चौका (chaukaa)
noun
Primarily a kitchen word for the traditional cooking area/hearth space; also has cricket and card-game senses referring to a set of four.
Sense
1
:
the kitchen / cooking hearth area
noun, masculine
Synonyms: रसोई (rasoii), किचन (kichan, colloquial)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In many North Indian homes, especially older or more traditional ones, चौका (chaukaa) refers to the small, often floor-level cooking spot that is kept ritually pure -- you'll hear grandmothers say things like चौके में मत आओ (chauke men mat aao, 'don't come into the kitchen area') to someone who hasn't bathed yet. It's a word that carries a whiff of an older domestic order, even as most young Delhi households now just say किचन (kichan).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often assume चौका (chaukaa) is just a casual synonym of रसोई (rasoii); in many traditional and older households it specifically evokes the clean, ritually maintained cooking space (sometimes with rules about who may enter it), not just 'kitchen' in the modern flat sense.
Sample Sentences:
दादी सुबह से चौके में हैं।
Grandma has been in the kitchen since morning.
(daadii subah se chauke men hain।)
नहा कर ही चौके में आना।
Come into the kitchen only after bathing.
(nahaa kar hii chauke men aanaa।)
चौके में मत आओ, तुमने अभी स्नान नहीं किया है।
Don't come into the kitchen area, you haven't bathed yet.
(chauke men mat aao, tumne abhii snaan nahiin kiyaa hai।)
पुराने ज़माने में चौका घर का सबसे पवित्र हिस्सा माना जाता था।
In olden times, the chowka was considered the most sacred part of the house.
(puraane zamaane men chaukaa ghar kaa sabse pavitr hissaa maanaa jaataa thaa।)
मेरी नानी हर रोज़ चौका धोकर ही खाना बनाती थीं।
My grandmother would cook only after washing the chowka every day.
(merii naanii har roz chaukaa dhokar hii khaanaa banaatii thiin।)
अगर चौका साफ नहीं होता, तो पूजा की थाली वहाँ नहीं रखी जाती।
If the chowka weren't clean, the puja plate wouldn't be kept there.
(agar chaukaa saaph nahiin hotaa, to poojaa kii thaalii vahaan nahiin rakhii jaatii।)
मुझे लगता है कि हमें भी चौका बनवा लेना चाहिए।
I think we should get a proper chowka built too.
(mujhe lagtaa hai ki hamen bhii chaukaa banvaa lenaa chaahie।)
अम्मा ने चौके में जूते पहनकर घुसने पर डांट दिया।
Mother scolded him for entering the kitchen area with shoes on.
(ammaa ne chauke men joote pahankar ghusne par daant diyaa।)
गाँव के घरों में अब भी चौका ज़मीन पर ही बनाया जाता है।
In village homes, the chowka is still made right on the floor.
(gaanv ke gharon men ab bhii chaukaa zamiin par hii banaayaa jaataa hai।)
चौके की सफ़ाई हर सुबह की जाती है, इसमें कोई ढील नहीं चलती।
The kitchen area is cleaned every morning; there's no slacking off on this.
(chauke kii safaaii har subah kii jaatii hai, ismen koii dhiil nahiin chaltii।)
Sense
2
:
a boundary shot worth four runs (cricket)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: चार रन (chaar ran, descriptive phrase)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Every cricket commentator's favorite word: जोरदार चौका! (jordaar chaukaa!, 'a powerful four!') is a stock line during a match broadcast. Its cousin छक्का (chhakkaa) covers the six -- learning both together will get you a long way at any Delhi rooftop cricket-watching gathering.
Sample Sentences:
उसने आखिरी गेंद पर चौका मारा।
He hit a four on the last ball.
(usne aakhirii gend par chaukaa maaraa।)
जोरदार चौका!
A powerful four!
(jordaar chaukaa!)
वह हर ओवर में एक चौका लगाता है।
He hits a four in every over.
(vah har ovar men ek chaukaa lagaataa hai।)
बल्लेबाज चौका लगाने की कोशिश कर रहा है।
The batsman is trying to hit a four.
(ballebaaj chaukaa lagaane kii koshish kar rahaa hai।)
अगर वह ठीक से खेलता तो एक और चौका लग जाता।
If he had played properly, another four would have come.
(agar vah thiik se kheltaa to ek aur chaukaa lag jaataa।)
टीम को जीतने के लिए बस एक चौका चाहिए।
The team just needs one four to win.
(tiim ko jiitne ke lie bas ek chaukaa chaahie।)
पहली पारी में उसके बल्ले से कई चौके निकले।
Several fours came off his bat in the first innings.
(pahlii paarii men uske balle se kaii chauke nikle।)
कल के मैच में शायद वह एक चौका लगा दे।
Maybe he'll hit a four in tomorrow's match.
(kal ke maich men shaayad vah ek chaukaa lagaa de।)
चौका मारो, यार!
Hit a four, man!
(chaukaa maaro, yaar!)
उस गेंद पर चौका लगाया जा सकता था।
A four could have been hit on that ball.
(us gend par chaukaa lagaayaa jaa saktaa thaa।)
उसका चौका सीमा रेखा के पार सीधा दर्शकों में जा गिरा।
His four flew straight past the boundary and landed among the spectators.
(uskaa chaukaa siimaa rekhaa ke paar siidhaa darshkon men jaa giraa।)
Sense
3
:
a set of four (cards, dice, etc.)
noun, masculine
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: You'll hear this at the card table during a game of रम्मी (rammii, 'rummy') or teen patti when someone lays down four of a kind -- चौका लगा! (chaukaa lagaa!, 'got a four!'). It's the same underlying idea as the cricket sense: a grouping of four.
Sample Sentences:
उसके हाथ में चौका आ गया।
He got a four in his hand.
(uske haath men chaukaa aa gayaa।)
चौका लगा!
Got a four!
(chaukaa lagaa!)
रम्मी में चौका बनाना किस्मत की बात है।
Making a four of a kind in rummy is a matter of luck.
(rammii men chaukaa banaanaa kismat kii baat hai।)
अगर मेरे पास चौका होता तो मैं जीत जाता।
If I had a four of a kind, I would have won.
(agar mere paas chaukaa hotaa to main jiit jaataa।)
देखते हैं इस बार पत्तों में चौका बनता है या नहीं।
Let's see if a four of a kind comes up in the cards this time.
(dekhte hain is baar patton men chaukaa bantaa hai yaa nahiin।)
पत्ते बाँटो, शायद इस बार चौका मिल जाए।
Deal the cards, maybe I'll get a four of a kind this time.
(patte baanto, shaayad is baar chaukaa mil jaae।)
उसने चौका दिखाकर सबको चौंका दिया।
He shocked everyone by showing his four of a kind.
(usne chaukaa dikhaakar sabko chaunkaa diyaa।)
अगली बाज़ी में चौका मिलेगा, यह पक्का नहीं कहा जा सकता।
Whether the next round will bring a four of a kind, that cannot be said for sure.
(aglii baazii men chaukaa milegaa, yah pakkaa nahiin kahaa jaa saktaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
चौका
(chaukaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
चौके
(chauke)
(pl.m.direct):
चौके
(chauke)
(pl.m.oblique):
चौकों
(chaukon)