धुंध (dhundh)
noun
A single-sense noun meaning 'fog, mist, or haze' -- both the literal weather phenomenon and, by extension, a hazy/unclear state of mind or vision.
Sense
1
:
fog, mist, haze (literal weather)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: कुहासा (kuhaasaa), कोहरा (kohraa, more common for thick winter fog)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In Delhi-NCR, धुंध (dhundh) is a word you hear constantly in winter weather reports, often paired with प्रदूषण (pradooshan, pollution) since the city's winter haze is as much smog as mist. Newsreaders will say things like आज सुबह घनी धुंध रही (aaj subah ghanii dhundh rahii, 'there was thick haze this morning'), so this word is very much alive in daily life, not just poetic vocabulary.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use कोहरा (kohraa) and धुंध (dhundh) as if fully interchangeable; कोहरा (kohraa) usually implies a thicker, denser fog (common in North Indian winter mornings), while धुंध (dhundh) can describe a lighter haze, including pollution-haze, which does not need to be cold-weather fog.
Sample Sentences:
आज सुबह घनी धुंध रही।
There was thick fog this morning.
(aaj subah ghanii dhundh rahii।)
दिल्ली में सर्दियों में धुंध और प्रदूषण दोनों बढ़ जाते हैं।
In Delhi, both fog and pollution increase in winter.
(dillii men sardiyon men dhundh aur pradooshan donon badh jaate hain।)
बाहर धुंध छाई हुई है, गाड़ी धीरे चलाना।
There's fog outside, drive slowly.
(baahar dhundh chhaaii huii hai, gaadii dhiire chalaanaa।)
कल रात इतनी घनी धुंध पड़ी कि सड़क पर कुछ भी दिखाई नहीं दे रहा था।
Last night such thick fog fell that nothing was visible on the road.
(kal raat itnii ghanii dhundh padii ki sadak par kuchh bhii dikhaaii nahiin de rahaa thaa।)
मौसम विभाग ने कहा है कि कल सुबह भी घनी धुंध रहेगी।
The weather department has said that there will be thick fog again tomorrow morning.
(mausam vibhaag ne kahaa hai ki kal subah bhii ghanii dhundh rahegii।)
अगर धुंध इतनी घनी न होती तो फ्लाइट रद्द न होती।
If the fog hadn't been so thick, the flight wouldn't have been cancelled.
(agar dhundh itnii ghanii n hotii to phlaait radd n hotii।)
धुंध की वजह से कई ट्रेनें घंटों लेट चल रही हैं।
Because of the fog, many trains are running hours late.
(dhundh kii vajah se kaii trenen ghanton let chal rahii hain।)
धुंध इतनी घनी थी कि जैसे शहर पर एक चादर बिछा दी गई हो।
The fog was so thick, as if a sheet had been laid over the city.
(dhundh itnii ghanii thii ki jaise shahar par ek chaadar bichhaa dii gaii ho।)
उम्मीद है कि दोपहर तक धुंध छँट जाए।
Hopefully the fog clears by afternoon.
(ummiid hai ki dopahar tak dhundh chhant jaae।)
पहाड़ों की चोटियाँ धुंध में लिपटी हुई थीं।
The mountain peaks were wrapped in mist.
(pahaadon kii chotiyaan dhundh men liptii huii thiin।)
धुंध के कारण विजिबिलिटी सिर्फ पचास मीटर रह गई है।
Due to the fog, visibility has come down to just fifty meters.
(dhundh ke kaaran vijibilitii sirph pachaas miitar rah gaii hai।)
Sense
2
:
mental haze, confusion, unclear state of mind
noun, feminine
Synonyms: उलझन (uljhan, confusion, broader meaning), अस्पष्टता (aspashttaa, formal)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Just as English speakers say 'my mind is foggy,' Hindi speakers extend धुंध (dhundh) to describe confused thinking or unclear memory, e.g. यादों पर धुंध छा गई (yaadon par dhundh chhaa gaii, 'a haze settled over the memories'). This figurative use often pairs with the verb छाना (chhaanaa, to spread/cover), the same verb used for literal fog spreading over a landscape.
Sample Sentences:
नींद से उठने के बाद भी उसके दिमाग़ पर धुंध छाई रही।
Even after waking up, a haze remained over his mind.
(niind se uthne ke baad bhii uske dimaagh par dhundh chhaaii rahii।)
उन पुरानी यादों पर धुंध छा गई है, कुछ भी साफ़ याद नहीं आता।
A haze has settled over those old memories; nothing comes back clearly.
(un puraanii yaadon par dhundh chhaa gaii hai, kuchh bhii saaf yaad nahiin aataa।)
थकान की वजह से उसके ख़यालों में धुंध रहती है।
Because of tiredness, there is a haze in his thoughts.
(thakaan kii vajah se uske khayaalon men dhundh rahtii hai।)
अगर वह इतना परेशान न होता, तो उसके ज़हन पर यह धुंध न छाती।
If he weren't so troubled, this haze wouldn't have settled over his mind.
(agar vah itnaa pareshaan n hotaa, to uske zahan par yah dhundh n chhaatii।)
बुख़ार में उसका सिर घूम रहा था, जैसे सोच पर धुंध छाई हो।
In his fever his head was spinning, as if a haze had spread over his thinking.
(bukhaar men uskaa sir ghoom rahaa thaa, jaise soch par dhundh chhaaii ho।)
थोड़ा आराम कर लो, ताकि दिमाग़ की धुंध छँट जाए।
Rest a little, so that the haze in your mind clears up.
(thodaa aaraam kar lo, taaki dimaagh kii dhundh chhant jaae।)
मुझे लगता है कि उस हादसे के बाद उसकी याददाश्त पर धुंध छा गई थी।
I think a haze had settled over his memory after that accident.
(mujhe lagtaa hai ki us haadse ke baad uskii yaaddaasht par dhundh chhaa gaii thii।)
गुरुजी ने कहा कि अज्ञान की धुंध साधना से ही छंटती है।
The guru said that the haze of ignorance clears only through spiritual practice.
(gurujii ne kahaa ki agyaan kii dhundh saadhnaa se hii chhanttii hai।)
क्या तुम्हारे मन की धुंध अब भी नहीं छँटी?
Has the haze in your mind still not cleared?
(kyaa tumhaare man kii dhundh ab bhii nahiin chhantii?)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
धुंध
(dhundh)
(sg.f.oblique):
धुंध
(dhundh)
(pl.f.direct):
धुंधें
(dhundhen)
(pl.f.oblique):
धुंधों
(dhundhon)