भेद (bhed)
noun
Mainly a noun meaning 'secret' or 'difference/distinction'; also has a verbal-noun-adjacent role in a few fixed phrases meaning 'division, discrimination.' The two core noun senses (secret vs. difference) share a root idea of 'that which separates or is kept apart' but are used quite differently in daily speech.
Sense
1
:
secret
noun, masculine
Synonyms: राज़ (raaz), रहस्य (rahasy, slightly more formal/literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the भेद (bhed) of भेदभाव (bhedbhaav, 'discrimination') and गुप्तचर (guptchar, 'spy') stories -- it carries a flavor of something guarded and consequential, the kind of secret a general keeps or a friend swears never to tell. आपसी भेद (aapsii bhed, 'mutual secret/rift') often shows up when two people who were once close now hide something from each other.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach only for राज़ (raaz) for 'secret' -- भेद (bhed) is equally common, especially in the set phrase भेद खोलना (bhed kholnaa, 'to reveal a secret') and भेद लेना (bhed lenaa, 'to find out a secret'). 2) भेद (bhed) skews slightly more toward secrets that involve strategy, trust, or a hidden inner matter (a person's true nature, a plan) rather than a casual bit of gossip.
Sample Sentences:
यह हमारे बीच का भेद है, किसी और को मत बताना।
This is a secret between us, don't tell anyone else.
(yah hamaare biich kaa bhed hai, kisii aur ko mat bataanaa।)
सेनापति ने अपनी योजना का भेद किसी को नहीं बताया।
The general did not reveal the secret of his plan to anyone.
(senaapti ne apnii yojnaa kaa bhed kisii ko nahiin bataayaa।)
जासूस ने दुश्मन का सारा भेद खोल दिया।
The spy revealed the enemy's entire secret.
(jaasoos ne dushman kaa saaraa bhed khol diyaa।)
कभी किसी का भेद मत खोलो, चाहे कुछ भी हो जाए।
Never reveal anyone's secret, no matter what happens.
(kabhii kisii kaa bhed mat kholo, chaahe kuchh bhii ho jaae।)
अगर वह भेद खुल जाता, तो पूरी योजना बर्बाद हो जाती।
If that secret had come out, the whole plan would have been ruined.
(agar vah bhed khul jaataa, to poorii yojnaa barbaad ho jaatii।)
उन दोनों दोस्तों के बीच अब एक आपसी भेद पैदा हो गया है।
A mutual secret has now come between those two friends.
(un donon doston ke biich ab ek aapsii bhed paidaa ho gayaa hai।)
मुझे डर है कि यह भेद किसी दिन खुल जाएगा।
I fear that this secret will come out someday.
(mujhe dar hai ki yah bhed kisii din khul jaaegaa।)
क्या तुम्हें उसका भेद पता है?
Do you know his secret?
(kyaa tumhen uskaa bhed pataa hai?)
उसने बरसों तक अपने दिल का भेद किसी पर ज़ाहिर नहीं होने दिया।
For years he did not let the secret of his heart be revealed to anyone.
(usne barson tak apne dil kaa bhed kisii par zaahir nahiin hone diyaa।)
यह भेद इतना गहरा था कि किसी को इसकी भनक तक नहीं लगी।
This secret was so deep that not even a hint of it reached anyone.
(yah bhed itnaa gahraa thaa ki kisii ko iskii bhanak tak nahiin lagii।)
Sense
2
:
difference, distinction
noun, masculine Commonly appears as भेद करना (bhed karnaa, 'to distinguish/discriminate') and in the compound भेदभाव (bhedbhaav, 'discrimination, differential treatment').
Synonyms: फ़र्क़ (farq), अंतर (antar)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will most often meet this sense inside जाति-भेद (jaati-bhed, 'caste distinction') or लिंग-भेद (ling-bhed, 'gender distinction') in discussions of social inequality -- the word carries a slight weight of 'a distinction that divides people,' not just a neutral difference in size or color.
Common Mistakes: 1) In everyday chat about differences between two things (sizes, opinions, prices), फ़र्क़ (farq) or अंतर (antar) is far more natural than भेद (bhed) -- भेद (bhed) in this sense leans formal/written or shows up specifically inside भेदभाव (bhedbhaav) type constructions about unequal or biased treatment between people or groups.
Sample Sentences:
समाज में जाति-भेद आज भी गहरा है।
Caste distinction is still deep in society today.
(samaaj men jaati-bhed aaj bhii gahraa hai।)
हमें लिंग-भेद को खत्म करना चाहिए।
We should end gender distinction.
(hamen ling-bhed ko khatm karnaa chaahie।)
अगर भेद न होता, तो समाज ज़्यादा न्यायपूर्ण होता।
If there were no distinction, society would be more just.
(agar bhed n hotaa, to samaaj zyaadaa nyaaypoorn hotaa।)
इन दोनों नियमों में कोई भेद नहीं है।
There is no distinction between these two rules.
(in donon niymon men koii bhed nahiin hai।)
स्कूल में अमीर और गरीब बच्चों के बीच भेद मत करो।
Don't make a distinction between rich and poor children at school.
(skool men amiir aur gariib bachchon ke biich bhed mat karo।)
पुराने ज़माने में जाति-भेद बहुत सख्ती से माना जाता था।
In the old days, caste distinction was observed very strictly.
(puraane zamaane men jaati-bhed bahut sakhtii se maanaa jaataa thaa।)
कानून की नज़र में सबका भेद मिटा दिया गया है।
In the eyes of the law, everyone's distinction has been erased.
(kaanoon kii nazar men sabkaa bhed mitaa diyaa gayaa hai।)
शायद भविष्य में यह भेद पूरी तरह मिट जाए।
Perhaps this distinction will disappear completely in the future.
(shaayad bhavishy men yah bhed poorii tarah mit jaae।)
इंसानों में रंग या भाषा का भेद क्यों होना चाहिए?
Why should there be a distinction of color or language among humans?
(insaanon men rang yaa bhaashaa kaa bhed kyon honaa chaahie?)
सच्चा प्रेम किसी भेद को नहीं जानता।
True love knows no distinction.
(sachchaa prem kisii bhed ko nahiin jaantaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
भेद
(bhed)
(sg.m.oblique):
भेद
(bhed)
(pl.m.direct):
भेद
(bhed)
(pl.m.oblique):
भेदों
(bhedon)