चेचक (chechak)

noun A single-sense noun meaning 'smallpox' (and by extension 'chickenpox' in casual speech).
Sense 1 : smallpox (disease)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: माता (maataa, old-fashioned, euphemistic), शीतला (shiitlaa, literary/mythological)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Older generations, especially grandparents, sometimes avoid saying चेचक (chechak) directly and use माता (maataa, literally 'mother') instead, since the disease was traditionally associated with the goddess Sheetala Mata, believed to visit as an affliction. You will still hear माता निकलना (maataa nikalnaa, 'the goddess/pox has broken out') in more traditional households, especially around north India.
Common Mistakes: 1) Many learners assume चेचक (chechak) refers only to chickenpox, but in everyday Hindi it is used loosely for both smallpox and chickenpox; if precision is needed, चिकनपॉक्स (chikanpoks) is used for the latter in urban, medical contexts. 2) The disease is often described with निकलना (nikalnaa) rather than होना (honaa) alone -- चेचक निकलना (chechak nikalnaa, 'to break out with pox') is the natural collocation, and learners who only say चेचक हुई (chechak huii) will sound stilted.
Sample Sentences:
पहले चेचक एक खतरनाक बीमारी मानी जाती थी। Earlier, smallpox was considered a dangerous disease.
(pahle chechak ek khatarnaak biimaarii maanii jaatii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
मेरे दादा जी को बचपन में चेचक हुई थी। My grandfather had smallpox in his childhood.
(mere daadaa jii ko bachpan men chechak huii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
चेचक के टीके ने लाखों लोगों की जान बचाई है। The smallpox vaccine has saved millions of lives.
(chechak ke tiike ne laakhon logon kii jaan bachaaii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
गाँव में दादी अभी भी चेचक की जगह माता निकलना कहती हैं। In the village, grandmothers still say 'the goddess has broken out' instead of smallpox.
(gaanv men daadii abhii bhii chechak kii jagah maataa nikalnaa kahtii hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर टीकाकरण न हुआ होता, तो चेचक आज भी फैल रही होती। If vaccination hadn't happened, smallpox would still be spreading today.
(agar tiikaakran n huaa hotaa, to chechak aaj bhii phail rahii hotii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Continuous -- Voice: Active
डॉक्टर ने कहा कि विश्व से चेचक को पूरी तरह मिटाया जा चुका है। The doctor said that smallpox has been completely eradicated from the world.
(doktar ne kahaa ki vishv se chechak ko poorii tarah mitaayaa jaa chukaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
क्या तुम्हें कभी चेचक हुई है? Have you ever had smallpox?
(kyaa tumhen kabhii chechak huii hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पुराने ज़माने में लोग मानते थे कि चेचक होने पर माता की पूजा करनी चाहिए। In olden times, people believed that when smallpox occurred, one should worship the goddess.
(puraane zamaane men log maante the ki chechak hone par maataa kii poojaa karnii chaahie।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
सरकार ने चेचक की रोकथाम के लिए बड़े पैमाने पर अभियान चलाया। The government ran a large-scale campaign to prevent smallpox.
(sarkaar ne chechak kii rokthaam ke lie bade paimaane par abhiyaan chalaayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): चेचक (chechak)
(sg.f.oblique): चेचक (chechak)
(pl.f.direct): चेचकें (chechken)
(pl.f.oblique): चेचकों (chechkon)