शून्य
śūnya/ʃuːn.jə/masculine
The Hindi word for zero is शून्य (śūnya). Wiktionary also lists ज़ीरो (zīro) and सिफ़र (sifar).
Meaning: cardinal number before 1, denoting nothing (num)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| शून्य | śūnya | /ʃuːn.jə/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
| ज़ीरो | zīro | ||
| सिफ़र | sifar | /sɪ.fəɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) /sɪ.pʰəɾ/ (Hindi, Standard) |
|
| सिफर | siphar | ||
| सुन्ना | sunnā | ||
| ० | numeral |
शून्य is used to denote the cardinal number before 1, signifying nothing. It is also used as a noun to refer to the digit zero itself or the concept of nothingness and nullity.
Which one should you use?
शून्य is the standard term for the number zero, while ज़ीरो is a common English loanword used in everyday speech. Other variations include सिफ़र and सिफर, as well as सुन्ना, which can refer to nothing or none.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
शून्य is a formal and mathematical term appropriate for academic, scientific or official documentation. In contrast, ज़ीरो is a colloquial term very common in everyday spoken Hindi, particularly when discussing scores, telephone numbers or general numbers.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
शून्य is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
śūnya (/ʃuːn.jə/)
Did you know?
- The English word 'zero' is a distant relative of the Hindi word सिफ़र. Both words share a common ancestor in the Arabic term for 'empty'.
- In traditional Indian mathematics, the symbol for शून्य evolved from a small dot, which mirrored the meaning of the word as a 'point' or 'void'.
- The term सिफ़र is a Persian-derived version of zero that is still used in various dialects and regions, showing the deep layers of Persian influence on Hindi.
Examples in context
- मेरे पास शून्य रुपये है।I have zero rupees with me.This sentence shows how to use शून्य to express having no amount of something.
- तापमान शून्य डिग्री है।tapmaan shunya degree hai.The temperature is zero degrees.
- संख्या शून्य से शुरू होती है।sankhya shunya se shuru hoti hai.The sequence starts from zero.
Example conversation
Rahul and Neha are discussing a math problem.
- राहुल Rahulइस सवाल का जवाब क्या है?is savāl kā javāb kyā hai?What is the answer to this question?
- नेहा Nehaइसका सही जवाब शून्य है।iskā sahī javāb shūnya hai.The correct answer to this is zero.
- राहुल Rahulक्या तुम पक्का हो, नेहा?kyā tum pakkā hō, nehā?Are you sure, Neha?
- नेहा Nehaहाँ, राहुल, यह शून्य ही है।hān, rāhul, yah shūnya hī hai.Yes, Rahul, it is definitely zero.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “zero” translations and entries शून्य, सिफ़र, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries शून्य, सिफ़र, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
