Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Hindi: Champii, Champi

What does "champi" चंपी mean in Hindi? Is it some type of head message?

Champissage (possibly a portmanteau of chāmpi, the Hindi term for the practice, and massage[1]), also known as an Indian head massage is a trademarked term for an alternative medicine massage therapy. In champissage, the head, neck and face are massaged with the purpose of manipulating energy channels.[2] The goal is to clear blocks in these energy channels that cause a build-up of negative energy that are purported to cause ailments. 


You can also check the references at the bottom of above Wikipedia page. 

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Hindi: Does Ram like this place?

When we translate "Does Ram like this place?" to Hindi, should we say, "Kya Ram ko ye jagah pasand hai?" or "Kya yah jagah Ram ko pasand hai?" 

There is hardly much difference between the two; though I would prefer the former one, ""Kya Ram ko ye jagah pasand hai?"

Monday, February 11, 2013

Hindi: maTTii or miTTii? Baraat or Baaraat?

Which is used more popularly - maTTii or miTTii?

Mitti मिट्टी is used more often.

Which is used more popularly - Baraat or Baaraat?

Baaraat बारात is used more often. 

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Hindi: क्रतु kratu

Platts' dictionary contains क्रतु "kratu" ("power", "intelligence") but the Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary doesn't. Does this mean this word is no longer used? Here's the link to Platts: http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/phi...platts.1123726

It is a Sanskrit word and is used in Sanskrit. Though in Hindi I think it does not find application. 

I could find following web pages mentioning it: 

  1. ब्रह्मा के मानस पुत्र एक प्रजापति।
  2. संकल्प या निश्चय।
  3. मनोरथ

क्रतु तारा

क्रतु, जिसका बायर नामांकन "अल्फ़ा अर्से मॅजोरिस" (α UMa या α Ursae Majoris) है, सप्तर्षि तारामंडल का तीसरा सबसे रोशन तारा और पृथ्वी से दिखने वाले सभी तारों में से ४०वाँ सब से रोशन तारा है। यह हमसे १२४ प्रकाश-वर्ष की दूरी पर स्थित है और पृथ्वी से इसका औसत सापेक्ष कांतिमान (यानि चमक का मैग्निट्यूड) १.७९ है।[1] यह वास्तव में एक बहु तारा मंडल है।

क्रतु को अंग्रेज़ी में "डूबे" (Dubhe) भी कहा जाता है।

क्रतु के बहु तारा मंडल के यह तारे हैं:

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Hindi: beizzati pronunciation

Is beizzati every pronounced as beizzti? (Notice the schwa deletion). If so, is this considered good pronunciation? 

No, it is in general not pronounced as "beizzti". It should be "beizzati" बेइज्जती where there is full "za" ज which is considered proper. 

Examples: 

ऑनलाइन बेइज्जती बनाम ऑफलाइन बेइज्जती

यूपीए ने देश की बेइज्‍जती करवाई: रामदेव: राज्यवार ...

 


Hindi: gift

Hindi as spoken specifically in urban Delhi, what word do people use for "gift"? I'm particularly confused by whether it's more normal to say भेंट or तोहफा.

You have right clues and in general Bhent (भेंट) would be preferred. 

Mai use kya bhent dun? मै उसे क्या भेंट दूँ? (What should I gift him/her?)

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Hindi: vaise to

What does "vaise to" mean and where is it used?

Vaise to = in other respects, otherwise, generally, by the way

Examples: 

वैसे तो मै दिल्ली जाने वाला था, पर अब मन नहीं है।
वैसे तो भारत में हम हर मौसम जा सकते हैं सर्दियों में अधिक आनंददायक है।

Monday, February 4, 2013

Hindi: watch your back

How can one say this phrase "watch your back" in Hindi as in "That place is full of thieves, you should watch your back."

There may not be exact literal translation for the phrase but the same phrase is there in Hindi also to mean the same. 

One can say "bach kar rahna" बच कर रहना 
"वहाँ बहुत चोर हैं / वह स्थान चोरों से भरा है; बच कर रहना।"

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Aage aate aate jaate jate

Hi, can you translate this in English? 

Aage aate aate jaate jate, khoye khoye jaage jaage
Thake thake haare haare, daure daure sare sare
Pecche pecche aagee aage, gire pade bhage bhage
bhaaag bhagam bhaaag

It is a song, so it may be difficult to find the rhyme. But here it is: 

While coming, while going; while losing and while finding
Even while getting tired, all of us are running...
While being behind, while being ahead; we all run even while stumbling...
Run, run, and run...

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Hindi: तो सुन्न बैठी आत्माएं भी बोल उठें

What does " सुन्न बैठी" mean in the sentence "तो सुन्न बैठी आत्माएं भी बोल उठें"

It means "silent" or "inert" or "static", or more specifically "numb".

तो सुन्न बैठी आत्माएं भी बोल उठें => When even numb souls speak out...

Friday, February 1, 2013

Hindi: Jackfruit / Indian Breadfruit

Platts says koyaa is the pulp of the Jackfruit. Another dictionary I have lists the tree as kaT-hal. What is the tree called?

Jackfruit = Kathal (fruit) कटहल 
Koyaa = pulp of the fruit कोया