छलकना (chhalaknaa)
verb
A single core meaning: liquid spilling or brimming over the edge of a container because it is too full or being jostled. Often extended figuratively to emotions overflowing, especially in eyes/tears.
Sense
1
:
to spill over, brim over (of liquid)
verb, intransitive
Synonyms: उफनना (uphannaa, of boiling/rising liquid), बहना (bahnaa, to flow, broader sense)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Picture carrying a full glass of chai across a crowded room and a little sloshes over the rim at every jerky step -- that visual is exactly what छलकना (chhalaknaa) captures. It is a very physical, everyday verb you will hear in kitchens and while pouring drinks.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for बहना (bahnaa) here, but छलकना (chhalaknaa) specifically means liquid spilling over an edge because the container is too full or shaken, not liquid simply flowing or running (like a river or tap). 2) The subject is the liquid itself, not the container: चाय छलक गई (chaay chhalak gaii, 'the tea spilled over'), not the cup.
Sample Sentences:
गिलास इतना भरा था कि पानी छलक गया।
The glass was so full that the water spilled over.
(gilaas itnaa bharaa thaa ki paanii chhalak gayaa।)
ज़रा आराम से चलो, चाय छलक रही है।
Walk carefully, the tea is spilling over.
(zaraa aaraam se chalo, chaay chhalak rahii hai।)
भीड़ में धक्का लगते ही दूध का कटोरा छलक जाता है।
The moment there's a jolt in the crowd, the bowl of milk spills over.
(bhiid men dhakkaa lagte hii doodh kaa katoraa chhalak jaataa hai।)
गिलास को इतना मत भरो, वरना छलक जाएगा।
Don't fill the glass so much, otherwise it will spill over.
(gilaas ko itnaa mat bharo, varnaa chhalak jaaegaa।)
अगर तुम गिलास को हिलाते तो पानी ज़रूर छलकता।
If you had jiggled the glass, the water would definitely have spilled over.
(agar tum gilaas ko hilaate to paanii zaroor chhalaktaa।)
बर्तन इतना भरा मत रखो कि छलक जाए।
Don't keep the vessel so full that it might spill over.
(bartan itnaa bharaa mat rakho ki chhalak jaae।)
गाड़ी के हर मोड़ पर बाल्टी का पानी छलकता रहा।
At every turn of the vehicle, the bucket's water kept spilling over.
(gaadii ke har mod par baaltii kaa paanii chhalaktaa rahaa।)
कटोरा इतना भरा था कि दाल छलककर मेज़ पर फैल गई।
The bowl was so full that the lentils spilled over and spread on the table.
(katoraa itnaa bharaa thaa ki daal chhalakkar mez par phail gaii।)
थाली को इतना झुकाकर मत ले जाओ, सब्ज़ी का रस छलक जाएगा।
Don't carry the plate tilted so much, the vegetable's gravy will spill over.
(thaalii ko itnaa jhukaakar mat le jaao, sabzii kaa ras chhalak jaaegaa।)
जब मैंने कप उठाया, तो कॉफ़ी छलक गई।
When I picked up the cup, the coffee spilled over.
(jab mainne kap uthaayaa, to kofii chhalak gaii।)
पूजा की थाली में रखा जल हल्के से हिलते ही छलक जाता है।
The water kept in the puja plate spills over at the slightest movement.
(poojaa kii thaalii men rakhaa jal halke se hilte hii chhalak jaataa hai।)
Sense
2
:
to well up, brim over (of emotion, especially in the eyes)
verb, intransitive Most commonly paired with आँखें (aankhen, eyes) as the subject: आँखों में आँसू छलक आए (aankhon men aansoo chhalak aae, 'tears welled up in the eyes').
Synonyms: भर आना (bhar aanaa, of eyes filling with tears)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the same mental image as the liquid sense, just applied to the eyes as a brimming vessel -- Hindi loves treating the body as a container that fills up with feeling. You will often see it paired with the compound verb form छलक आना (chhalak aanaa) when tears suddenly well up at a tender or emotional moment.
Sample Sentences:
उसकी आँखों में आँसू छलक आए।
Tears welled up in her eyes.
(uskii aankhon men aansoo chhalak aae।)
बेटी को स्टेशन पर छोड़ते हुए माँ की आँखें छलक उठीं।
As she left her daughter at the station, the mother's eyes welled up.
(betii ko steshan par chhodte hue maan kii aankhen chhalak uthiin।)
जब भी वह पुराने गाने सुनता है, उसकी आँखें छलक जाती हैं।
Whenever he hears those old songs, his eyes well up.
(jab bhii vah puraane gaane suntaa hai, uskii aankhen chhalak jaatii hain।)
उसकी आँखें छलक रही थीं, पर वह मुस्कुराने की कोशिश कर रही थी।
Her eyes were welling up, but she was trying to smile.
(uskii aankhen chhalak rahii thiin, par vah muskuraane kii koshish kar rahii thii।)
अगर उसने वह चिट्ठी पढ़ी तो उसकी आँखें ज़रूर छलक जाएँगी।
If she reads that letter, her eyes will surely well up.
(agar usne vah chitthii padhii to uskii aankhen zaroor chhalak jaaengii।)
काश उसकी आँखें उस वक्त न छलकतीं, तो लोग उसे कमज़ोर न समझते।
If only her eyes hadn't welled up at that moment, people wouldn't have thought her weak.
(kaash uskii aankhen us vakt n chhalaktiin, to log use kamzor n samajhte।)
रो मत, नहीं तो तेरी आँखें फिर से छलक जाएँगी।
Don't cry, or your eyes will well up again.
(ro mat, nahiin to terii aankhen phir se chhalak jaaengii।)
उनकी आँखें भावना से छलक उठें, यही उस कविता का उद्देश्य था।
That the audience's eyes might well up with emotion -- that was the poem's very purpose.
(unkii aankhen bhaavnaa se chhalak uthen, yahii us kavitaa kaa uddeshy thaa।)
मंच पर उसकी कहानी सुनते ही सबकी आँखें छलक गईं।
The moment they heard his story on stage, everyone's eyes welled up.
(manch par uskii kahaanii sunte hii sabkii aankhen chhalak gaiin।)
Morphology
Verb
infinitive:
छलकना
(chhalaknaa)
infinitive oblique:
छलकने
(chhalakne)
habitual/simple (sg.m):
छलकता
(chhalaktaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m):
छलकते
(chhalakte)
habitual/simple (sg.f):
छलकती
(chhalaktii)
habitual/simple (pl.f):
छलकतीं
(chhalaktiin)
continuous (sg.m):
छलक रहा
(chhalak rahaa)
continuous (pl.m):
छलक रहे
(chhalak rahe)
continuous (sg.f):
छलक रही
(chhalak rahii)
continuous (pl.f):
छलक रहीं
(chhalak rahiin)
perfective (sg.m):
छलका
(chhalkaa)
perfective (pl.m):
छलके
(chhalke)
perfective (sg.f):
छलकी
(chhalkii)
perfective (pl.f):
छलकीं
(chhalkiin)
imperative (informal):
छलक
(chhalak)
imperative (neutral):
छलको
(chhalko)
imperative (formal):
छलकिए
(chhalkie)
future (1sg.m):
छलकूँगा
(chhalkoongaa)
future (1sg.f):
छलकूँगी
(chhalkoongii)
future (1pl.m):
छलकेंगे
(chhalkenge)
future (1pl.f):
छलकेंगी
(chhalkengii)
future (2sg.m):
छलकेगा
(chhalkegaa)
future (2sg.f):
छलकेगी
(chhalkegii)
future (2pl.m):
छलकोगे
(chhalkoge)
future (2pl.f):
छलकोगी
(chhalkogii)
future (3sg.m):
छलकेगा
(chhalkegaa)
future (3sg.f):
छलकेगी
(chhalkegii)
future (3pl.m):
छलकेंगे
(chhalkenge)
future (3pl.f):
छलकेंगी
(chhalkengii)
subjunctive (1sg):
छलकूँ
(chhalkoon)
subjunctive (1pl):
छलकें
(chhalken)
subjunctive (2sg):
छलके
(chhalke)
subjunctive (2pl):
छलको
(chhalko)
subjunctive (3sg):
छलके
(chhalke)
subjunctive (3pl):
छलकें
(chhalken)