छत्तीस (chhattiis)

numeral/adjective The number thirty-six (chhattiis); also lives in the common idiom about incompatible relationships (see CulturalNote).

Sense 1 : the number 36

numeral

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: Straightforward counting number, used exactly like any other numeral before a noun, e.g. छत्तीस रुपये (chhattiis rupye, 'thirty-six rupees').

Sample Sentences:

मेरी उम्र छत्तीस साल है। My age is thirty-six years.

(merii umr chhattiis saal hai।)

इस दुकान में छत्तीस रुपये में एक किलो चीनी मिलती है। In this shop, a kilo of sugar is available for thirty-six rupees.

(is dukaan men chhattiis rupye men ek kilo chiinii miltii hai।)

कक्षा में छत्तीस बच्चे बैठे हैं। Thirty-six children are sitting in the classroom.

(kakshaa men chhattiis bachche baithe hain।)

पिछले साल इस गाँव में छत्तीस घर बने थे। Thirty-six houses were built in this village last year.

(pichhle saal is gaanv men chhattiis ghar bane the।)

अगर उसे छत्तीस नंबर मिलते तो वह पास हो जाता। If he had gotten thirty-six marks, he would have passed.

(agar use chhattiis nambar milte to vah paas ho jaataa।)

कृपया छत्तीस नंबर की सीट खाली कर दीजिए। Please vacate seat number thirty-six.

(kripyaa chhattiis nambar kii siit khaalii kar diijie।)

अगली बस छत्तीस मिनट में आएगी। The next bus will arrive in thirty-six minutes.

(aglii bas chhattiis minat men aaegii।)

शायद इस बार टीम में छत्तीस खिलाड़ी चुने जाएँ। Perhaps thirty-six players will be selected for the team this time.

(shaayad is baar tiim men chhattiis khilaadii chune jaaen।)

रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, छत्तीस मामलों की जाँच पूरी हो चुकी है। According to the report, the investigation of thirty-six cases has already been completed.

(riport ke anusaar, chhattiis maamlon kii jaanch poorii ho chukii hai।)

Sense 2 : constantly at odds, incompatible (in the idiom 'छत्तीस का आंकड़ा')

adjective Occurs almost exclusively inside the fixed phrase छत्तीस का आंकड़ा होना (chhattiis kaa aankdaa honaa, 'to be at loggerheads') -- छत्तीस here is not doing ordinary adjectival work but is frozen into this idiom.

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: This idiom is said to come from the numerals 3 and 6 sitting back-to-back and 'facing away' from each other when written, unlike, say, 33 or 66 which mirror themselves -- a nice visual metaphor Delhi aunties love trotting out when describing a saas-bahu (saas-bahoo, 'mother-in-law and daughter-in-law') feud. You will hear उनका छत्तीस का आंकड़ा है (unkaa chhattiis kaa aankdaa hai, 'the two of them are always at odds') in everyday gossip about families, colleagues, or even rival cricket teams.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to use छत्तीस alone to mean 'incompatible' -- it only carries this sense as part of the fixed phrase छत्तीस का आंकड़ा (chhattiis kaa aankdaa), never on its own. 2) The idiom is about two parties (people, families, countries) who habitually clash, not about a single disagreement -- it implies a standing rivalry, not one argument.

Sample Sentences:

उन दोनों भाइयों का छत्तीस का आंकड़ा है। The two brothers just don't see eye to eye.

(un donon bhaaiyon kaa chhattiis kaa aankdaa hai।)

मेरी सास और मेरा छत्तीस का आंकड़ा रहा है शुरू से। My mother-in-law and I have been at loggerheads since the very beginning.

(merii saas aur meraa chhattiis kaa aankdaa rahaa hai shuroo se।)

उन दोनों टीमों का छत्तीस का आंकड़ा हमेशा रहता है। Those two teams are always at each other's throats.

(un donon tiimon kaa chhattiis kaa aankdaa hameshaa rahtaa hai।)

क्या तुम्हारा और उसका छत्तीस का आंकड़ा है? Do you two not get along at all?

(kyaa tumhaaraa aur uskaa chhattiis kaa aankdaa hai?)

अगर उनका छत्तीस का आंकड़ा न होता, तो घर में इतनी शांति होती। If they weren't always at odds, there would be so much peace in the house.

(agar unkaa chhattiis kaa aankdaa n hotaa, to ghar men itnii shaanti hotii।)

पड़ोसियों में छत्तीस का आंकड़ा हो जाए तो पूरी गली को पता चल जाता है। If neighbors fall out like this, the whole lane gets to know.

(padosiyon men chhattiis kaa aankdaa ho jaae to poorii galii ko pataa chal jaataa hai।)

दफ़्तर में उन दो मैनेजरों का छत्तीस का आंकड़ा सबको मालूम है। Everyone at the office knows those two managers can't stand each other.

(daftar men un do mainejron kaa chhattiis kaa aankdaa sabko maaloom hai।)

शादी के बाद से ही उन दोनों परिवारों में छत्तीस का आंकड़ा चल रहा है। Ever since the wedding, the two families have been constantly at odds.

(shaadii ke baad se hii un donon parivaaron men chhattiis kaa aankdaa chal rahaa hai।)

जब भी वे मिलते हैं, उनका छत्तीस का आंकड़ा साफ़ दिख जाता है। Whenever they meet, their mutual friction is plain to see.

(jab bhii ve milte hain, unkaa chhattiis kaa aankdaa saaf dikh jaataa hai।)

उन दोनों नेताओं का छत्तीस का आंकड़ा वर्षों से जाना जाता है। Those two leaders' long-standing rivalry has been common knowledge for years.

(un donon netaaon kaa chhattiis kaa aankdaa varshon se jaanaa jaataa hai।)

Morphology

Adjective (invariant)

invariant: छत्तीस (chhattiis)