तमीज़ (tamiiz)

noun Mainly means good manners/etiquette/proper sense of behavior; also extends to the ability to distinguish or discern between things. Often heard in scolding phrases about how someone talks or behaves.

Sense 1 : manners, etiquette, proper social behavior

noun, feminine

Synonyms: सलीका (saliikaa), शऊर (shaoor, colloquial), अदब (adab, formal)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: This is the word every Indian parent reaches for when a child talks back or behaves rudely in front of guests -- बड़ों से तमीज़ से बात करो (badon se tamiiz se baat karo, 'speak respectfully to elders') is a classic household line. It carries real social weight because 'manners' in Hindi-speaking households are tightly bound to respect for hierarchy (elders, teachers, guests), not just table etiquette.

Common Mistakes: 1) तमीज़ (tamiiz) is almost always used with a negative or scolding tone in everyday speech -- तुम्हें कोई तमीज़ नहीं है (tumhen koii tamiiz nahiin hai, 'you have no manners') is far more common than a positive statement praising someone's manners. 2) Learners sometimes confuse it with 'intelligence' or 'knowledge' -- it specifically refers to proper conduct/etiquette, not general smartness.

Sample Sentences:

बड़ों से तमीज़ से बात करो। Speak respectfully to elders.

(badon se tamiiz se baat karo।)

उस लड़के को कोई तमीज़ नहीं है। That boy has no manners at all.

(us ladke ko koii tamiiz nahiin hai।)

मेहमानों के सामने ऐसे बात मत करो, थोड़ी तमीज़ रखो। Don't talk like that in front of guests, have some manners.

(mehmaanon ke saamne aise baat mat karo, thodii tamiiz rakho।)

उसे बड़ों के सामने बैठने की तमीज़ भी नहीं है। He doesn't even have the manners to sit properly in front of elders.

(use badon ke saamne baithne kii tamiiz bhii nahiin hai।)

काश उसमें थोड़ी तमीज़ होती, तो सब उसकी इज़्ज़त करते। If only he had some manners, everyone would respect him.

(kaash usmen thodii tamiiz hotii, to sab uskii izzat karte।)

बचपन से ही बच्चों को तमीज़ सिखानी चाहिए। Children should be taught manners right from childhood.

(bachpan se hii bachchon ko tamiiz sikhaanii chaahie।)

उसने मेहमानों के सामने इतनी बदतमीज़ी की कि माँ शर्मिंदा हो गई, आखिर तमीज़ नाम की कोई चीज़ है ही नहीं उसमें। He behaved so rudely in front of the guests that mother was embarrassed -- after all, there's simply no such thing as manners in him.

(usne mehmaanon ke saamne itnii badatmiizii kii ki maan sharmindaa ho gaii, aakhir tamiiz naam kii koii chiiz hai hii nahiin usmen।)

आजकल के बच्चों में तमीज़ की बहुत कमी होती जा रही है। There's an increasing lack of manners in children these days.

(aajkal ke bachchon men tamiiz kii bahut kamii hotii jaa rahii hai।)

क्या तुम्हें इतनी भी तमीज़ नहीं कि किसी बड़े के सामने ऊँची आवाज़ में न बोलो? Don't you even have the manners not to raise your voice in front of an elder?

(kyaa tumhen itnii bhii tamiiz nahiin ki kisii bade ke saamne oonchii aavaaz men n bolo?)

आपको तमीज़ से पेश आना सीखना होगा, यह दफ़्तर है, घर नहीं। You will have to learn to conduct yourself with proper manners; this is an office, not home.

(aapko tamiiz se pesh aanaa siikhnaa hogaa, yah daftar hai, ghar nahiin।)

उसे कड़ी नज़रों से देखकर पिता ने कहा, तमीज़ सीखो। Looking at him sternly, the father said, learn some manners.

(use kadii nazron se dekhkar pitaa ne kahaa, tamiiz siikho।)

Sense 2 : ability to discern, sense of judgment/distinction

noun, feminine Often appears in the pattern X की तमीज़ (X kii tamiiz) meaning 'the ability to tell X apart' -- e.g. सही-गलत की तमीज़ (sahii-galat kii tamiiz, 'the ability to tell right from wrong').

Synonyms: समझ (samajh), परख (parakh)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: You'll hear this in slightly philosophical or moralizing contexts -- an elder might say उसे अभी सही-गलत की तमीज़ नहीं है (use abhii sahii-galat kii tamiiz nahiin hai, 'he doesn't yet have the sense to tell right from wrong') about someone considered immature, linking discernment directly to age and upbringing.

Common Mistakes: 1) This sense overlaps closely with the 'manners' sense, and learners often miss that तमीज़ (tamiiz) here means judgment/discernment about right and wrong or good and bad, not politeness itself -- अच्छे-बुरे की तमीज़ (achchhe-bure kii tamiiz, 'the sense to distinguish good from bad') is about moral judgment, not table manners.

Sample Sentences:

उसे अभी सही-गलत की तमीज़ नहीं है। He doesn't yet have the sense to tell right from wrong.

(use abhii sahii-galat kii tamiiz nahiin hai।)

बड़े होने पर इंसान में अच्छे-बुरे की तमीज़ आ जाती है। As a person grows up, the ability to discern good from bad develops in them.

(bade hone par insaan men achchhe-bure kii tamiiz aa jaatii hai।)

काश उसमें सच और झूठ की तमीज़ होती। If only he had the sense to distinguish truth from falsehood.

(kaash usmen sach aur jhooth kii tamiiz hotii।)

अपनों और परायों की तमीज़ रखो, वरना धोखा खाओगे। Keep your sense of who's your own and who isn't, or else you'll get cheated.

(apnon aur paraayon kii tamiiz rakho, varnaa dhokhaa khaaoge।)

बचपन में उसे नफ़े-नुकसान की कोई तमीज़ नहीं थी। In childhood, he had no sense of profit and loss whatsoever.

(bachpan men use nafe-nuksaan kii koii tamiiz nahiin thii।)

शायद उम्र के साथ उसे भला-बुरा समझने की तमीज़ आ जाए। Perhaps with age he'll gain the sense to understand what's good and what's bad.

(shaayad umr ke saath use bhalaa-buraa samajhne kii tamiiz aa jaae।)

यह फ़ैसला उन लोगों ने लिया जिन्हें हालात की तमीज़ थी। This decision was taken by those who had the discernment to read the situation.

(yah faislaa un logon ne liyaa jinhen haalaat kii tamiiz thii।)

बुजुर्गों का कहना है कि आज की पीढ़ी में सही-गलत की तमीज़ कम होती जा रही है। The elders say that today's generation is losing its sense of right and wrong.

(bujurgon kaa kahnaa hai ki aaj kii piidhii men sahii-galat kii tamiiz kam hotii jaa rahii hai।)

क्या तुम्हें इस बात की भी तमीज़ नहीं कि कब क्या बोलना चाहिए? Don't you even have the discernment to know when to say what?

(kyaa tumhen is baat kii bhii tamiiz nahiin ki kab kyaa bolnaa chaahie?)

उसकी बातों से साफ़ झलकता था कि उसे अपनों-गैरों की तमीज़ नहीं रही। It was clear from his words that he had lost the ability to distinguish friend from stranger.

(uskii baaton se saaf jhalaktaa thaa ki use apnon-gairon kii tamiiz nahiin rahii।)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.f.direct): तमीज़ (tamiiz)

(sg.f.oblique): तमीज़ (tamiiz)

(pl.f.direct): तमीज़ें (tamiizen)

(pl.f.oblique): तमीज़ों (tamiizon)