कंकड़ (kankad)

noun A concrete noun meaning 'pebble' or 'small stone' -- one straightforward sense, often used in the plural for gravel or grit.
Sense 1 : pebble, small stone
noun, masculine
Synonyms: पत्थर (patthar, general word for stone, larger), गिट्टी (gittii, gravel/crushed stone)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll hear कंकड़ (kankad) most often in everyday complaints -- a kid finds one in their sandal, or someone grumbles that the rice has कंकड़ (kankad) mixed in with it, which is a very real and relatable kitchen annoyance in Indian households. It also shows up in the compound कंकड़-पत्थर (kankad-patthar) meaning rubble or debris, describing a rough, stony patch of ground.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use पत्थर (patthar) for everything from a boulder to a bit of grit, but कंकड़ (kankad) specifically points to something small enough to get stuck in a shoe or found on a path, not a big rock. 2) The common phrase कंकड़-पत्थर (kankad-patthar, 'stones and pebbles/rubble') pairs both words together to mean rubble or debris in general -- don't overanalyze it as two separate items.
Sample Sentences:
मेरी सैंडल में एक कंकड़ आ गया है। A pebble has gotten into my sandal.
(merii saindal men ek kankad aa gayaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
चावल में कंकड़ निकले, अम्मा फिर चिल्लाईं। Pebbles turned up in the rice, and Mom yelled again.
(chaaval men kankad nikle, ammaa phir chillaaiin।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
दाल में से कंकड़ बीनते-बीनते उसे आधा घंटा लग गया। It took her half an hour picking pebbles out of the lentils.
(daal men se kankad biinte-biinte use aadhaa ghantaa lag gayaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
चावल खरीदने से पहले उसमें कंकड़ चेक कर लिया करो। Always check the rice for pebbles before buying it.
(chaaval khariidne se pahle usmen kankad chek kar liyaa karo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
बच्चा नदी किनारे बैठा कंकड़ फेंक रहा था। The child was sitting by the river throwing pebbles.
(bachchaa nadii kinaare baithaa kankad phenk rahaa thaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर आटे में कंकड़ न हो, तो रोटी अच्छी बनती है। If there are no pebbles in the flour, the roti turns out well.
(agar aate men kankad n ho, to rotii achchhii bantii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पूरा रास्ता कंकड़-पत्थर से भरा हुआ था। The whole path was full of rubble and stones.
(pooraa raastaa kankad-patthar se bharaa huaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
काश दाल में इतने कंकड़ न होते। I wish there weren't so many pebbles in the lentils.
(kaash daal men itne kankad n hote।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
मिल में चावल को साफ करने से पहले कंकड़ अलग किए जाते हैं। At the mill, pebbles are separated out before the rice is cleaned.
(mil men chaaval ko saaph karne se pahle kankad alag kie jaate hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
जरा देखना, इस थैली के चावल में कोई कंकड़ तो नहीं है। Just check whether there's any pebble in this bag of rice.
(jaraa dekhnaa, is thailii ke chaaval men koii kankad to nahiin hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): कंकड़ (kankad)
(sg.m.oblique): कंकड़ (kankad)
(pl.m.direct): कंकड़ (kankad)
(pl.m.oblique): कंकड़ों (kankdon)