माँग (maang)
noun
Two main senses: 'demand' (economic/general, as in wanting something or in market demand) and 'the parting of the hair', a word tied specifically to married Hindu women's appearance. Both are feminine nouns; the verbal root माँगना (maangnaa, 'to ask for/request') is a related but separate lemma.
Sense
1
:
demand (for something, including economic demand)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: मांग (maang, variant spelling without chandrabindu), जरूरत (jaroorat, broader: 'need')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll see this word constantly in news about strikes and protests -- कर्मचारियों की माँग (karmchaariyon kii maang, 'the employees' demand') is a staple headline phrase. It's also the standard economics term, so students encounter it early in both news Hindi and textbook Hindi.
Common Mistakes: 1) माँग (maang) is often paired with की पूर्ति (kii poorti, 'supply of') in economic contexts -- 'demand and supply' is माँग और पूर्ति (maang aur poorti). 2) Do not confuse with माँगना (maangnaa), the verb 'to ask for' -- माँग is the noun derived from it, used for 'a demand/request' as a thing, not the act of asking.
Sample Sentences:
कर्मचारियों की माँग है कि वेतन बढ़ाया जाए।
The employees' demand is that salaries be increased.
(karmchaariyon kii maang hai ki vetan badhaayaa jaae।)
बाजार में इस समय टमाटर की माँग बहुत ज़्यादा है।
There is very high demand for tomatoes in the market right now.
(baajaar men is samay tamaatar kii maang bahut zyaadaa hai।)
पिछले महीने पेट्रोल की माँग में गिरावट आई थी।
There was a decline in the demand for petrol last month.
(pichhle mahiine petrol kii maang men giraavat aaii thii।)
मज़दूर अपनी माँगें रखते हुए कारखाने के बाहर खड़े थे।
The workers were standing outside the factory, putting forward their demands.
(mazdoor apnii maangen rakhte hue kaarkhaane ke baahar khade the।)
अगर सरकार माँगें नहीं मानेगी, तो हड़ताल जारी रहेगी।
If the government does not accept the demands, the strike will continue.
(agar sarkaar maangen nahiin maanegii, to hadtaal jaarii rahegii।)
अर्थशास्त्र में माँग और पूर्ति का सिद्धांत सबसे पहले पढ़ाया जाता है।
In economics, the theory of demand and supply is taught first.
(arthshaastr men maang aur poorti kaa siddhaant sabse pahle padhaayaa jaataa hai।)
काश सरकार कर्मचारियों की माँग पहले ही मान लेती।
If only the government had accepted the employees' demand earlier.
(kaash sarkaar karmchaariyon kii maang pahle hii maan letii।)
अपनी माँग साफ़ तौर पर लिखकर दे दो।
Write down your demand clearly and hand it over.
(apnii maang saaf taur par likhkar de do।)
यूनियन की माँग है कि काम के घंटे कम किए जाएँ।
The union's demand is that working hours be reduced.
(yooniyan kii maang hai ki kaam ke ghante kam kie jaaen।)
त्योहारों के मौसम में मिठाइयों की माँग बढ़ जाती है।
During festival season, the demand for sweets increases.
(tyohaaron ke mausam men mithaaiyon kii maang badh jaatii hai।)
शायद कंपनी को इस उत्पाद की माँग का अंदाज़ा न हो।
Perhaps the company doesn't have an estimate of the demand for this product.
(shaayad kampnii ko is utpaad kii maang kaa andaazaa n ho।)
Sense
2
:
the parting of the hair (on the head)
noun, feminine
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: माँग में सिंदूर भरना (maang men sindoor bharnaa, 'to fill the parting with vermilion') is one of the central visual symbols of a married Hindu woman in North India -- you'll hear this phrase in wedding contexts, songs, and family conversation. It's a lovely example of how a very ordinary word (also meaning 'demand') carries deep cultural freight in its second sense.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes miss the cultural weight of this word: माँग भरना (maang bharnaa, 'to fill the parting') refers to the ritual of applying sindoor (vermilion) to the parting, a marker of being married -- it's not just a neutral description of a hairstyle.
Sample Sentences:
शादी के बाद दुल्हन की माँग में सिंदूर भरा जाता है।
After the wedding, the bride's hair parting is filled with vermilion.
(shaadii ke baad dulhan kii maang men sindoor bharaa jaataa hai।)
उसकी माँग में सिंदूर देखकर सब समझ गए कि वह विवाहित है।
Seeing the vermilion in her hair parting, everyone understood that she is married.
(uskii maang men sindoor dekhkar sab samajh gae ki vah vivaahit hai।)
दादी ने अपनी माँग सीधी करके साड़ी का पल्लू ठीक किया।
Grandmother straightened her hair parting and adjusted the end of her sari.
(daadii ne apnii maang siidhii karke saadii kaa palloo thiik kiyaa।)
माँ, मेरी माँग टेढ़ी हो गई है, ठीक कर दो।
Mom, my hair parting has become crooked, please fix it.
(maan, merii maang tedhii ho gaii hai, thiik kar do।)
अपनी माँग सीधी रखो, यह देखने में ज़्यादा सुंदर लगती है।
Keep your hair parting straight, it looks nicer that way.
(apnii maang siidhii rakho, yah dekhne men zyaadaa sundar lagtii hai।)
अगर उसकी माँग में सिंदूर होता, तो लोग उसे विवाहित समझते।
If there were vermilion in her hair parting, people would have taken her for married.
(agar uskii maang men sindoor hotaa, to log use vivaahit samajhte।)
कवि ने उसकी माँग में सिंदूर की लाली को सूर्योदय जैसा बताया।
The poet described the redness of vermilion in her hair parting as like a sunrise.
(kavi ne uskii maang men sindoor kii laalii ko sooryoday jaisaa bataayaa।)
नाई ने बच्चे के बालों में एक सीधी माँग निकाल दी।
The barber made a straight parting in the child's hair.
(naaii ne bachche ke baalon men ek siidhii maang nikaal dii।)
क्या तुम अपनी माँग बीच में निकालती हो या एक तरफ से?
Do you part your hair in the middle or from one side?
(kyaa tum apnii maang biich men nikaaltii ho yaa ek taraph se?)
पंडित जी ने कहा कि विवाह के समय वर स्वयं वधू की माँग में सिंदूर भरता है।
The priest said that at the time of marriage, the groom himself fills the bride's hair parting with vermilion.
(pandit jii ne kahaa ki vivaah ke samay var svayan vadhoo kii maang men sindoor bhartaa hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
माँग
(maang)
(sg.f.oblique):
माँग
(maang)
(pl.f.direct):
माँगें
(maangen)
(pl.f.oblique):
माँगों
(maangon)