मूर्ति (moorti)
noun
Mainly means a statue or idol (as in a temple or museum), with an extended sense of 'embodiment/personification' of a quality.
Sense
1
:
statue, idol
noun, feminine
Synonyms: प्रतिमा (pratimaa, formal), बुत (but)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Think of the neighborhood mandir (mandir) with its मूर्ति (moorti) of Ganesh or Durga, carefully dressed and garlanded -- the word carries a sense of a crafted, honored form, not just any carved object. During Durga Puja or Ganesh Chaturthi, you will hear मूर्ति विसर्जन (moorti visarjan, 'immersion of the idol') on the news, which is the ritual immersion of these clay idols in a river or tank.
Common Mistakes: 1) मूर्ति (moorti) is not limited to religious idols -- a garden statue, a museum sculpture, or a leader's statue in a park is also मूर्ति (moorti). 2) Learners sometimes reach for बुत (but) as the default word, but मूर्ति (moorti) is the everyday, unmarked term in Hindi.
Sample Sentences:
मंदिर में गणेश जी की मूर्ति बहुत सुंदर है।
The idol of Ganesh ji in the temple is very beautiful.
(mandir men ganesh jii kii moorti bahut sundar hai।)
पिछले साल हमने घर में दुर्गा जी की एक नई मूर्ति स्थापित की।
Last year we installed a new idol of Durga ji in the house.
(pichhle saal hamne ghar men durgaa jii kii ek naii moorti sthaapit kii।)
हर साल विसर्जन के दिन नदी के किनारे हज़ारों मूर्तियाँ लाई जाती हैं।
Every year, on the day of immersion, thousands of idols are brought to the riverbank.
(har saal visarjan ke din nadii ke kinaare hazaaron moortiyaan laaii jaatii hain।)
मूर्तिकार महीनों तक मिट्टी की मूर्ति बना रहा था।
The sculptor had been making the clay idol for months.
(moortikaar mahiinon tak mittii kii moorti banaa rahaa thaa।)
कृपया मूर्ति को हाथ से मत छुइए, यह बहुत नाज़ुक है।
Please don't touch the idol with your hand, it's very fragile.
(kripyaa moorti ko haath se mat chhuie, yah bahut naazuk hai।)
अगर मूर्ति असली संगमरमर की होती, तो इतनी महंगी न लगती।
If the statue were made of real marble, it wouldn't seem this expensive.
(agar moorti aslii sangmarmar kii hotii, to itnii mahangii n lagtii।)
गणेश चतुर्थी पर मूर्ति विसर्जन का दृश्य टीवी पर हर चैनल दिखाता है।
Every channel shows the scene of idol immersion on Ganesh Chaturthi.
(ganesh chaturthii par moorti visarjan kaa drishy tiivii par har chainal dikhaataa hai।)
क्या तुमने कुम्हार के बाज़ार से मूर्ति खरीदी?
Did you buy the idol from the potter's market?
(kyaa tumne kumhaar ke baazaar se moorti khariidii?)
पुरातत्व विभाग ने खुदाई में एक प्राचीन पत्थर की मूर्ति खोजी थी।
The archaeology department had discovered an ancient stone statue in the excavation.
(puraatatv vibhaag ne khudaaii men ek praachiin patthar kii moorti khojii thii।)
शायद मंदिर की मूर्ति सोने से मंडित हो।
Perhaps the temple's idol is plated with gold.
(shaayad mandir kii moorti sone se mandit ho।)
अगली पूजा से पहले मूर्ति को नए वस्त्र और आभूषण पहनाए जाएंगे।
Before the next worship, the idol will be dressed in new clothes and ornaments.
(aglii poojaa se pahle moorti ko nae vastr aur aabhooshan pahnaae jaaenge।)
Sense
2
:
embodiment, personification (figurative)
noun, feminine Used in fixed phrases like शांति की मूर्ति (shaanti kii moorti, 'the embodiment of peace') to say someone is a living picture of a quality.
Synonyms: प्रतीक (pratiik, symbol/emblem, slightly different shade)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear this in praise or eulogy -- calling someone सादगी की मूर्ति (saadgii kii moorti, 'the picture of simplicity') is a classic, slightly formal compliment, the kind an uncle might pay a respected elder at a family function.
Sample Sentences:
वह सादगी की मूर्ति हैं।
She is the picture of simplicity.
(vah saadgii kii moorti hain।)
मेरे दादाजी ईमानदारी की मूर्ति थे।
My grandfather was the embodiment of honesty.
(mere daadaajii iimaandaarii kii moorti the।)
आप तो त्याग की मूर्ति निकले।
You turned out to be the very embodiment of sacrifice.
(aap to tyaag kii moorti nikle।)
अगर वह धैर्य की मूर्ति न होता, तो यह काम कभी पूरा न होता।
If he were not the embodiment of patience, this work would never have been completed.
(agar vah dhairy kii moorti n hotaa, to yah kaam kabhii pooraa n hotaa।)
क्या तुम सोचते हो कि वह करुणा की मूर्ति है?
Do you think she is the embodiment of compassion?
(kyaa tum sochte ho ki vah karunaa kii moorti hai?)
उन्हें विनम्रता की मूर्ति कहा जाता है।
He is called the embodiment of humility.
(unhen vinamrtaa kii moorti kahaa jaataa hai।)
बेटा, तू संयम की मूर्ति बन जा।
Son, become the very picture of self-restraint.
(betaa, too sanyam kii moorti ban jaa।)
शायद वह अनुशासन की मूर्ति हो, पर घर पर तो बड़ा ढीला है।
Maybe he is the embodiment of discipline, but at home he is quite lax.
(shaayad vah anushaasan kii moorti ho, par ghar par to badaa dhiilaa hai।)
समारोह में उन्हें कर्तव्यनिष्ठा की मूर्ति बताया गया।
At the ceremony, he was described as the embodiment of devotion to duty.
(samaaroh men unhen kartavynishthaa kii moorti bataayaa gayaa।)
बुआजी हमेशा से ममता की मूर्ति रही हैं।
Aunty has always been the embodiment of affection.
(buaajii hameshaa se mamtaa kii moorti rahii hain।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
मूर्ति
(moorti)
(sg.f.oblique):
मूर्ति
(moorti)
(pl.f.direct):
मूर्तिएँ
(moortien)
(pl.f.oblique):
मूर्तिओं
(moortion)