चौंसठ (chaunsath)

numeral The number sixty-four (chaunsath) -- a plain cardinal numeral with no other senses in everyday use.
Sense 1 : the number sixty-four
numeral
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Like most two-digit Hindi numbers, चौंसठ (chaunsath) just has to be learned as its own word rather than built from 'four' plus 'sixty' the way English does -- this is normal for Hindi numerals from 1 to 100. It does show up in the well-known phrase चौंसठ कलाएं (chaunsath kalaaen, 'the sixty-four arts'), a traditional list of accomplishments (music, dance, cooking, and so on) that a cultured person was said to master in classical Indian texts.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often mix up चौंसठ (chaunsath, 'sixty-four') with चौबीस (chaubiis, 'twenty-four') or चौरासी (chauraasii, 'eighty-four') since all three start with the चौ- (chau) root tied to 'four'; the rest of the number must be memorized separately as Hindi numerals 1-100 are not fully predictable from their parts. 2) The nasalization (the chandrabindu in चौं-) is easy to drop in writing and speech; saying चोसठ (chosath) instead of चौंसठ (chaunsath) will sound off to a native ear.
Sample Sentences:
इस कमरे में चौंसठ किताबें हैं। There are sixty-four books in this room.
(is kamre men chaunsath kitaaben hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
शतरंज की बिसात पर चौंसठ खाने होते हैं। A chessboard has sixty-four squares.
(shatranj kii bisaat par chaunsath khaane hote hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
प्राचीन काल में कहा जाता था कि एक सुसंस्कृत व्यक्ति को चौंसठ कलाएं आनी चाहिए। In ancient times it was said that a cultured person should know the sixty-four arts.
(praachiin kaal men kahaa jaataa thaa ki ek susanskrit vyakti ko chaunsath kalaaen aanii chaahie।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
मेरी उम्र अगले महीने चौंसठ हो जाएगी। My age will become sixty-four next month.
(merii umr agle mahiine chaunsath ho jaaegii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हारे पास चौंसठ रुपये हैं? Do you have sixty-four rupees?
(kyaa tumhaare paas chaunsath rupye hain?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर उसके पास चौंसठ अंक होते, तो वह पास हो जाता। If he had had sixty-four marks, he would have passed.
(agar uske paas chaunsath ank hote, to vah paas ho jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
उस मंदिर में चौंसठ योगिनियों की मूर्तियां स्थापित हैं। Idols of the sixty-four yoginis are installed in that temple.
(us mandir men chaunsath yoginiyon kii moortiyaan sthaapit hain।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
कृपया इन चौंसठ प्रश्नों के उत्तर सावधानी से लिखिए। Please write the answers to these sixty-four questions carefully.
(kripyaa in chaunsath prashnon ke uttar saavdhaanii se likhie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
जब मैंने गिनती पूरी की, तो कुल चौंसठ सिक्के निकले। When I finished counting, sixty-four coins turned out to be there in total.
(jab mainne gintii poorii kii, to kul chaunsath sikke nikle।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
शायद इस बार टीम में चौंसठ खिलाड़ी शामिल हों। Perhaps sixty-four players will be included in the team this time.
(shaayad is baar tiim men chaunsath khilaadii shaamil hon।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active