvachā kālī ho saktī hai.The skin can get dark from the sun.
- मेरी त्वचा बहुत संवेदनशील है।merī tvachā bahut sanvedanshil hai.My skin is very sensitive.
Example conversation
Neha and Vikas are discussing skincare.
- नेहा Nehaविकास, क्या तुम्हारी त्वचा रूखी है?Vikas, kya tumhari tvachā rookhi hai?Vikas, is your skin dry?
- विकास Vikasहाँ, सर्दियों में ऐसा होता है।Haan, sardiyon mein aisa hota hai.Yes, it happens in winters.
- नेहा Nehaतुम्हें मॉइस्चराइज़र लगाना चाहिए।Tumhein moisturizer lagana chahiye.You should apply moisturizer.
- विकास Vikasठीक है, मैं आज़माऊँगा।Theek hai, main aazmaunga.Okay, I will try.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “skin” translations and entries त्वचा, चमड़ी, चमड़ा, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries चमड़ा, चमड़ी, त्वचा, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
