झुकना (jhuknaa)
verb
Basic meaning is physical bending/bowing down; extends naturally into the figurative sense of yielding or submitting to someone's will. The causative झुकाना (jhukaanaa, 'to bend something') is a separate lemma.
Sense
1
:
to bend, to bow (physically)
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: नमना (namnaa, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly around touching elders' feet: बड़ों के सामने झुकना (badon ke saamne jhuknaa, 'to bow before elders') is a real, everyday gesture of respect in Delhi-NCR households, not just a book phrase. It is also physically what your body does when you sit on the floor to eat or pray -- a low stool or thali means you naturally झुकना (jhuknaa) forward.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for मोड़ना (modnaa) here, but that word is for bending an object (a wire, an arm) with your hands -- झुकना (jhuknaa) is intransitive and describes a body or structure bending itself, like touching one's own head down or a branch sagging under weight.
Sample Sentences:
पेड़ की एक शाखा हवा में झुक रही थी।
A branch of the tree was bending in the wind.
(ped kii ek shaakhaa havaa men jhuk rahii thii।)
वह रोज़ सुबह अपने दादा जी के सामने झुकता है।
He bows before his grandfather every morning.
(vah roz subah apne daadaa jii ke saamne jhuktaa hai।)
थोड़ा झुक जाओ, वरना दरवाज़े में सिर लग जाएगा।
Bend down a little, or you'll hit your head on the doorway.
(thodaa jhuk jaao, varnaa darvaaze men sir lag jaaegaa।)
थाली सामने रखी थी, इसलिए वह खाने के लिए आगे झुका।
The plate was placed in front, so he leaned forward to eat.
(thaalii saamne rakhii thii, islie vah khaane ke lie aage jhukaa।)
अगर छत नीची होती, तो हमें अंदर घुसते समय झुकना पड़ता।
If the ceiling were low, we would have to bend down while entering.
(agar chhat niichii hotii, to hamen andar ghuste samay jhuknaa padtaa।)
बच्चों को सिखाया जाता है कि बड़ों के सामने झुकना चाहिए।
Children are taught that one should bow before elders.
(bachchon ko sikhaayaa jaataa hai ki badon ke saamne jhuknaa chaahie।)
मूर्ति के सामने पहुँचते ही वह अपने आप झुक गया।
As soon as he reached the idol, he bowed down on his own.
(moorti ke saamne pahunchte hii vah apne aap jhuk gayaa।)
भारी बारिश में पेड़ की डालियाँ इतनी झुक गई थीं कि सड़क बंद हो गई।
In the heavy rain, the tree's branches had bent so much that the road got blocked.
(bhaarii baarish men ped kii daaliyaan itnii jhuk gaii thiin ki sadak band ho gaii।)
गुरु जी को देखकर सभी शिष्य श्रद्धा से झुक गए।
Seeing the guru, all the disciples bowed with reverence.
(guru jii ko dekhkar sabhii shishy shraddhaa se jhuk gae।)
कृपया थोड़ा झुकिए, तस्वीर में आपका सिर कट रहा है।
Please bend down a little, your head is getting cut off in the photo.
(kripyaa thodaa jhukie, tasviir men aapkaa sir kat rahaa hai।)
अगली बार जब मंदिर जाओ, तो द्वार पर झुककर ही अंदर जाना।
Next time you go to the temple, go inside only after bowing at the gate.
(aglii baar jab mandir jaao, to dvaar par jhukkar hii andar jaanaa।)
Sense
2
:
to yield, to give in, to submit
verb, intransitive Often used with दबाव (dabaav, 'pressure') or किसी की बात (kisii kii baat, 'someone's word/wish') to describe caving in under someone else's will.
Synonyms: हार मानना (haar maannaa, phrase, to admit defeat), झुक जाना (jhuk jaanaa, compound-verb variant)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this in political and family arguments alike: सरकार को झुकना पड़ा (sarkaar ko jhuknaa padaa, 'the government was forced to give in') is a stock news phrase, and a parent might say the same about finally giving in to a child's demand. The dative-subject flavor with पड़ना (padnaa) -- झुकना पड़ा (jhuknaa padaa) -- captures the sense of being compelled rather than choosing to yield.
Common Mistakes: 1) This is not the verb to use for losing a game or contest (use हारना haarnaa for that) -- झुकना (jhuknaa) specifically implies caving in to pressure, demand, or authority, even without any formal contest taking place.
Sample Sentences:
आखिरकार सरकार को झुकना पड़ा।
In the end, the government was forced to give in.
(aakhirkaar sarkaar ko jhuknaa padaa।)
मैं कभी दबाव में नहीं झुकता।
I never give in under pressure.
(main kabhii dabaav men nahiin jhuktaa।)
बेटे की जिद के आगे आखिर माँ को झुकना पड़ा।
In the face of her son's stubbornness, the mother finally had to give in.
(bete kii jid ke aage aakhir maan ko jhuknaa padaa।)
हम कभी अन्याय के सामने नहीं झुकेंगे।
We will never bow down before injustice.
(ham kabhii anyaay ke saamne nahiin jhukenge।)
अगर वह थोड़ा झुक जाता तो झगड़ा बहुत पहले खत्म हो जाता।
If he had given in a little, the fight would have ended long ago.
(agar vah thodaa jhuk jaataa to jhagdaa bahut pahle khatm ho jaataa।)
विरोधियों के दबाव में कंपनी को झुकना पड़ा।
Under pressure from opponents, the company was forced to give in.
(virodhiyon ke dabaav men kampnii ko jhuknaa padaa।)
क्या तुम सच में उसकी हर बात पर झुक जाते हो?
Do you really give in to everything he says?
(kyaa tum sach men uskii har baat par jhuk jaate ho?)
टीम प्रबंधन शायद खिलाड़ियों की माँगों के सामने झुक जाए।
The team management might give in to the players' demands.
(tiim prabandhan shaayad khilaadiyon kii maangon ke saamne jhuk jaae।)
अपने सिद्धांतों से मत झुको, चाहे कुछ भी हो जाए।
Don't compromise your principles, no matter what happens.
(apne siddhaanton se mat jhuko, chaahe kuchh bhii ho jaae।)
जनता के भारी विरोध के आगे प्रशासन झुक गया।
The administration gave in before the public's massive protest.
(jantaa ke bhaarii virodh ke aage prashaasan jhuk gayaa।)
सच्चाई कभी झूठ के सामने नहीं झुकती।
Truth never bows down before lies.
(sachchaaii kabhii jhooth ke saamne nahiin jhuktii।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
झुकना
(jhuknaa)
infinitive oblique:
झुकने
(jhukne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
झुकता
(jhuktaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
झुकते
(jhukte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
झुकती
(jhuktii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
झुकतीं
(jhuktiin)
continuous (sg.m):
झुक रहा
(jhuk rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
झुक रहे
(jhuk rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
झुक रही
(jhuk rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
झुक रहीं
(jhuk rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
झुका
(jhukaa)
perfective (pl.m):
झुके
(jhuke)
perfective (sg.f):
झुकी
(jhukii)
perfective (pl.f):
झुकीं
(jhukiin)
imperative (informal):
झुक
(jhuk)
imperative (neutral):
झुको
(jhuko)
imperative (formal):
झुकिए
(jhukie)
future (1sg.m):
झुकूँगा
(jhukoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
झुकूँगी
(jhukoongii)
future (1pl.m):
झुकेंगे
(jhukenge)
future (1pl.f):
झुकेंगी
(jhukengii)
future (2sg.m):
झुकेगा
(jhukegaa)
future (2sg.f):
झुकेगी
(jhukegii)
future (2pl.m):
झुकोगे
(jhukoge)
future (2pl.f):
झुकोगी
(jhukogii)
future (3sg.m):
झुकेगा
(jhukegaa)
future (3sg.f):
झुकेगी
(jhukegii)
future (3pl.m):
झुकेंगे
(jhukenge)
future (3pl.f):
झुकेंगी
(jhukengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
झुकूँ
(jhukoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
झुकें
(jhuken)
subjunctive (2sg):
झुके
(jhuke)
subjunctive (2pl):
झुको
(jhuko)
subjunctive (3sg):
झुके
(jhuke)
subjunctive (3pl):
झुकें
(jhuken)