ऊँचा (oonchaa)
adjective
A common variable adjective covering physical height/elevation and its figurative extensions into loudness, social rank, and moral/emotional stature.
Sense
1
:
physically tall or high
adjective
Synonyms: लंबा (lambaa), बुलंद (buland, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Think of a building, a wall, a mountain, or a stack of rotis on a plate -- ऊँचा (oonchaa) is the go-to word for vertical extent, while लंबा (lambaa) covers a person's height or a road's length.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for लंबा (lambaa) for both 'tall' and 'long', which is fine for people and roads, but for a wall, mountain, or building ऊँचा (oonchaa) is the natural choice -- लंबा (lambaa) there would sound odd, describing length rather than height.
Sample Sentences:
यह इमारत बहुत ऊँची है।
This building is very tall.
(yah imaarat bahut oonchii hai।)
पहाड़ की चोटी बहुत ऊँची थी।
The mountain peak was very high.
(pahaad kii chotii bahut oonchii thii।)
अगले साल यहाँ एक ऊँची दीवार बनेगी।
A tall wall will be built here next year.
(agle saal yahaan ek oonchii diivaar banegii।)
थाली में रोटियाँ इतनी ऊँची रखी हुई थीं कि गिर पड़ीं।
The rotis on the plate were stacked so high that they fell over.
(thaalii men rotiyaan itnii oonchii rakhii huii thiin ki gir padiin।)
यह पेड़ हर साल थोड़ा और ऊँचा हो जाता है।
This tree gets a bit taller every year.
(yah ped har saal thodaa aur oonchaa ho jaataa hai।)
अगर यह मेज़ थोड़ी ऊँची होती, तो बच्चे आराम से खा पाते।
If this table were a bit higher, the children would be able to eat comfortably.
(agar yah mez thodii oonchii hotii, to bachche aaraam se khaa paate।)
अलमारी को थोड़ा ऊँचा रखो ताकि बच्चे उस तक न पहुँच सकें।
Keep the cupboard a bit high so the children can't reach it.
(almaarii ko thodaa oonchaa rakho taaki bachche us tak n pahunch saken।)
शायद यह टेबल इतनी ऊँची न हो।
Maybe this table isn't that high.
(shaayad yah tebal itnii oonchii n ho।)
हिमालय की सबसे ऊँची चोटियाँ बर्फ से ढकी रहती हैं।
The highest peaks of the Himalayas remain covered in snow.
(himaalay kii sabse oonchii chotiyaan barph se dhakii rahtii hain।)
किले की ऊँची-ऊँची दीवारें दूर से ही दिखाई दे जाती हैं।
The fort's towering walls are visible from far away.
(kile kii oonchii-oonchii diivaaren door se hii dikhaaii de jaatii hain।)
Sense
2
:
loud (of sound/voice)
adjective
Synonyms: तेज़ (tez)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Just as English says 'raise your voice', Hindi literally makes the voice tall: ऊँची आवाज़ (oonchii aavaaz) is what a mother uses when calling kids in from the street for dinner.
Common Mistakes: 1) With आवाज़ (aavaaz, 'voice'), ऊँचा (oonchaa) means 'loud/raised', not 'high-pitched' -- Hindi maps volume onto the height metaphor, so ऊँची आवाज़ में बोलना (oonchii aavaaz men bolnaa, 'to speak loudly') is about volume, not pitch.
Sample Sentences:
माँ ने ऊँची आवाज़ में बच्चों को बुलाया।
The mother called the children in a loud voice.
(maan ne oonchii aavaaz men bachchon ko bulaayaa।)
कृपया इतनी ऊँची आवाज़ में मत बोलो, बच्चा सो रहा है।
Please don't speak in such a loud voice, the baby is sleeping.
(kripyaa itnii oonchii aavaaz men mat bolo, bachchaa so rahaa hai।)
वह हमेशा ऊँची आवाज़ में बात करता है, चाहे मौका कोई भी हो।
He always talks in a loud voice, no matter the occasion.
(vah hameshaa oonchii aavaaz men baat kartaa hai, chaahe maukaa koii bhii ho।)
अगर टीवी की आवाज़ इतनी ऊँची न होती, तो पड़ोसी शिकायत नहीं करते।
If the TV's volume hadn't been so loud, the neighbors wouldn't have complained.
(agar tiivii kii aavaaz itnii oonchii n hotii, to padosii shikaayat nahiin karte।)
स्टेशन पर लाउडस्पीकर से ऊँची आवाज़ में अनाउंसमेंट हो रही थी।
At the station, an announcement was being made in a loud voice over the loudspeaker.
(steshan par laaudaspiikar se oonchii aavaaz men anaaunsment ho rahii thii।)
क्लास में इतनी ऊँची आवाज़ में मत हँसो, टीचर सुन लेंगी।
Don't laugh so loudly in class, the teacher will hear you.
(klaas men itnii oonchii aavaaz men mat hanso, tiichar sun lengii।)
मुझे डर था कि मेरी ऊँची आवाज़ पूरे मोहल्ले में सुनाई देगी।
I was afraid that my loud voice would be heard all over the neighborhood.
(mujhe dar thaa ki merii oonchii aavaaz poore mohalle men sunaaii degii।)
संसद में विपक्ष के नेता ऊँची आवाज़ में सरकार पर सवाल उठा रहे थे।
In parliament, the opposition leaders were raising questions against the government in loud voices.
(sansad men vipaksh ke netaa oonchii aavaaz men sarkaar par savaal uthaa rahe the।)
शायद उसने जानबूझकर ऊँची आवाज़ में कहा हो, ताकि सब सुन लें।
Perhaps he said it in a loud voice on purpose, so that everyone would hear.
(shaayad usne jaanboojhkar oonchii aavaaz men kahaa ho, taaki sab sun len।)
जब भी वे झगड़ते हैं, उनकी ऊँची आवाज़ें पूरी गली में गूँज उठती हैं।
Whenever they fight, their raised voices echo through the whole lane.
(jab bhii ve jhagadte hain, unkii oonchii aavaazen poorii galii men goonj uthtii hain।)
उसकी ऊँची आवाज़ से पूरे हॉल में सन्नाटा टूट गया।
The silence of the whole hall was broken by his loud voice.
(uskii oonchii aavaaz se poore hol men sannaataa toot gayaa।)
Sense
3
:
socially elevated, high-status
adjective
Synonyms: उच्च (uchch, formal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: ऊँचा खानदान (oonchaa khaandaan, 'a high/respected family') or ऊँची पहुँच (oonchii pahunch, 'high-level connections') show how vertical height doubles as social height in Hindi -- much like English 'upper class', but the metaphor runs even more pervasively through everyday speech about family, caste, and connections.
Sample Sentences:
उसका खानदान बहुत ऊँचा माना जाता है।
His family is considered very high-status.
(uskaa khaandaan bahut oonchaa maanaa jaataa hai।)
उसकी पहुँच बहुत ऊँची है, वह किसी से भी बात करवा सकता है।
His connections are very high-level, he can get anyone to talk to anyone.
(uskii pahunch bahut oonchii hai, vah kisii se bhii baat karvaa saktaa hai।)
पहले हमारे समाज में ऊँचे और नीचे तबके का बहुत भेद था।
Earlier there used to be a lot of distinction between high and low classes in our society.
(pahle hamaare samaaj men oonche aur niiche tabke kaa bahut bhed thaa।)
वह ऐसे ऊँचे घराने से है कि हर कोई उसका नाम जानता है।
She's from such a high-status household that everyone knows her name.
(vah aise oonche gharaane se hai ki har koii uskaa naam jaantaa hai।)
काश मेरी भी इतनी ऊँची पहुँच होती।
If only I too had such high-level connections.
(kaash merii bhii itnii oonchii pahunch hotii।)
अगर वह ऊँचे खानदान से न होता, तो उसे यह नौकरी न मिलती।
If he weren't from a high-status family, he wouldn't have gotten this job.
(agar vah oonche khaandaan se n hotaa, to use yah naukrii n miltii।)
समाज में ऊँचा दर्जा पाने के लिए उसने बरसों मेहनत की।
To attain a high status in society, he worked hard for years.
(samaaj men oonchaa darjaa paane ke lie usne barson mehnat kii।)
उसकी ऊँची पहुँच के बावजूद उसका काम समय पर नहीं हुआ।
Despite his high-level connections, his work didn't get done on time.
(uskii oonchii pahunch ke baavjood uskaa kaam samay par nahiin huaa।)
यह मत सोचो कि वह ऊँचे खानदान का है, इसलिए तुमसे बेहतर है।
Don't think that just because he's from a high-status family, he's better than you.
(yah mat socho ki vah oonche khaandaan kaa hai, islie tumse behtar hai।)
जिनकी पहुँच ऊँची होती है, उन्हें कई बार नियम भी नहीं छूते।
Those who have high-level connections often aren't even touched by the rules.
(jinkii pahunch oonchii hotii hai, unhen kaii baar niyam bhii nahiin chhoote।)
Sense
4
:
morally or emotionally elevated; noble/lofty
adjective
Synonyms: महान (mahaan)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: ऊँचे विचार (oonche vichaar, 'lofty thoughts/ideals') or ऊँची सोच (oonchii soch, 'elevated thinking') extend the height metaphor to character -- a person who thinks big or acts nobly is described as reaching upward, just as in English we say someone has 'high ideals'.
Sample Sentences:
उसके विचार बहुत ऊँचे हैं।
His thoughts are very noble.
(uske vichaar bahut oonche hain।)
मुझे उन लोगों से मिलना है जिनकी सोच ऊँची है।
I want to meet people who have elevated thinking.
(mujhe un logon se milnaa hai jinkii soch oonchii hai।)
गांधी जी के आदर्श बहुत ऊँचे थे।
Gandhiji's ideals were very lofty.
(gaandhii jii ke aadarsh bahut oonche the।)
काश मेरे विचार भी इतने ऊँचे होते।
If only my thoughts were as lofty too.
(kaash mere vichaar bhii itne oonche hote।)
अपनी सोच को ऊँचा रखो, चाहे हालात कैसे भी हों।
Keep your thinking elevated, no matter what the circumstances are.
(apnii soch ko oonchaa rakho, chaahe haalaat kaise bhii hon।)
यह ज़रूरी है कि नेता के विचार ऊँचे हों, तभी लोग उसका अनुसरण करेंगे।
It is necessary that a leader's thoughts be noble, only then will people follow him.
(yah zaroorii hai ki netaa ke vichaar oonche hon, tabhii log uskaa anusran karenge।)
उसकी ऊँची सोच के कारण ही उसे सम्मान दिया गया।
It was precisely because of his elevated thinking that he was given respect.
(uskii oonchii soch ke kaaran hii use sammaan diyaa gayaa।)
साधु के ऊँचे विचार सुनकर सब मंत्रमुग्ध हो गए।
Hearing the sage's lofty thoughts, everyone became spellbound.
(saadhu ke oonche vichaar sunkar sab mantrmugdh ho gae।)
वह हमेशा ऊँची बातें करता है, पर करता कुछ नहीं।
He always talks lofty talk, but does nothing.
(vah hameshaa oonchii baaten kartaa hai, par kartaa kuchh nahiin।)
इतनी ऊँची बातें मत कर, ज़मीन पर रह।
Don't talk so lofty, stay grounded.
(itnii oonchii baaten mat kar, zamiin par rah।)
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m):
ऊँचा
(oonchaa)
(pl.m):
ऊँचे
(oonche)
(sg.f):
ऊँची
(oonchii)
(pl.f):
ऊँची
(oonchii)