करोड़ (karod)

numeral/noun A number word meaning 'ten million' (crore), the standard unit above लाख (laakh, 'hundred thousand') in the Indian numbering system; also used loosely to mean 'a huge number of' something.
Sense 1 : ten million (crore)
numeral Used with the Indian numbering system: numbers are grouped as units, then लाख (laakh) and करोड़ (karod), not thousands/millions/billions -- so 1,00,00,000 is एक करोड़ (ek karod, 'one crore'), not 'ten million' in the way it would be split in English.
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear करोड़ (karod) constantly in Indian news and business talk -- budgets, film box-office collections, and population figures are almost always quoted in लाख (laakh) and करोड़ (karod) rather than in millions or billions, so getting comfortable with this system quickly pays off for reading Hindi news.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners coming from English often mentally convert via 'million,' which causes errors -- one करोड़ (karod) is ten million, not one million; keep लाख (laakh) and करोड़ (karod) as their own units rather than translating through Western thousands. 2) Like other round-number quantifiers, करोड़ (karod) stays in its base form after a preceding numeral (दो करोड़ (do karod, 'two crore')) rather than pluralizing like an ordinary noun.
Sample Sentences:
भारत की आबादी एक अरब से ज़्यादा है, यानी सौ करोड़ से भी ज़्यादा। India's population is more than one billion, that is, more than a hundred crore.
(bhaarat kii aabaadii ek arab se zyaadaa hai, yaanii sau karod se bhii zyaadaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस फ़िल्म ने पहले ही दिन दस करोड़ रुपये कमा लिए। This film earned ten crore rupees on the very first day.
(is film ne pahle hii din das karod rupye kamaa lie।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
सरकार इस साल शिक्षा पर पचास करोड़ रुपये खर्च करेगी। The government will spend fifty crore rupees on education this year.
(sarkaar is saal shikshaa par pachaas karod rupye kharch karegii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
कंपनी हर महीने करीब दो करोड़ रुपये का मुनाफ़ा कमाती है। The company earns a profit of about two crore rupees every month.
(kampnii har mahiine kariib do karod rupye kaa munaafaa kamaatii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर मेरे पास एक करोड़ रुपये होते, तो मैं अपना घर खरीद लेता। If I had one crore rupees, I would buy my own house.
(agar mere paas ek karod rupye hote, to main apnaa ghar khariid letaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
यह पुल तीस करोड़ रुपये की लागत से बनाया गया था। This bridge was built at a cost of thirty crore rupees.
(yah pul tiis karod rupye kii laagat se banaayaa gayaa thaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
पहले दस करोड़ का बजट बनाओ, फिर बात करते हैं। First make a budget of ten crore, then let's talk.
(pahle das karod kaa bajat banaao, phir baat karte hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हें पता है कि इस प्रोजेक्ट में कुल कितने करोड़ रुपये लगे हैं? Do you know how many crore rupees in total have gone into this project?
(kyaa tumhen pataa hai ki is projekt men kul kitne karod rupye lage hain?)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
शायद इस बार चंदा एक करोड़ रुपये तक पहुँच जाए। Perhaps this time the donations will reach up to one crore rupees.
(shaayad is baar chandaa ek karod rupye tak pahunch jaae।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
उस समय एक करोड़ रुपये की कीमत आज के दस करोड़ के बराबर थी। At that time, the value of one crore rupees was equal to today's ten crore.
(us samay ek karod rupye kii kiimat aaj ke das karod ke baraabar thii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
टीवी पर बताया गया कि राज्य को हर साल पाँच सौ करोड़ रुपये का अनुदान मिलता है। It was reported on TV that the state receives a grant of five hundred crore rupees every year.
(tiivii par bataayaa gayaa ki raajy ko har saal paanch sau karod rupye kaa anudaan miltaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
Sense 2 : a very large, uncountable amount (figurative)
noun, masculine Used before another noun in phrases like करोड़ों लोग (karodon log, 'crores of people') to mean an enormous, uncountable multitude, without intending a precise figure.
Synonyms: अनगिनत (anginat, countless), बहुत सारा (bahut saaraa, everyday alternative)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Think of English 'millions of people' used loosely -- करोड़ों (karodon) works the same way in Hindi, especially in emotional or rhetorical speech, like करोड़ों दिलों की धड़कन (karodon dilon kii dhadkan, 'the heartbeat of millions,' a classic phrase used for beloved public figures).
Common Mistakes: 1) In this figurative sense the word typically appears in its plural/oblique form करोड़ों (karodon) rather than the bare singular करोड़ (karod) used for exact counting -- saying करोड़ लोग (karod log) instead of करोड़ों लोग (karodon log) sounds like you mean an exact one crore rather than 'countless millions.'
Sample Sentences:
वह करोड़ों दिलों की धड़कन है। He is the heartbeat of millions.
(vah karodon dilon kii dhadkan hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मुझे करोड़ों बार समझाना पड़ता है, फिर भी वह नहीं समझता। I have to explain it to him a million times, and he still doesn't get it.
(mujhe karodon baar samjhaanaa padtaa hai, phir bhii vah nahiin samajhtaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
करोड़ों लोग हर साल इस त्योहार को मनाते हैं। Millions upon millions of people celebrate this festival every year.
(karodon log har saal is tyohaar ko manaate hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस गाने ने करोड़ों दिलों को छू लिया। This song touched countless hearts.
(is gaane ne karodon dilon ko chhoo liyaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अरे यार, मैंने तुझे करोड़ों बार बताया कि दरवाज़ा बंद कर दिया कर! Dude, I've told you a million times to shut the door!
(are yaar, mainne tujhe karodon baar bataayaa ki darvaazaa band kar diyaa kar!)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
काश मैं करोड़ों सपनों को इस तरह सच कर पाता। If only I could make millions of dreams come true like this.
(kaash main karodon sapnon ko is tarah sach kar paataa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
अगर वह जीत जाए, तो करोड़ों उम्मीदें पूरी हो जाएँगी। If he wins, countless hopes will be fulfilled.
(agar vah jiit jaae, to karodon ummiiden poorii ho jaaengii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
इस अभिनेत्री के करोड़ों चाहने वाले हैं। This actress has millions of admirers.
(is abhinetrii ke karodon chaahne vaale hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उनकी बातों से करोड़ों लोग प्रेरित हुए हैं। Countless people have been inspired by his words.
(unkii baaton se karodon log prerit hue hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
करोड़ों उम्मीदों का बोझ उसके कंधों पर था। The weight of a million hopes rested on his shoulders.
(karodon ummiidon kaa bojh uske kandhon par thaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): करोड़ (karod)
(sg.m.oblique): करोड़ (karod)
(pl.m.direct): करोड़ (karod)
(pl.m.oblique): करोड़ों (karodon)