भिन्न (bhinn)
adjective/noun
A formal/written-register word meaning 'different, distinct'; it also has a specific mathematical sense meaning 'fraction'. Closely related to the everyday word अलग (alag).
Sense
1
:
different, distinct
adjective Often used with से (se) to mark the point of comparison, e.g. 'X से भिन्न (X se bhinn)' -- 'different from X'.
Synonyms: अलग (alag), विभिन्न (vibhinn, used before plural nouns to mean 'various'), जुदा (judaa, literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will meet भिन्न (bhinn) far more in a school textbook, a newspaper editorial, or a formal speech than in kitchen or market talk, where अलग (alag) rules. Reaching for भिन्न (bhinn) in conversation can come across a bit like using 'distinct' instead of 'different' in English -- correct, but noticeably formal.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners default to अलग (alag) for 'different' in speech; भिन्न (bhinn) is not wrong but sounds bookish or academic in casual conversation, more at home in an essay or a textbook than in bazaar chat. 2) The comparison marker is से (se), not से अलग-style को (ko) or की तरह (kii tarah) -- learners sometimes reach for the wrong postposition when constructing the comparison.
Sample Sentences:
हर व्यक्ति की सोच भिन्न होती है।
Every person's thinking is different.
(har vyakti kii soch bhinn hotii hai।)
यह विचार पिछले विचार से पूरी तरह भिन्न है।
This idea is completely different from the previous one.
(yah vichaar pichhle vichaar se poorii tarah bhinn hai।)
दोनों संस्कृतियाँ एक-दूसरे से भिन्न हैं।
The two cultures are different from each other.
(donon sanskritiyaan ek-doosre se bhinn hain।)
उन्होंने इस विषय पर भिन्न दृष्टिकोण प्रस्तुत किया।
He presented a different perspective on this subject.
(unhonne is vishay par bhinn drishtikon prastut kiyaa।)
यदि परिस्थितियाँ भिन्न होतीं, तो परिणाम भी भिन्न होता।
If the circumstances had been different, the result would also have been different.
(yadi paristhitiyaan bhinn hotiin, to parinaam bhii bhinn hotaa।)
कृपया इसे भिन्न दृष्टि से देखें।
Please look at this from a different point of view.
(kripyaa ise bhinn drishti se dekhen।)
इस बार परिणाम पिछली बार से भिन्न होगा।
This time the result will be different from last time.
(is baar parinaam pichhlii baar se bhinn hogaa।)
संभव है कि उनकी राय हमसे भिन्न हो।
It is possible that their opinion is different from ours.
(sambhav hai ki unkii raay hamse bhinn ho।)
हर राज्य की भाषा और परंपरा भिन्न-भिन्न होती है।
Every state's language and tradition are quite distinct.
(har raajy kii bhaashaa aur parampraa bhinn-bhinn hotii hai।)
इस नियम को भिन्न-भिन्न परिस्थितियों में भिन्न ढंग से लागू किया जाता है।
This rule is applied differently in different circumstances.
(is niyam ko bhinn-bhinn paristhitiyon men bhinn dhang se laagoo kiyaa jaataa hai।)
Sense
2
:
fraction (mathematics)
noun, masculine The standard classroom term for a mathematical fraction, e.g. 'सामान्य भिन्न (saamaany bhinn, common fraction)'.
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: Any Hindi-medium student meets this word in the maths chapter on fractions -- it is the everyday classroom term, not an obscure technical one, even though it looks identical to the adjective for 'different'.
Sample Sentences:
गणित में भिन्न का अध्याय सबसे मुश्किल लगता है।
The chapter on fractions seems the hardest in maths.
(ganit men bhinn kaa adhyaay sabse mushkil lagtaa hai।)
शिक्षिका ने ब्लैकबोर्ड पर एक भिन्न लिखा।
The teacher wrote a fraction on the blackboard.
(shikshikaa ne blaikbord par ek bhinn likhaa।)
इस भिन्न को सरल करो।
Simplify this fraction.
(is bhinn ko saral karo।)
दो भिन्नों को जोड़ने के लिए पहले हर बराबर करना पड़ता है।
To add two fractions, you first have to make the denominators equal.
(do bhinnon ko jodne ke lie pahle har baraabar karnaa padtaa hai।)
अगर यह भिन्न सही ढंग से सरल किया जाता तो जवाब आसान होता।
If this fraction had been simplified properly, the answer would have been easy.
(agar yah bhinn sahii dhang se saral kiyaa jaataa to javaab aasaan hotaa।)
यह भिन्न अध्यापक द्वारा हल किया गया।
This fraction was solved by the teacher.
(yah bhinn adhyaapak dvaaraa hal kiyaa gayaa।)
परीक्षा में भिन्नों के कम से कम तीन सवाल आते हैं।
At least three questions on fractions come in the exam.
(pariikshaa men bhinnon ke kam se kam tiin savaal aate hain।)
शायद यह भिन्न पहले से ही सरलतम रूप में हो।
Maybe this fraction is already in its simplest form.
(shaayad yah bhinn pahle se hii saraltam roop men ho।)
बच्चा भिन्न का सवाल हल कर रहा है।
The child is solving a fraction problem.
(bachchaa bhinn kaa savaal hal kar rahaa hai।)
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
भिन्न
(bhinn)
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
भिन्न
(bhinn)
(sg.m.oblique):
भिन्न
(bhinn)
(pl.m.direct):
भिन्न
(bhinn)
(pl.m.oblique):
भिन्नों
(bhinnon)