मुट्ठी (mutthii)
noun
A concrete noun meaning 'fist' or 'handful' -- the shape of a closed hand and the quantity it can hold; also lives inside common idioms about control and secrecy.
Sense
1
:
fist (the closed hand)
noun, feminine
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear मुट्ठी बाँधना (mutthii baandhnaa, 'to clench the fist') used literally for a child making a fist, and also figuratively for gritting through hardship -- the fist as a small store of resolve.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for हाथ (haath, hand) when they mean a closed fist specifically -- मुट्ठी (mutthii) is the clenched shape, not the open hand or arm.
Sample Sentences:
बच्चे ने अपनी मुट्ठी बाँध ली।
The child clenched his fist.
(bachche ne apnii mutthii baandh lii।)
गुस्से में उसकी मुट्ठियाँ कस गईं।
His fists tightened in anger.
(gusse men uskii mutthiyaan kas gaiin।)
वह दर्द से अपनी मुट्ठी भींचे हुए बैठा था।
He sat with his fist clenched from the pain.
(vah dard se apnii mutthii bhiinche hue baithaa thaa।)
मुट्ठी बाँधो और हिम्मत रखो, यह मुश्किल वक़्त गुज़र जाएगा।
Clench your fist and keep courage, this hard time will pass.
(mutthii baandho aur himmat rakho, yah mushkil vaqt guzar jaaegaa।)
अगर वह अपनी मुट्ठी बाँध लेता तो शायद रो नहीं पड़ता।
If he had clenched his fist, he might not have broken down crying.
(agar vah apnii mutthii baandh letaa to shaayad ro nahiin padtaa।)
बॉक्सर मुट्ठियाँ बाँधकर रिंग में उतरा।
The boxer stepped into the ring with his fists clenched.
(boksar mutthiyaan baandhkar ring men utraa।)
छोटे बच्चे अक्सर सोते वक़्त अपनी मुट्ठियाँ बाँधे रहते हैं।
Small children often keep their fists clenched while sleeping.
(chhote bachche aksar sote vaqt apnii mutthiyaan baandhe rahte hain।)
क्रोध में उसने मेज़ पर मुट्ठी मारी।
In anger he struck the table with his fist.
(krodh men usne mez par mutthii maarii।)
जब उसे यह ख़बर मिली, तो उसकी मुट्ठियाँ खुद-ब-खुद बँध गईं।
When she got this news, her fists clenched on their own.
(jab use yah khabar milii, to uskii mutthiyaan khud-b-khud bandh gaiin।)
मुट्ठी बाँध लो, बेटा, दर्द थोड़ी देर में कम हो जाएगा।
Clench your fist, son, the pain will lessen in a little while.
(mutthii baandh lo, betaa, dard thodii der men kam ho jaaegaa।)
क्या तुम इतनी ज़ोर से मुट्ठी बाँध सकते हो कि नाखून त्वचा में गड़ जाएँ?
Can you clench your fist so hard that your nails dig into your skin?
(kyaa tum itnii zor se mutthii baandh sakte ho ki naakhoon tvachaa men gad jaaen?)
Sense
2
:
handful (the quantity a closed hand holds)
noun, feminine Used with भर (bhar) as मुट्ठी भर (mutthii bhar, 'a handful of') to quantify small amounts, e.g. of grain, rice, or coins.
Synonyms: चुटकी (chutkii, a pinch, smaller quantity)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: मुट्ठी भर चावल (mutthii bhar chaaval, 'a handful of rice') is the kind of phrase you hear in kitchens and also in stories about frugality -- a handful is the classic unit of 'just enough' or 'barely anything' in Hindi storytelling.
Sample Sentences:
माँ ने मुट्ठी भर चावल पानी में डाल दिए।
Mother put a handful of rice into the water.
(maan ne mutthii bhar chaaval paanii men daal die।)
उसके पास खाने के लिए सिर्फ एक मुट्ठी आटा बचा था।
He had only a handful of flour left to eat.
(uske paas khaane ke lie sirph ek mutthii aataa bachaa thaa।)
बच्चे रोज़ चिड़ियों के लिए एक मुट्ठी दाना छत पर रखते हैं।
The children put a handful of grain on the roof for the birds every day.
(bachche roz chidiyon ke lie ek mutthii daanaa chhat par rakhte hain।)
क्या तुम मुझे एक मुट्ठी बादाम दे सकते हो?
Can you give me a handful of almonds?
(kyaa tum mujhe ek mutthii baadaam de sakte ho?)
अगर बारिश होती, तो हम मुट्ठी भर बीज खेत में बो देते।
If it had rained, we would have sown a handful of seeds in the field.
(agar baarish hotii, to ham mutthii bhar biij khet men bo dete।)
गरीब घर में मुट्ठी भर चावल भी बड़ी नेमत मानी जाती थी।
In a poor household, even a handful of rice was considered a great blessing.
(gariib ghar men mutthii bhar chaaval bhii badii nemat maanii jaatii thii।)
कृपया इस मिट्टी में एक मुट्ठी खाद मिला दें।
Please mix a handful of fertilizer into this soil.
(kripyaa is mittii men ek mutthii khaad milaa den।)
जब मैं रसोई में गया, तो दादी मुट्ठी भर मूंगफली भून रही थीं।
When I went into the kitchen, grandmother was roasting a handful of peanuts.
(jab main rasoii men gayaa, to daadii mutthii bhar moongaphlii bhoon rahii thiin।)
शायद इतनी मुट्ठी भर चीनी काफी न हो।
Perhaps this much of a handful of sugar might not be enough.
(shaayad itnii mutthii bhar chiinii kaaphii n ho।)
उसने जल्दी में सिर्फ मुट्ठी भर नमक डाल दिया।
In a hurry, she just threw in a handful of salt.
(usne jaldii men sirph mutthii bhar namak daal diyaa।)
Sense
3
:
figurative: control, grip, or something kept secret/hidden
noun, feminine Common in fixed expressions: किसी को मुट्ठी में रखना (kisii ko mutthii men rakhnaa, 'to keep someone in one's fist/under one's control'); मुट्ठी में होना (mutthii men honaa, 'to be in one's grip/control'); बात मुट्ठी में रखना (baat mutthii men rakhnaa, 'to keep a matter close/secret').
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: The image is very physical: power in Hindi is often something you hold shut in your hand rather than something you 'have' abstractly, so a boss who 'has everyone in his मुट्ठी (mutthii)' is picturing a closed fist, not a chart of authority.
Common Mistakes: 1) This sense only appears inside these fixed idiomatic frames -- मुट्ठी (mutthii) alone does not mean 'control' outside of them, so learners should not use it as a free-standing abstract noun for power.
Sample Sentences:
वह पूरे बाज़ार को अपनी मुट्ठी में रखता है।
He keeps the entire market in his grip.
(vah poore baazaar ko apnii mutthii men rakhtaa hai।)
उसने सारी कंपनी को अपनी मुट्ठी में कर लिया।
He got the whole company under his control.
(usne saarii kampnii ko apnii mutthii men kar liyaa।)
यह बात मुट्ठी में ही रहनी चाहिए, किसी को पता न चले।
This matter should stay under wraps, no one should find out.
(yah baat mutthii men hii rahnii chaahie, kisii ko pataa n chale।)
अगर वह ज़रा भी ढीली मुट्ठी रखता तो सब हाथ से निकल जाता।
If he had kept even a slightly loose grip, everything would have slipped away.
(agar vah zaraa bhii dhiilii mutthii rakhtaa to sab haath se nikal jaataa।)
उसका राज़ अभी तक उसकी मुट्ठी में बंद है।
His secret is still locked in his grip, unrevealed.
(uskaa raaz abhii tak uskii mutthii men band hai।)
पूरे मोहल्ले को अपनी मुट्ठी में रखो, तभी इज़्ज़त बनेगी।
Keep the whole neighborhood under your control, only then will you earn respect.
(poore mohalle ko apnii mutthii men rakho, tabhii izzat banegii।)
क्या तुम सचमुच सोचते हो कि सत्ता हमेशा तुम्हारी मुट्ठी में रहेगी?
Do you really think power will always stay in your grip?
(kyaa tum sachmuch sochte ho ki sattaa hameshaa tumhaarii mutthii men rahegii?)
यह भेद इतने सालों से उसकी मुट्ठी में बंद रखा गया है।
This secret has been kept locked away by him for so many years.
(yah bhed itne saalon se uskii mutthii men band rakhaa gayaa hai।)
नेता जी शहर की हर गली को अपनी मुट्ठी में रखते थे।
The leader used to keep every lane of the city under his thumb.
(netaa jii shahar kii har galii ko apnii mutthii men rakhte the।)
जब तक ताकत उनकी मुट्ठी में रहेगी, कोई उनसे सवाल नहीं करेगा।
As long as power remains in their grip, no one will question them.
(jab tak taakat unkii mutthii men rahegii, koii unse savaal nahiin karegaa।)
उसने अपनी असली मंशा को इतनी सफ़ाई से मुट्ठी में छुपाया कि किसी को शक भी नहीं हुआ।
He hid his true intentions so cleverly in his grip that no one even suspected it.
(usne apnii aslii manshaa ko itnii safaaii se mutthii men chhupaayaa ki kisii ko shak bhii nahiin huaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
मुट्ठी
(mutthii)
(sg.f.oblique):
मुट्ठी
(mutthii)
(pl.f.direct):
मुट्ठियाँ
(mutthiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique):
मुट्ठियों
(mutthiyon)