घिसा-पिटा (ghisaa-pitaa)

adjective A compound adjective built from घिसना (ghisnaa, 'to wear away/erode') and पीटना (piitnaa, 'to beat/hammer'), together meaning 'worn out, threadbare, cliched' -- used both literally of physical objects and figuratively of stale ideas, phrases, or excuses.

Sense 1 : cliched, stale, hackneyed (of ideas, phrases, excuses)

adjective

Synonyms: पुराना (puraanaa), दोहराया हुआ (dohraayaa huaa, repeated), बासी (baasii, stale)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: This is the word Indians reach for when mocking Bollywood plot formulas or a politician's stock speech -- घिसी-पिटी बातें (ghisii-pitii baaten, 'the same old lines') is a very common complaint about anything recycled one too many times, from film scripts to wedding-season small talk.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for पुराना (puraanaa) to say an idea is 'stale,' but native speakers reach for घिसा-पिटा (ghisaa-pitaa) specifically when something has been repeated so often it has lost its punch -- a tired joke, a stock excuse, a formulaic dialogue.

Sample Sentences:

यार, यह वही घिसी-पिटी कहानी है जो हर दूसरी फिल्म में दिखाते हैं। Man, this is the same cliched story they show in every other movie.

(yaar, yah vahii ghisii-pitii kahaanii hai jo har doosrii philm men dikhaate hain।)

नेता जी ने फिर वही घिसी-पिटी बातें दोहरा दीं। The politician repeated the same hackneyed lines again.

(netaa jii ne phir vahii ghisii-pitii baaten dohraa diin।)

क्या तुम कभी बिना घिसे-पिटे बहाने के सच बोलोगे? Will you ever tell the truth without a cliched excuse?

(kyaa tum kabhii binaa ghise-pite bahaane ke sach bologe?)

अगर स्क्रिप्ट इतनी घिसी-पिटी न होती, तो फिल्म हिट हो जाती। If the script hadn't been so cliched, the film would have been a hit.

(agar skript itnii ghisii-pitii n hotii, to philm hit ho jaatii।)

शादी के मौसम में सबकी बातचीत घिसी-पिटी हो जाती है -- वही नौकरी, वही शादी के सवाल। During wedding season, everyone's small talk becomes hackneyed -- the same job questions, the same marriage questions.

(shaadii ke mausam men sabkii baatchiit ghisii-pitii ho jaatii hai -- vahii naukrii, vahii shaadii ke savaal।)

इस निबंध में घिसे-पिटे मुहावरों का प्रयोग न करें, कुछ मौलिक लिखिए। Please do not use cliched idioms in this essay; write something original.

(is nibandh men ghise-pite muhaavron kaa prayog n karen, kuchh maulik likhie।)

आलोचकों का मानना है कि इस निर्देशक की हर फिल्म घिसे-पिटे फॉर्मूले पर बनाई जाती है। Critics believe that every film by this director is made using a hackneyed formula.

(aalochkon kaa maannaa hai ki is nirdeshak kii har philm ghise-pite phormoole par banaaii jaatii hai।)

शायद संपादक चाहता हो कि लेख में कोई घिसा-पिटा जुमला न रह जाए। Perhaps the editor wants no cliched phrase to remain in the article.

(shaayad sampaadak chaahtaa ho ki lekh men koii ghisaa-pitaa jumlaa n rah jaae।)

उसकी माफी वही घिसी-पिटी लाइन थी -- "आगे से ऐसा नहीं होगा।" His apology was that same cliched line -- "it won't happen again."

(uskii maaphii vahii ghisii-pitii laain thii -- "aage se aisaa nahiin hogaa।")

आलोचक अक्सर कहते हैं कि हिंदी सिनेमा की कहानियाँ घिसी-पिटी होती जा रही हैं। Critics often say that Hindi cinema's stories are becoming increasingly cliched.

(aalochak aksar kahte hain ki hindii sinemaa kii kahaaniyaan ghisii-pitii hotii jaa rahii hain।)

Sense 2 : worn out, threadbare (of objects)

adjective

Synonyms: पुराना (puraanaa), फटा-पुराना (phataa-puraanaa), जीर्ण (jiirn, literary)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: Picture an old rickshaw seat or a pair of chappals (chappal) rubbed smooth from years of use -- that physical image of things being scraped and beaten down is exactly what this word literally paints before it ever gets used figuratively.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use पुराना (puraanaa) where घिसा-पिटा (ghisaa-pitaa) is meant, but पुराना (puraanaa) just means 'old' while घिसा-पिटा (ghisaa-pitaa) specifically implies visible wear from use, like a coat or shoe rubbed thin.

Sample Sentences:

उसके जूते बहुत घिसे-पिटे लग रहे थे। His shoes looked very worn-out.

(uske joote bahut ghise-pite lag rahe the।)

यह चप्पल इतनी घिसी-पिटी हो गई है कि अब पहनने लायक नहीं है। This slipper has become so worn-out that it's not fit to wear anymore.

(yah chappal itnii ghisii-pitii ho gaii hai ki ab pahanne laayak nahiin hai।)

पुराने सोफे का कपड़ा घिसा-पिटा हो चुका है। The old sofa's fabric has become threadbare.

(puraane sophe kaa kapdaa ghisaa-pitaa ho chukaa hai।)

रिक्शे की सीट सालों के इस्तेमाल से घिसी-पिटी हो गई थी। The rickshaw's seat had become worn-out from years of use.

(rikshe kii siit saalon ke istemaal se ghisii-pitii ho gaii thii।)

अगर तुम रोज़ यही जूते पहनोगे तो जल्दी ही घिसे-पिटे हो जाएंगे। If you wear these same shoes every day, they'll soon become worn-out.

(agar tum roz yahii joote pahnoge to jaldii hii ghise-pite ho jaaenge।)

घिसे-पिटे कपड़े पहनकर वह इंटरव्यू में नहीं जाना चाहता था। He didn't want to go to the interview wearing shabby clothes.

(ghise-pite kapde pahankar vah intravyoo men nahiin jaanaa chaahtaa thaa।)

घिसी-पिटी दरी को फेंक दो, नई ले आओ। Throw away that threadbare rug, bring a new one.

(ghisii-pitii darii ko phenk do, naii le aao।)

अगर वह किताब इतनी घिसी-पिटी न होती तो हम उसे रख लेते। If that book weren't so worn-out, we would have kept it.

(agar vah kitaab itnii ghisii-pitii n hotii to ham use rakh lete।)

उस दुकान में घिसे-पिटे बर्तन कौड़ियों के दाम बेचे जाते हैं। Worn-out utensils are sold for pennies in that shop.

(us dukaan men ghise-pite bartan kaudiyon ke daam beche jaate hain।)

दादाजी का वह घिसा-पिटा बैग अब भी अलमारी में रखा है। Grandfather's worn-out bag is still kept in the cupboard.

(daadaajii kaa vah ghisaa-pitaa baig ab bhii almaarii men rakhaa hai।)

Morphology

Adjective (variable)

Morphology could not be generated (hyphen-joined variable adjective 'घिसा-पिटा').