चिन्ह (chinh)
noun
Means a mark, sign, or symbol -- something visible that indicates or represents something else. Also commonly spelled चिह्न (chihn); both forms are used interchangeably in everyday and formal writing.
Sense
1
:
mark, sign, symbol
noun, masculine
Synonyms: निशान (nishaan), संकेत (sanket, sign/signal sense), प्रतीक (pratiik, symbol sense)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll see this word constantly in compound terms: प्रश्न-चिन्ह (prashn-chinh, 'question mark'), विराम-चिन्ह (viraam-chinh, 'punctuation mark'), and राष्ट्रीय चिन्ह (raashtriiy chinh, 'national emblem'). Thinking of it as 'a mark that stands for something' rather than just 'a mark' helps distinguish it from more physical words like निशान (nishaan).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse this with निशान (nishaan) -- both mean 'mark' or 'sign,' but चिन्ह (chinh) leans toward a symbol or emblem with meaning (like a national emblem or punctuation mark), while निशान (nishaan) more often refers to a physical trace, scar, or target mark. 2) The spelling varies between चिन्ह (chinh) and चिह्न (chihn) -- both are correct and widely seen in print, so don't assume one is a typo of the other.
Sample Sentences:
इस वाक्य के अंत में प्रश्न-चिन्ह लगाओ।
Put a question mark at the end of this sentence.
(is vaaky ke ant men prashn-chinh lagaao।)
अशोक चक्र भारत का राष्ट्रीय चिन्ह है।
The Ashoka Chakra is India's national emblem.
(ashok chakr bhaarat kaa raashtriiy chinh hai।)
हिंदी में विराम-चिन्हों का सही इस्तेमाल करना जरूरी है।
It is important to use punctuation marks correctly in Hindi.
(hindii men viraam-chinhon kaa sahii istemaal karnaa jaroorii hai।)
यह चिन्ह शांति का प्रतीक माना जाता है।
This symbol is considered a mark of peace.
(yah chinh shaanti kaa pratiik maanaa jaataa hai।)
अगर तुम इसे समझते, तो इस चिन्ह का मतलब भी जानते।
If you understood this, you would also know the meaning of this symbol.
(agar tum ise samajhte, to is chinh kaa matlab bhii jaante।)
कागज़ पर एक अजीब सा चिन्ह बना हुआ था।
A strange sort of symbol was drawn on the paper.
(kaagaz par ek ajiib saa chinh banaa huaa thaa।)
शायद यह चिन्ह किसी प्राचीन सभ्यता से जुड़ा हो।
Perhaps this symbol is connected to some ancient civilization.
(shaayad yah chinh kisii praachiin sabhytaa se judaa ho।)
हर धर्म के अपने पवित्र चिन्ह होते हैं।
Every religion has its own sacred symbols.
(har dharm ke apne pavitr chinh hote hain।)
क्या तुम बता सकते हो कि यह चिन्ह किस बात का प्रतीक है?
Can you tell what this symbol represents?
(kyaa tum bataa sakte ho ki yah chinh kis baat kaa pratiik hai?)
मंदिर के द्वार पर एक शुभ चिन्ह उकेरा गया था।
An auspicious symbol had been carved on the temple gate.
(mandir ke dvaar par ek shubh chinh ukeraa gayaa thaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
चिन्ह
(chinh)
(sg.m.oblique):
चिन्ह
(chinh)
(pl.m.direct):
चिन्ह
(chinh)
(pl.m.oblique):
चिन्हों
(chinhon)