काना (kaanaa)
adjective/noun
An adjective describing someone blind in one eye; it also has a rougher colloquial edge as an insult, so tone and context matter.
Sense
1
:
one-eyed, blind in one eye
adjective
Synonyms: एक-आँख वाला (ek-aankh vaalaa)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: Physical-description words like काना (kaanaa) sit close to the line between plain description and insult in Hindi, much like calling someone 'one-eyed' bluntly in English -- native speakers often soften it with a more roundabout phrase like एक आँख से नहीं दिखता (ek aankh se nahiin dikhtaa, 'can't see from one eye') in polite conversation.
Common Mistakes: 1) काना (kaanaa) is often used bluntly as a description of a person's physical condition, which can sound rude in polite company; अंधा (andhaa) 'blind' is a related but distinct word for total blindness in both eyes, not to be confused with this one. 2) Learners sometimes use this word casually in front of the person being described, not realizing it can land as an insult rather than a neutral description.
Sample Sentences:
उस गाँव में एक काना आदमी रहता था।
A one-eyed man used to live in that village.
(us gaanv men ek kaanaa aadmii rahtaa thaa।)
मेरे दादा का एक दोस्त काना था, फिर भी वह बहुत अच्छा निशानेबाज़ था।
My grandfather had a friend who was one-eyed, yet he was a very good marksman.
(mere daadaa kaa ek dost kaanaa thaa, phir bhii vah bahut achchhaa nishaanebaaz thaa।)
क्या तुमने सुना, बगल वाला दुकानदार काना है?
Did you hear, the shopkeeper next door is one-eyed?
(kyaa tumne sunaa, bagal vaalaa dukaandaar kaanaa hai?)
कहानी का नायक जन्म से काना था और इसी वजह से गाँव वाले उसे कमज़ोर समझते थे।
The story's hero was one-eyed from birth, and because of this the villagers thought him weak.
(kahaanii kaa naayak janm se kaanaa thaa aur isii vajah se gaanv vaale use kamzor samajhte the।)
अगर वह काना न होता, तो शायद फ़ौज में भर्ती हो जाता।
If he hadn't been one-eyed, he might have gotten into the army.
(agar vah kaanaa n hotaa, to shaayad fauj men bhartii ho jaataa।)
डॉक्टर ने बताया कि दुर्घटना के बाद वह पूरी तरह काना हो गया है।
The doctor said that after the accident he has become completely one-eyed.
(doktar ne bataayaa ki durghatnaa ke baad vah poorii tarah kaanaa ho gayaa hai।)
बचपन की एक बीमारी की वजह से वह काना हो गई थी।
Because of an illness in childhood, she had become one-eyed.
(bachpan kii ek biimaarii kii vajah se vah kaanaa ho gaii thii।)
पुराने किस्सों में अक्सर कोई काना राक्षस या जादूगर मिल जाता है।
In old folk tales one often finds some one-eyed demon or sorcerer.
(puraane kisson men aksar koii kaanaa raakshas yaa jaadoogar mil jaataa hai।)
Sense
2
:
a one-eyed person (used as an insult or blunt label)
noun, masculine Functions as a noun when used to address or label a person directly, e.g. as a taunt.
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: In everyday speech, काना (kaanaa) used as a noun toward someone is a taunt, similar in force to name-calling based on a physical trait in English -- it shows up in playground insults and heated arguments rather than neutral description.
Common Mistakes: 1) Using this as a direct noun of address (calling someone काना (kaanaa) to their face) is genuinely insulting in Hindi, more so than the adjective use describing a third person's condition -- learners should be cautious about ever using it this way.
Sample Sentences:
स्कूल में बच्चे उसे काना बुलाकर चिढ़ाते थे।
In school, the kids used to tease him by calling him 'one-eyed'.
(skool men bachche use kaanaa bulaakar chidhaate the।)
गुस्से में उसने चिल्लाकर कहा, "काना कहीं का!"
In anger he shouted, "You one-eyed fool!"
(gusse men usne chillaakar kahaa, "kaanaa kahiin kaa!")
उसे काना मत कहो, उसे बुरा लगता है।
Don't call him 'one-eyed', it hurts his feelings.
(use kaanaa mat kaho, use buraa lagtaa hai।)
मोहल्ले के लड़के उसे काना कहकर चिढ़ाया करते थे।
The neighborhood boys used to taunt him by calling him 'one-eyed'.
(mohalle ke ladke use kaanaa kahkar chidhaayaa karte the।)
झगड़े के बीच वह उसे काना बोलकर अपमानित करने लगा।
In the middle of the fight, he started insulting him by calling him 'one-eyed'.
(jhagde ke biich vah use kaanaa bolkar apmaanit karne lagaa।)
अगर तुम उसे काना कहोगे, तो वह रो देगा।
If you call him 'one-eyed', he will cry.
(agar tum use kaanaa kahoge, to vah ro degaa।)
किसी को काना कहना बहुत ओछी बात है।
Calling someone 'one-eyed' is a really low thing to do.
(kisii ko kaanaa kahnaa bahut ochhii baat hai।)
बचपन में उसे काना कहकर इतना चिढ़ाया गया कि वह स्कूल जाने से डरने लगा।
In childhood, he was taunted as 'one-eyed' so much that he became afraid to go to school.
(bachpan men use kaanaa kahkar itnaa chidhaayaa gayaa ki vah skool jaane se darne lagaa।)
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m):
काना
(kaanaa)
(pl.m):
काने
(kaane)
(sg.f):
कानी
(kaanii)
(pl.f):
कानी
(kaanii)
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
काना
(kaanaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
काने
(kaane)
(pl.m.direct):
काने
(kaane)
(pl.m.oblique):
कानों
(kaanon)