धनी (dhanii)
adjective/noun
Primarily an adjective meaning 'wealthy, rich'; also used as a noun for 'a wealthy person' and, in an older/literary register, 'master, lord, husband.'
Sense
1
:
wealthy, rich
adjective
Synonyms: अमीर (amiir), मालदार (maaldaar, colloquial), संपन्न (sampann, means well-off, broader than just money), दौलतमंद (daulatmand)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll hear अमीर (amiir) far more in daily conversation -- गाड़ी वाला अमीर आदमी (gaadii vaalaa amiir aadmii, 'the rich man with the car')-type remarks -- while धनी (dhanii) shows up more in writing, news, or slightly elevated speech, like describing a 'धनी परिवार' (dhanii parivaar, 'a wealthy family') in a newspaper article.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often overuse धनी (dhanii) where अमीर (amiir) is more natural in casual speech; धनी (dhanii) leans slightly more formal/written, closer to 'affluent' than everyday 'rich.' 2) Don't confuse with धनि (dhani), an interjection meaning 'blessed/well done' seen in older poetry -- unrelated in feel despite the near-identical spelling.
Sample Sentences:
वह एक धनी परिवार से है।
He is from a wealthy family.
(vah ek dhanii parivaar se hai।)
यह शहर देश के सबसे धनी शहरों में से एक है।
This city is one of the wealthiest cities in the country.
(yah shahar desh ke sabse dhanii shahron men se ek hai।)
पहले उनका परिवार बहुत धनी था, पर अब हालात बदल गए हैं।
Their family used to be very wealthy earlier, but circumstances have changed now.
(pahle unkaa parivaar bahut dhanii thaa, par ab haalaat badal gae hain।)
अगर वह इतना धनी नहीं होता, तो शायद इतना घमंडी भी नहीं होता।
If he weren't so wealthy, he probably wouldn't be so arrogant either.
(agar vah itnaa dhanii nahiin hotaa, to shaayad itnaa ghamandii bhii nahiin hotaa।)
देश के सबसे धनी उद्योगपतियों की सूची अखबार में प्रकाशित हुई।
The list of the country's wealthiest industrialists was published in the newspaper.
(desh ke sabse dhanii udyogaptiyon kii soochii akhbaar men prakaashit huii।)
मुझे उम्मीद है कि उनका बेटा भी उतना ही धनी बने जितने वे थे।
I hope his son becomes just as wealthy as he was.
(mujhe ummiid hai ki unkaa betaa bhii utnaa hii dhanii bane jitne ve the।)
क्षेत्र के सबसे धनी परिवारों ने मंदिर के निर्माण में दान दिया।
The region's wealthiest families donated to the temple's construction.
(kshetr ke sabse dhanii parivaaron ne mandir ke nirmaan men daan diyaa।)
रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, यह राज्य खनिज संसाधनों में बहुत धनी है।
According to the report, this state is very rich in mineral resources.
(riport ke anusaar, yah raajy khanij sansaadhnon men bahut dhanii hai।)
क्या तुम्हें लगता है कि सिर्फ धनी लोग ही खुश रह सकते हैं?
Do you think only wealthy people can stay happy?
(kyaa tumhen lagtaa hai ki sirph dhanii log hii khush rah sakte hain?)
आने वाले सालों में यह कंपनी और भी धनी हो जाएगी।
In the coming years, this company will become even wealthier.
(aane vaale saalon men yah kampnii aur bhii dhanii ho jaaegii।)
Sense
2
:
a wealthy person
noun, masculine/feminine Used as a noun by simply placing it in a noun slot, e.g. एक धनी (ek dhanii, 'a wealthy person'), without any suffix change.
Synonyms: अमीर (amiir), धनवान (dhanvaan), पैसे वाला (paise vaalaa, colloquial)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This noun use is less common than just saying अमीर आदमी (amiir aadmii, 'rich man') or अमीर औरत (amiir aurat, 'rich woman'); धनी (dhanii) as a standalone noun feels a bit more bookish, the kind of word you'd meet in a moral fable contrasting धनी और निर्धन (dhanii aur nirdhan, 'the rich and the poor').
Sample Sentences:
इस कहानी में एक धनी और एक निर्धन की दोस्ती दिखाई गई है।
This story shows the friendship between a rich man and a poor man.
(is kahaanii men ek dhanii aur ek nirdhan kii dostii dikhaaii gaii hai।)
गाँव का सबसे बड़ा धनी भी दुखी रहता था।
Even the wealthiest man in the village used to remain unhappy.
(gaanv kaa sabse badaa dhanii bhii dukhii rahtaa thaa।)
धनी और निर्धन दोनों को अंत में एक ही सच समझ आया।
Both the rich man and the poor man understood the same truth in the end.
(dhanii aur nirdhan donon ko ant men ek hii sach samajh aayaa।)
क्या कोई धनी अपने धन से सच्चा सुख खरीद सकता है?
Can any rich man buy true happiness with his wealth?
(kyaa koii dhanii apne dhan se sachchaa sukh khariid saktaa hai?)
यदि वह धनी होता, तो भी उसका स्वभाव नहीं बदलता।
Even if he had been a rich man, his nature would not have changed.
(yadi vah dhanii hotaa, to bhii uskaa svabhaav nahiin badaltaa।)
उस धनी ने अपनी सारी संपत्ति गरीबों में बाँट दी।
That rich man distributed all his wealth among the poor.
(us dhanii ne apnii saarii sampatti gariibon men baant dii।)
कथा के अनुसार, एक धनी को स्वप्न में अपनी मृत्यु का संदेश मिला।
According to the tale, a rich man received a message of his death in a dream.
(kathaa ke anusaar, ek dhanii ko svapn men apnii mrityu kaa sandesh milaa।)
धनी हो या निर्धन, मृत्यु के आगे सब समान हैं।
Whether rich or poor, all are equal before death.
(dhanii ho yaa nirdhan, mrityu ke aage sab samaan hain।)
Sense
3
:
master, lord, husband (older/literary usage)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: स्वामी (svaamii, literary), पति (pati, meaning specifically husband)
Frequency: literary
Cultural Note: This older sense treats धनी (dhanii) as 'the one who owns/possesses' -- extending naturally from 'wealthy' to 'one who has authority,' hence 'master' or, in devotional and folk contexts, 'lord' as in addressing God. It survives mainly in bhajans, folk songs, and older literature rather than everyday talk.
Sample Sentences:
हे धनी, मुझ पर कृपा करो।
O Lord, have mercy on me.
(he dhanii, mujh par kripaa karo।)
मेरे धनी, तेरे बिना कौन सहारा है।
My lord, without you who is my refuge?
(mere dhanii, tere binaa kaun sahaaraa hai।)
दासी सदा अपने धनी की आज्ञा मानती थी।
The maidservant always obeyed her master's command.
(daasii sadaa apne dhanii kii aagyaa maantii thii।)
यदि धनी प्रसन्न होता, तो सेवक को धन मिलता।
If the master had been pleased, the servant would have received wealth.
(yadi dhanii prasann hotaa, to sevak ko dhan miltaa।)
स्त्री ने अपने धनी के चरणों में सिर झुकाया।
The woman bowed her head at her husband's feet.
(strii ne apne dhanii ke charnon men sir jhukaayaa।)
धनी की सेवा में ही सेवक का धर्म है।
The servant's duty lies only in the service of the master.
(dhanii kii sevaa men hii sevak kaa dharm hai।)
काश मेरे धनी मुझे क्षमा कर देते।
I wish my lord would forgive me.
(kaash mere dhanii mujhe kshamaa kar dete।)
धनी के बिना यह जीवन अधूरा लगता है।
Without the lord, this life feels incomplete.
(dhanii ke binaa yah jiivan adhooraa lagtaa hai।)
Morphology
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m):
धनी
(dhanii)
(pl.m):
धनीे
([[धनीे]])
(sg.f):
धनीी
([[धनीी]])
(pl.f):
धनीी
([[धनीी]])
Noun
(sg.m/f.direct):
धनी
(dhanii)
(sg.m/f.oblique):
धनी
(dhanii)
(pl.m/f.direct):
धनियाँ
(dhaniyaan)
(pl.m/f.oblique):
धनियों
(dhaniyon)