अपराधी (apraadhii)
noun/adjective
Means 'criminal' or 'guilty person' as a noun, and 'guilty/criminal' as an adjective describing a person or act; both senses share the same root idea of wrongdoing.
Sense
1
:
a person who has committed a crime
noun, masculine/feminine
Synonyms: मुजरिम (mujrim), दोषी (doshii, often 'guilty person' in a legal/moral sense), गुनहगार (gunahgaar)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this word constantly in Hindi news broadcasts and crime dramas -- अपराधी को पकड़ लिया गया (apraadhii ko pakad liyaa gayaa, 'the criminal was caught') is a classic headline-style construction. It carries a formal, almost official weight, similar to how 'perpetrator' or 'culprit' feels heavier than 'bad guy' in English.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use अपराधी (apraadhii) loosely for any wrongdoer, but in everyday speech it leans toward someone caught up with the law or police, not just someone who did something minor wrong -- for a small lapse, दोषी (doshii) or गलत (galat) often fits better.
Sample Sentences:
पुलिस ने अपराधी को पकड़ लिया।
The police caught the criminal.
(pulis ne apraadhii ko pakad liyaa।)
अपराधी को पकड़ लिया गया।
The criminal was caught.
(apraadhii ko pakad liyaa gayaa।)
यह अपराधी कई सालों से फरार था।
This criminal had been on the run for several years.
(yah apraadhii kaii saalon se pharaar thaa।)
अदालत अपराधी को कड़ी सज़ा सुनाएगी।
The court will pronounce a harsh sentence on the criminal.
(adaalat apraadhii ko kadii sazaa sunaaegii।)
अगर वह भाग नहीं जाता, तो अपराधी पकड़ा जाता।
If he hadn't fled, the criminal would have been caught.
(agar vah bhaag nahiin jaataa, to apraadhii pakdaa jaataa।)
इस इलाके में अपराधी अक्सर रात में घूमते हैं।
Criminals often roam around this area at night.
(is ilaake men apraadhii aksar raat men ghoomte hain।)
अपराधी को न्याय के कठघरे में खड़ा कर दिया जाए।
Let the criminal be brought before the dock of justice.
(apraadhii ko nyaay ke kathaghre men khadaa kar diyaa jaae।)
खबर है कि मुख्य अपराधी अभी भी छिपा हुआ है।
There is news that the main criminal is still in hiding.
(khabar hai ki mukhy apraadhii abhii bhii chhipaa huaa hai।)
अपराधी को भागने मत दो!
Don't let the criminal escape!
(apraadhii ko bhaagne mat do!)
अपराधी की पहचान गवाहों ने कर ली है।
The witnesses have identified the criminal.
(apraadhii kii pahchaan gavaahon ne kar lii hai।)
यार, वो अपराधी टीवी पर दिख रहा था, एकदम बेशर्म लग रहा था।
Man, that criminal was showing up on TV, he looked totally shameless.
(yaar, vo apraadhii tiivii par dikh rahaa thaa, ekdam besharm lag rahaa thaa।)
Sense
2
:
guilty, criminal (describing a person or act)
adjective
Synonyms: दोषी (doshii), गुनहगार (gunahgaar)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In everyday moral scoldings, a parent might half-jokingly call a child अपराधी (apraadhii) for stealing a sweet -- much like calling someone 'guilty as charged' in English, stretched from its legal home into playful family speech.
Sample Sentences:
उसका व्यवहार अपराधी जैसा लग रहा था।
His behavior seemed guilty.
(uskaa vyavahaar apraadhii jaisaa lag rahaa thaa।)
अदालत ने उसे अपराधी करार दिया।
The court declared him guilty.
(adaalat ne use apraadhii karaar diyaa।)
अरे शरारती, मिठाई चुराकर तो तुम अपराधी बन गए हो!
Oh you rascal, stealing the sweet has made you guilty!
(are sharaartii, mithaaii churaakar to tum apraadhii ban gae ho!)
उसका मन उसे अंदर से अपराधी महसूस करा रहा था।
His conscience was making him feel guilty inside.
(uskaa man use andar se apraadhii mahsoos karaa rahaa thaa।)
यदि सबूत मिलें, तो उसे अपराधी माना जाए।
If evidence is found, let him be considered guilty.
(yadi saboot milen, to use apraadhii maanaa jaae।)
अगर वह सच बोलता, तो इतना अपराधी न दिखता।
If he had told the truth, he wouldn't have looked so guilty.
(agar vah sach boltaa, to itnaa apraadhii n dikhtaa।)
मुझे मत समझो अपराधी, मैंने कुछ नहीं किया!
Don't think of me as guilty, I didn't do anything!
(mujhe mat samjho apraadhii, mainne kuchh nahiin kiyaa!)
समाज उन्हें बिना सुनवाई के ही अपराधी घोषित कर देता है।
Society declares them guilty even without a hearing.
(samaaj unhen binaa sunvaaii ke hii apraadhii ghoshit kar detaa hai।)
उस अपराधी हरकत के बाद वह घर में सबसे नज़रें चुराता रहा।
After that guilty act, he kept avoiding everyone's eyes at home.
(us apraadhii harkat ke baad vah ghar men sabse nazren churaataa rahaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m/f.direct):
अपराधी
(apraadhii)
(sg.m/f.oblique):
अपराधी
(apraadhii)
(pl.m/f.direct):
अपराधियाँ
(apraadhiyaan)
(pl.m/f.oblique):
अपराधियों
(apraadhiyon)
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
अपराधी
(apraadhii)