Ways to say it
| Sanskrit | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| मृदु | mṛdu | /mr̩.dú/ (Vedic) /mr̩.d̪u/ (Classical Sanskrit) |
| कोमल | komala | /kɐu̯.mɐ.lɐ/ (Vedic) /koː.mɐ.l̪ɐ/ (Classical Sanskrit) |
The term मृदु is used to describe something that easily gives way under pressure. It can refer to various textures associated with softness, including touch, sound or even personality traits. The synonym कोमल is also used to mean soft, but it specifically emphasizes qualities of being tender, delicate or supple in an emotional or structural sense.
Which one should you use?
While both terms mean soft, मृदु (mṛdu) is often preferred for physical textures or qualities like a soft voice. In contrast, कोमल (komala) frequently carries a connotation of being tender, delicate or supple, often in a more emotional or structural way.
How does it change in a sentence?
In many classical contexts, the form मृदु (mṛdu) can function as an indeclinable adjective, which means it does not change its ending to match the gender or number of the noun it describes.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is mṛdu. It has 2 syllables and the IPA is /mr̩.dú/.
Did you know?
- In the context of Indian classical music, कोमल describes a 'flat' note. It refers to a note that has been lowered in pitch, making it sound 'softer' or 'tenderer' than the natural note.
- The Sanskrit word मृदु is a distant relative of the English word 'mild'. Both words trace their lineage back to the same ancient Indo-European root meaning 'soft' or 'weak'.
- The word मृदु is often used to describe a 'soft' heart, meaning a person is compassionate or forgiving. In this sense, it is the opposite of कठोर, which means 'hard' or 'cruel'.
Examples in context
- अयं मृदुः पदार्थः अस्ति।ayaṃ mṛduḥ pādārthaḥ asti.This is a soft substance.
- मृदुः आसनः सुखदायकः भवति।mṛduḥ āsanaḥ sukhadāyakaḥ bhavati.A soft seat is comfortable.
Example conversation
Ananya and Aditya are looking at a piece of fabric.
- अनन्या Ananyaकिम् इदं मृदु अस्ति?kim idaṃ mṛdu asti?Is this soft?
- आदित्य Adityaआम्, इदं अतीव मृदु अस्ति।ām, idaṃ atīva mṛdu asti.Yes, this is very soft.
- अनन्या Ananyaतर्हि एतत् क्रेतुम् इच्छामि।tarhi etat kretum icchāmi.Then I want to buy this.
- आदित्य Adityaउत्तमः विचारः, अनन्या।uttamaḥ vicāraḥ, ananyā.Great idea, Ananya.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soft” translations and entries मृदु, कोमल, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries कोमल, मृदु, CC BY-SA 4.0.
