बनावटी (banaavtii)
adjective
An adjective meaning 'artificial, fake, contrived' -- used for both physical objects (fake materials) and human behavior (put-on, insincere). Related to बनाना (banaanaa, 'to make') and बनावट (banaavat, 'make, structure, appearance').
Sense
1
:
fake, put-on, insincere (of behavior, emotion, manner)
adjective
Synonyms: दिखावटी (dikhaavtii), झूठा (jhoothaa)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word Delhi aunties reach for when someone's politeness feels performed rather than genuine -- 'उसकी हंसी बनावटी लगती है' (uskii hansii banaavtii lagtii hai, 'her laugh seems fake') is a classic bit of social commentary, often said behind someone's back with a knowing look.
Common Mistakes: 1) This sense is about manner and affect -- a बनावटी मुस्कान (banaavtii muskaan, 'a fake smile') or बनावटी अंदाज़ (banaavtii andaaz, 'a put-on/affected style') -- not about lying per se; for accusing someone of outright lying, झूठा (jhoothaa) or धोखेबाज़ (dhokhebaaz) fit better.
Sample Sentences:
उसकी हंसी बनावटी लगती है।
Her laugh seems fake.
(uskii hansii banaavtii lagtii hai।)
उसका बनावटी व्यवहार मुझे बिल्कुल पसंद नहीं आता।
I don't like his put-on behavior at all.
(uskaa banaavtii vyavahaar mujhe bilkul pasand nahiin aataa।)
मीटिंग में सब लोग बनावटी मुस्कान लिए बैठे थे।
Everyone in the meeting was sitting with fake smiles.
(miiting men sab log banaavtii muskaan lie baithe the।)
अगर उसकी हमदर्दी बनावटी होती तो वह इतनी देर तक रुकता नहीं।
If his sympathy were fake, he wouldn't have stayed so long.
(agar uskii hamdardii banaavtii hotii to vah itnii der tak ruktaa nahiin।)
कृपया इतना बनावटी मत बनो, जैसे तुम हो वैसे ही रहो।
Please don't be so fake, just be yourself.
(kripyaa itnaa banaavtii mat bano, jaise tum ho vaise hii raho।)
पार्टी में उसने बनावटी अंदाज़ में सबका हालचाल पूछा।
At the party, she asked everyone how they were in a put-on manner.
(paartii men usne banaavtii andaaz men sabkaa haalchaal poochhaa।)
मुझे शक है कि उसकी नाराज़गी बनावटी हो सकती है।
I suspect her anger might be fake.
(mujhe shak hai ki uskii naaraazgii banaavtii ho saktii hai।)
जब उसकी बनावटी विनम्रता का पर्दा उठा, तो सब चौंक गए।
When the veil over her put-on humility lifted, everyone was startled.
(jab uskii banaavtii vinamrtaa kaa pardaa uthaa, to sab chaunk gae।)
आजकल के नेताओं की सहानुभूति अक्सर बनावटी निकलती है।
These days, politicians' sympathy often turns out to be fake.
(aajkal ke netaaon kii sahaanubhooti aksar banaavtii nikaltii hai।)
उसका बनावटी अफ़सोस देखकर मुझे हंसी आ गई।
Seeing his put-on regret, I burst out laughing.
(uskaa banaavtii afsos dekhkar mujhe hansii aa gaii।)
उस लड़की का बनावटी लहजा हर किसी को खटकता था।
That girl's put-on tone bothered everyone.
(us ladkii kaa banaavtii lahjaa har kisii ko khataktaa thaa।)
Sense
2
:
fake, artificial (of objects/materials)
adjective
Synonyms: नकली (naklii), कृत्रिम (kritrim, formal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this word applied to plastic flowers, synthetic fabric, or artificial sweeteners in a very matter-of-fact way -- no moral judgment, just describing the material as not natural.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for नकली (naklii) and बनावटी (banaavtii) interchangeably for objects, which mostly works, but बनावटी leans slightly more toward 'artificially made/synthetic' (जैसे बनावटी फूल (banaavtii phool, 'artificial flowers')) while नकली often carries a stronger sense of 'counterfeit/deceptive' (जैसे नकली नोट (naklii not, 'fake currency note')).
Sample Sentences:
ये फूल बनावटी हैं, असली नहीं।
These flowers are artificial, not real.
(ye phool banaavtii hain, aslii nahiin।)
इस साड़ी में बनावटी रेशम लगा है।
This sari has artificial silk in it.
(is saadii men banaavtii resham lagaa hai।)
बाज़ार में बनावटी मिठास वाली चीज़ें बहुत बिकती हैं।
Things with artificial sweetness sell a lot in the market.
(baazaar men banaavtii mithaas vaalii chiizen bahut biktii hain।)
क्या यह हार बनावटी हीरों से बना है?
Is this necklace made of artificial diamonds?
(kyaa yah haar banaavtii hiiron se banaa hai?)
दुकानदार ने बताया कि यह चमड़ा बनावटी है।
The shopkeeper explained that this leather is artificial.
(dukaandaar ne bataayaa ki yah chamdaa banaavtii hai।)
अगर यह घास बनावटी होती, तो इतनी हरी नहीं दिखती।
If this grass were artificial, it wouldn't look this green.
(agar yah ghaas banaavtii hotii, to itnii harii nahiin dikhtii।)
कृपया बनावटी रंगों वाली मिठाई मत खरीदिए।
Please don't buy sweets with artificial colors.
(kripyaa banaavtii rangon vaalii mithaaii mat khariidie।)
हो सकता है कि यह पत्थर बनावटी हो।
It's possible that this stone is artificial.
(ho saktaa hai ki yah patthar banaavtii ho।)
पुराने ज़माने में बनावटी कपड़े इतने आम नहीं थे।
In the old days, artificial fabrics were not this common.
(puraane zamaane men banaavtii kapde itne aam nahiin the।)
इस पेड़ की बनावटी पत्तियाँ धूप में भी मुरझाती नहीं।
This tree's artificial leaves don't wither even in the sun.
(is ped kii banaavtii pattiyaan dhoop men bhii murjhaatii nahiin।)
कंपनी ने कपड़े में बनावटी रेशा मिलाया है।
The company has mixed artificial fiber into the fabric.
(kampnii ne kapde men banaavtii reshaa milaayaa hai।)
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
बनावटी
(banaavtii)