जौ (jau)

noun This is the grain barley, a single-sense everyday word most learners meet in the context of food, health drinks, and traditional remedies.
Sense 1 : barley (the grain)
noun, masculine
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: जौ (jau) shows up constantly in North Indian kitchens and health talk -- जौ का आटा (jau kaa aataa, 'barley flour') for roti in diabetic or weight-conscious diets, and जौ का पानी (jau kaa paanii, 'barley water') as a home remedy for fever or upset stomach, something many Delhi grandmothers swear by.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse जौ (jau) with जो (jo, the relative pronoun 'which/who') since the spellings and sounds are close -- context (a nasalized 'au' sound and surrounding food/agriculture vocabulary) makes the noun clear.
Sample Sentences:
मेरी दादी रोज़ सुबह जौ का पानी पीती हैं। My grandmother drinks barley water every morning.
(merii daadii roz subah jau kaa paanii piitii hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
डॉक्टर ने उसे जौ का आटा खाने की सलाह दी। The doctor advised him to eat barley flour.
(doktar ne use jau kaa aataa khaane kii salaah dii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बुखार में जौ का पानी पी लो, आराम मिलेगा। Drink barley water when you have a fever, you'll feel relief.
(bukhaar men jau kaa paanii pii lo, aaraam milegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
बाज़ार में जौ की कीमत इस हफ़्ते बढ़ गई है। The price of barley has gone up in the market this week.
(baazaar men jau kii kiimat is hafte badh gaii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर वज़न कम करना है तो जौ का आटा खाया जाए। If you want to lose weight, barley flour should be eaten.
(agar vazan kam karnaa hai to jau kaa aataa khaayaa jaae।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Passive
अगर घर में जौ होता, तो मैं आज ही रोटी बना लेती। If there had been barley at home, I would have made rotis today itself.
(agar ghar men jau hotaa, to main aaj hii rotii banaa letii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
किसान खेत में जौ बो रहा है। The farmer is sowing barley in the field.
(kisaan khet men jau bo rahaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पुराने ज़माने में जौ और चने की रोटियाँ आम खाई जाती थीं। In olden times, rotis made of barley and gram were commonly eaten.
(puraane zamaane men jau aur chane kii rotiyaan aam khaaii jaatii thiin।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
इस साल हमारे खेत में जौ की फ़सल बहुत अच्छी हुई थी। This year the barley crop in our field turned out very good.
(is saal hamaare khet men jau kii fasal bahut achchhii huii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
पेट खराब हो तो जौ का पानी पीना चाहिए। If your stomach is upset, you should drink barley water.
(pet kharaab ho to jau kaa paanii piinaa chaahie।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): जौ (jau)
(sg.m.oblique): जौ (jau)
(pl.m.direct): जौ (jau)
(pl.m.oblique): जौों ([[जौों]])