राज (raaj)
noun
Two related but distinct senses: the everyday idea of a secret (raaz variant spelling with nuqta), and the more literary/political sense of rule or reign, as in ब्रिटिश राज (british raaj).
Sense
1
:
secret
noun, masculine
Synonyms: रहस्य (rahasy), भेद (bhed)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear राज़ की बात (raaz kii baat, 'a secret matter') constantly in everyday gossip and drama -- it's the phrase Hindi speakers reach for when leaning in to share something juicy. दिल का राज़ (dil kaa raaz, 'a secret of the heart') is a favorite in songs and soap operas for hidden feelings.
Common Mistakes: 1) Also spelled राज़ (raaz) with a nuqta under the ज; both spellings are common in print and speech, though राज़ (raaz) is more standard for the 'secret' sense specifically. 2) Learners sometimes confuse this with राज (raaj) meaning 'rule/reign' -- context (verbs like खोलना (kholnaa, 'to reveal') or रखना (rakhnaa, 'to keep')) makes the intended sense clear.
Sample Sentences:
यह हमारे बीच का राज़ है।
This is a secret between us.
(yah hamaare biich kaa raaz hai।)
मुझे तुमसे एक राज़ की बात कहनी है।
I have to tell you a secret matter.
(mujhe tumse ek raaz kii baat kahnii hai।)
उसने अपने दिल का राज़ किसी को नहीं बताया।
She never told anyone the secret of her heart.
(usne apne dil kaa raaz kisii ko nahiin bataayaa।)
यह राज़ हमेशा राज़ ही रहेगा।
This secret will always remain a secret.
(yah raaz hameshaa raaz hii rahegaa।)
प्लीज़, यह राज़ किसी को मत बताना।
Please, don't tell this secret to anyone.
(pliiz, yah raaz kisii ko mat bataanaa।)
अगर तुम मुझे राज़ बताते, तो मैं उसे कभी न खोलती।
If you had told me the secret, I would never have revealed it.
(agar tum mujhe raaz bataate, to main use kabhii n kholtii।)
राज़ खुलने के बाद पूरे मोहल्ले में हंगामा मच गया।
After the secret was revealed, chaos broke out in the whole neighborhood.
(raaz khulne ke baad poore mohalle men hangaamaa mach gayaa।)
उसका राज़ आखिरकार पुलिस के सामने खोल दिया गया।
His secret was finally revealed in front of the police.
(uskaa raaz aakhirkaar pulis ke saamne khol diyaa gayaa।)
शायद यही उसकी कामयाबी का राज़ हो।
Perhaps this is the secret of his success.
(shaayad yahii uskii kaamyaabii kaa raaz ho।)
वह बरसों से यह राज़ अपने सीने में दबाए बैठा है।
He has been sitting on this secret, buried in his chest, for years.
(vah barson se yah raaz apne siine men dabaae baithaa hai।)
उस हवेली के हर कमरे में एक पुराना राज़ छिपा था।
An old secret was hidden in every room of that mansion.
(us havelii ke har kamre men ek puraanaa raaz chhipaa thaa।)
Sense
2
:
rule, reign, dominion
noun, masculine Commonly used in fixed phrases like किसका राज है (kiskaa raaj hai, 'whose rule is it') and historical references such as मुग़ल राज (mughal raaj, 'Mughal rule') or ब्रिटिश राज (british raaj, 'British rule/the Raj').
Synonyms: शासन (shaasan), हुकूमत (hukoomat)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the same राज that gives English the historical term 'the Raj,' referring to British colonial rule in India. Indians still use it generically -- मेरा राज है (meraa raaj hai, 'it's my domain/I'm in charge here') can be said half-jokingly about a household or a small turf, not just empires.
Common Mistakes: 1) This sense is unrelated in meaning to the 'secret' sense even though spelled identically without the nuqta -- do not assume a wordplay connection in ordinary usage. 2) English speakers already know this word via 'the British Raj' -- in Hindi it's simply राज (raaj), not a special historical-only term, and can describe anyone's rule or dominance, even informally, as in उसका राज चलता है (uskaa raaj chaltaa hai, 'his rule prevails/he calls the shots').
Sample Sentences:
अंग्रेज़ों का राज लगभग दो सौ साल तक रहा।
British rule lasted for almost two hundred years.
(angrezon kaa raaj lagbhag do sau saal tak rahaa।)
इस घर में मेरा राज है, जो मैं कहूँगी वही होगा।
This is my domain in this house, whatever I say will happen.
(is ghar men meraa raaj hai, jo main kahoongii vahii hogaa।)
राजा के राज में लोग सुखी थे।
During the king's reign, people were happy.
(raajaa ke raaj men log sukhii the।)
क्या तुम्हें पता है कि यहाँ किसका राज चलता है?
Do you know whose rule prevails here?
(kyaa tumhen pataa hai ki yahaan kiskaa raaj chaltaa hai?)
यदि उस वंश का राज होता, तो देश की दिशा ही अलग होती।
If that dynasty's rule had continued, the country's direction would have been entirely different.
(yadi us vansh kaa raaj hotaa, to desh kii dishaa hii alag hotii।)
जल्द ही यहाँ नए नेता का राज शुरू होगा।
Soon a new leader's rule will begin here.
(jald hii yahaan nae netaa kaa raaj shuroo hogaa।)
इस दफ़्तर में तो उसी का राज चलता है, कोई और कुछ नहीं बोल सकता।
In this office, only his rule prevails; no one else can say anything.
(is daftar men to usii kaa raaj chaltaa hai, koii aur kuchh nahiin bol saktaa।)
उन दिनों मुग़लों का राज पूरे उत्तर भारत पर फैला हुआ था।
In those days, Mughal rule had spread over the whole of north India.
(un dinon mughlon kaa raaj poore uttar bhaarat par phailaa huaa thaa।)
प्रजा चाहती थी कि न्याय का राज हो, अत्याचार का नहीं।
The people wished that the rule of justice would prevail, not that of tyranny.
(prajaa chaahtii thii ki nyaay kaa raaj ho, atyaachaar kaa nahiin।)
उसके राज में ग़रीबों पर बहुत अत्याचार हुआ।
Under his reign, great cruelty was inflicted on the poor.
(uske raaj men ghariibon par bahut atyaachaar huaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
राज
(raaj)
(sg.m.oblique):
राज
(raaj)
(pl.m.direct):
राज
(raaj)
(pl.m.oblique):
राजों
(raajon)