दूरबीन (doorbiin)

noun A single-sense word: दूरबीन (doorbiin) covers both 'telescope' and 'binoculars' in everyday Hindi -- English's two-way split doesn't exist here.
Sense 1 : telescope / binoculars
noun, feminine
Synonyms: टेलिस्कोप (teliskop, loanword, used for the scientific/astronomical instrument specifically)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: The बीन (biin) in दूरबीन (doorbiin) comes from a Persian root meaning 'seeing/seer' (as in जासूस-बीन (jaasoos-biin) type constructions), so दूरबीन (doorbiin) literally means 'far-seer' -- a nice window into how Hindi borrows descriptive compounds from Persian rather than Sanskrit for everyday technical objects. Picture a grandfather on a Delhi rooftop pointing a दूरबीन (doorbiin) at kites and pigeons, or a school trip to a fort where kids take turns peering through one at the horizon.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes assume दूरबीन (doorbiin) means only 'telescope' as in English and reach for a separate word for 'binoculars' -- Hindi speakers use the same word for both; context (birdwatching vs. stargazing) tells you which one is meant. 2) The compound is दूर (door, 'far') + बीन (biin, 'seer'), not related to बीन (biin, the wind instrument) -- don't confuse the two बीन's.
Sample Sentences:
दादाजी छत पर बैठे दूरबीन से पतंगें देख रहे थे। Grandfather was sitting on the roof watching kites through a telescope.
(daadaajii chhat par baithe doorbiin se patangen dekh rahe the।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हारे पास दूरबीन है? Do you have a telescope?
(kyaa tumhaare paas doorbiin hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
किले की मीनार से बच्चे बारी-बारी से दूरबीन से बाहर देखते हैं। From the fort's tower, the children take turns looking outside through a telescope.
(kile kii miinaar se bachche baarii-baarii se doorbiin se baahar dekhte hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
दूरबीन उठाओ और देखो कि पहाड़ी पर क्या हो रहा है। Pick up the telescope and see what's happening on the hill.
(doorbiin uthaao aur dekho ki pahaadii par kyaa ho rahaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर मेरे पास दूरबीन होती, तो मैं तारों को पास से देख पाता। If I had a telescope, I could see the stars up close.
(agar mere paas doorbiin hotii, to main taaron ko paas se dekh paataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
वैज्ञानिक ने एक शक्तिशाली दूरबीन से दूर की आकाशगंगा का अध्ययन किया। The scientist studied a distant galaxy with a powerful telescope.
(vaigyaanik ne ek shaktishaalii doorbiin se door kii aakaashgangaa kaa adhyyan kiyaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यह दूरबीन इतनी पुरानी हो गई है कि इससे कुछ साफ़ नहीं दिखता। This telescope has become so old that nothing looks clear through it.
(yah doorbiin itnii puraanii ho gaii hai ki isse kuchh saaf nahiin dikhtaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसने खिड़की से दूरबीन लगाकर सामने वाली इमारत देखी। He looked at the building opposite by holding a telescope to the window.
(usne khidkii se doorbiin lagaakar saamne vaalii imaarat dekhii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
शायद कोई दूरबीन उधार दे दे तो हम पहाड़ों को साफ़ देख सकें। Maybe someone will lend a telescope so we can see the mountains clearly.
(shaayad koii doorbiin udhaar de de to ham pahaadon ko saaf dekh saken।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
संग्रहालय में दूरबीन एक शीशे के डिब्बे में रखी गई है। The telescope has been kept in a glass case in the museum.
(sangrahaalay men doorbiin ek shiishe ke dibbe men rakhii gaii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): दूरबीन (doorbiin)
(sg.f.oblique): दूरबीन (doorbiin)
(pl.f.direct): दूरबीनें (doorbiinen)
(pl.f.oblique): दूरबीनों (doorbiinon)