भीख (bhiikh)
noun
A noun meaning 'alms, begging' -- almost always seen in the fixed phrase भीख माँगना (bhiikh maangnaa, 'to beg'), which carries both a literal and a strong figurative sense of humiliation.
Sense
1
:
alms, charity given to a beggar
noun, feminine
Synonyms: दान (daan, charitable giving, broader sense), खैरात (khairaat)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear this word constantly at traffic signals and outside temples in Delhi, where बच्चे भीख माँगते हैं (bachche bhiikh maangte hain, 'children beg for alms') is a common, sobering sight. Because of this, भीख माँगना (bhiikh maangnaa) has taken on a heavy figurative weight too -- see the next sense -- so Hindi speakers reach for it whenever they want to evoke the shame of having to plead for something that should be given freely.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use भीख (bhiikh) for any kind of charity or donation; it specifically means what is given to a beggar on the street, not a temple donation or organized charity, which is दान (daan) or चंदा (chandaa). 2) The verb almost always paired with this noun is माँगना (maangnaa, 'to ask for') for the beggar's action, and देना (denaa, 'to give') for the giver's action -- मुझसे भीख मत माँगो (mujhse bhiikh mat maango, 'don't beg from me') is far more natural than trying to build other verb combinations.
Sample Sentences:
लाल बत्ती पर एक बच्चा गाड़ी की खिड़की पर भीख माँगने आया।
At the red light, a child came to the car window to beg for alms.
(laal battii par ek bachchaa gaadii kii khidkii par bhiikh maangne aayaa।)
मंदिर के बाहर कई बूढ़े लोग भीख माँगते हैं।
Many old people beg for alms outside the temple.
(mandir ke baahar kaii boodhe log bhiikh maangte hain।)
एक आदमी भीख माँगते हुए गली में घूम रहा है।
A man is wandering through the lane begging for alms.
(ek aadmii bhiikh maangte hue galii men ghoom rahaa hai।)
उसने भूखे कुत्ते को खाना दिया, भीख नहीं दी।
He gave the hungry dog food, not alms.
(usne bhookhe kutte ko khaanaa diyaa, bhiikh nahiin dii।)
कृपया इन बच्चों को भीख मत दीजिए, इससे उन्हें स्कूल जाने की प्रेरणा नहीं मिलती।
Please do not give these children alms; it does not encourage them to go to school.
(kripyaa in bachchon ko bhiikh mat diijie, isse unhen skool jaane kii prernaa nahiin miltii।)
अगर मुझे नौकरी नहीं मिलती, तो शायद मुझे भीख माँगनी पड़ती।
If I hadn't gotten a job, I might have had to beg for alms.
(agar mujhe naukrii nahiin miltii, to shaayad mujhe bhiikh maangnii padtii।)
सरकार चाहती है कि सड़कों पर कोई भीख न माँगे।
The government wants that no one should beg for alms on the streets.
(sarkaar chaahtii hai ki sadkon par koii bhiikh n maange।)
भीख माँगना कानूनन अपराध है, फिर भी लोग सिग्नल पर माँगते रहते हैं।
Begging for alms is legally an offense, yet people keep begging at the signal.
(bhiikh maangnaa kaanoonan apraadh hai, phir bhii log signal par maangte rahte hain।)
उस औरत को भीख में सौ रुपये मिल गए।
That woman received a hundred rupees as alms.
(us aurat ko bhiikh men sau rupye mil gae।)
इस शहर में भीख माँगने वालों की संख्या हर साल बढ़ती जा रही है।
The number of alms-beggars in this city keeps increasing every year.
(is shahar men bhiikh maangne vaalon kii sankhyaa har saal badhtii jaa rahii hai।)
Sense
2
:
figurative: a humiliating, undeserved plea for something
noun, feminine Used almost exclusively inside the phrase भीख माँगना (bhiikh maangnaa) or भीख में मिलना (bhiikh men milnaa, 'to get as a handout'), applied to respect, love, favors, or justice rather than money.
Synonyms: गुहार (guhaar, a desperate plea, not quite the same shame connotation)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the sense behind the common rebuke भीख में मिली इज़्ज़त नहीं चाहिए (bhiikh men milii izzat nahiin chaahie, 'I don't want respect given like alms') -- the idea that anything handed over out of pity rather than earned is not worth having is a deeply felt cultural value, tied closely to notions of इज़्ज़त (izzat, 'honor/dignity').
Common Mistakes: 1) This figurative use is much stronger than English 'begging' -- मैं तुमसे प्यार की भीख नहीं माँगूँगा (main tumse pyaar kii bhiikh nahiin maangoongaa, 'I will not beg you for love') signals wounded pride, not a neutral request, so learners should reserve it for emotionally charged moments, not casual asking (for which माँगना (maangnaa) alone or please-type requests are used).
Sample Sentences:
मुझे भीख में मिली इज़्ज़त नहीं चाहिए।
I don't want respect that's given to me like alms.
(mujhe bhiikh men milii izzat nahiin chaahie।)
क्या तुम्हें अपनी नौकरी वापस पाने के लिए उससे भीख माँगनी पड़ेगी?
Will you have to beg him, like a humiliating favor, just to get your job back?
(kyaa tumhen apnii naukrii vaapas paane ke lie usse bhiikh maangnii padegii?)
मैं किसी के आगे प्यार की भीख नहीं माँगूँगा।
I will not beg anyone, humiliatingly, for love.
(main kisii ke aage pyaar kii bhiikh nahiin maangoongaa।)
उसने अपने ही भाई से माफ़ी की भीख माँगी।
He was reduced to begging his own brother for forgiveness.
(usne apne hii bhaaii se maafii kii bhiikh maangii।)
अगर वह थोड़ा और मेहनती होता, तो उसे किसी के सामने काम की भीख न माँगनी पड़ती।
If he had been a bit more hardworking, he wouldn't have had to beg anyone for work.
(agar vah thodaa aur mehantii hotaa, to use kisii ke saamne kaam kii bhiikh n maangnii padtii।)
अपने हक़ के लिए भीख मत माँगो, लड़ो।
Don't beg for your rights like a beggar -- fight for them.
(apne haq ke lie bhiikh mat maango, lado।)
यह नौकरी तो मुझे यूँ मिली जैसे भीख में मिली हो।
This job came to me as if it had been handed over like alms, not earned.
(yah naukrii to mujhe yoon milii jaise bhiikh men milii ho।)
क्या यह उचित है कि हम हर बार सरकार से रियायत की भीख माँगते रहें?
Is it right that we should keep begging the government for concessions every single time?
(kyaa yah uchit hai ki ham har baar sarkaar se riyaayat kii bhiikh maangte rahen?)
स्वाभिमानी लोग कभी दया की भीख नहीं माँगते।
Self-respecting people never beg for pity.
(svaabhimaanii log kabhii dayaa kii bhiikh nahiin maangte।)
उससे तारीफ़ की भीख माँगने से बेहतर है चुप रहना।
It's better to stay silent than to beg him, humiliatingly, for a compliment.
(usse taariif kii bhiikh maangne se behtar hai chup rahnaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
भीख
(bhiikh)
(sg.f.oblique):
भीख
(bhiikh)
(pl.f.direct):
भीखें
(bhiikhen)
(pl.f.oblique):
भीखों
(bhiikhon)