धोबी (dhobii)
noun
A single-sense noun meaning washerman -- traditionally the person who washes and irons clothes for a living, often collecting them door to door.
Sense
1
:
washerman (person who washes/irons clothes for a living)
noun, masculine
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In most Indian neighborhoods, the धोबी (dhobii) is a familiar figure who does rounds collecting and delivering ironed clothes, often piled impossibly high on a bicycle or handcart -- calling someone's shirt collar or crease 'sharp' is sometimes jokingly credited to a good धोबी (dhobii). Historically धोबी (dhobii) names a caste/community associated with washing clothes, so the word carries a social dimension beyond just 'job title,' something worth being aware of even though daily usage is mostly functional and neutral.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes treat धोबी (dhobii) as a caste name only, but in everyday speech it is used simply for 'the washerman/laundry guy,' the person you hand your clothes to, regardless of how formally caste is intended. 2) The feminine counterpart धोबिन (dhobin) (washerwoman) is a distinct word, not just an inflected form of धोबी (dhobii) -- do not expect the -ई (-ii) ending to simply switch to -इन (-in) the way some other nouns behave.
Sample Sentences:
धोबी हफ्ते में दो बार कपड़े लेने आता है।
The washerman comes to collect clothes twice a week.
(dhobii haphte men do baar kapde lene aataa hai।)
धोबी ने सारी कमीजें इतनी अच्छी तरह इस्त्री की हैं कि कॉलर बिल्कुल चाकू जैसा तेज़ लग रहा है।
The washerman has ironed all the shirts so well that the collar looks as sharp as a knife.
(dhobii ne saarii kamiijen itnii achchhii tarah istrii kii hain ki kolar bilkul chaakoo jaisaa tez lag rahaa hai।)
कल धोबी हमारे कपड़े लेकर गया था, अभी तक वापस नहीं आया।
The washerman took our clothes yesterday, and he hasn't come back yet.
(kal dhobii hamaare kapde lekar gayaa thaa, abhii tak vaapas nahiin aayaa।)
धोबी अपनी साइकिल पर कपड़ों का इतना बड़ा ढेर लादे हुए चला जा रहा था कि लगता था अभी गिर जाएगा।
The washerman was riding along with such a huge pile of clothes loaded on his bicycle that it looked like he would fall any moment.
(dhobii apnii saaikil par kapdon kaa itnaa badaa dher laade hue chalaa jaa rahaa thaa ki lagtaa thaa abhii gir jaaegaa।)
अगर धोबी समय पर आ जाता, तो हमें इस्त्री का शर्ट पहनने को मिल जाता।
If the washerman had come on time, we would have gotten an ironed shirt to wear.
(agar dhobii samay par aa jaataa, to hamen istrii kaa shart pahanne ko mil jaataa।)
धोबी को पैसे देकर आना, वरना वह अगली बार कपड़े नहीं लेगा।
Pay the washerman before you come back, otherwise he won't take the clothes next time.
(dhobii ko paise dekar aanaa, varnaa vah aglii baar kapde nahiin legaa।)
यह ज़रूरी नहीं कि हर मोहल्ले में एक ही धोबी हो।
It's not necessary that there be just one washerman in every neighborhood.
(yah zaroorii nahiin ki har mohalle men ek hii dhobii ho।)
पुराने समय में धोबी को कपड़े धोने के लिए अक्सर नदी या तालाब के किनारे जाना पड़ता था।
In earlier times, the washerman often had to go to the riverbank or pond to wash clothes.
(puraane samay men dhobii ko kapde dhone ke lie aksar nadii yaa taalaab ke kinaare jaanaa padtaa thaa।)
इस शहर में धोबियों की एक पूरी बस्ती है, जहाँ पीढ़ियों से यही काम होता आया है।
In this city there's an entire settlement of washermen, where this has been the family occupation for generations.
(is shahar men dhobiyon kii ek poorii bastii hai, jahaan piidhiyon se yahii kaam hotaa aayaa hai।)
गंदे कपड़े धोबी के पास भेज दिए गए हैं।
The dirty clothes have been sent to the washerman.
(gande kapde dhobii ke paas bhej die gae hain।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
धोबी
(dhobii)
(sg.m.oblique):
धोबी
(dhobii)
(pl.m.direct):
धोबी
(dhobii)
(pl.m.oblique):
धोबीयों
(dhobiiyon)