ज़िक्र (zikr)

noun A single core sense: 'mention' or 'talk of' someone/something, very common in everyday and poetic speech alike.
Sense 1 : mention, reference, talk (of someone/something)
noun, masculine Almost always used with करना (karnaa) 'to mention' or आना (aanaa) 'to come up (in conversation)', in the frame X का ज़िक्र करना/आना (X kaa zikr karnaa/X kaa zikr aanaa).
Synonyms: ज़िक्रा (zikraa, rare, regional), चर्चा (charchaa), उल्लेख (ullekh, formal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This word carries a soft, almost affectionate weight borrowed from Urdu -- when someone says तुम्हारा ज़िक्र हो रहा था (tumhaaraa zikr ho rahaa thaa, 'you were being talked about'), it feels warmer than the plain चर्चा (charchaa), which is more neutral or even bureaucratic. You will hear it constantly in Bollywood songs and shayari, where ज़िक्र (zikr) often means the lingering thought of a beloved rather than mere 'mention'.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say ज़िक्र बोलना (zikr bolnaa) by analogy with 'say a mention', but the natural verb is करना (karnaa), as in ज़िक्र करना (zikr karnaa), not बोलना (bolnaa). 2) The thing being mentioned takes का/की/के (kaa/kii/ke) before ज़िक्र (zikr), so 'mention of Delhi' is दिल्ली का ज़िक्र (dillii kaa zikr), not दिल्ली ज़िक्र.
Sample Sentences:
तुम्हारा ज़िक्र हो रहा था। You were being talked about.
(tumhaaraa zikr ho rahaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
उसने एक बार भी तुम्हारा ज़िक्र नहीं किया। He didn't mention you even once.
(usne ek baar bhii tumhaaraa zikr nahiin kiyaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मैं हर गाने में उसका ज़िक्र ढूँढता हूँ। I look for a mention of her in every song.
(main har gaane men uskaa zikr dhoondhtaa hoon।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसका ज़िक्र मत करो, दिल फिर उदास हो जाएगा। Don't mention her, my heart will grow sad again.
(uskaa zikr mat karo, dil phir udaas ho jaaegaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
काश वो कभी मेरा ज़िक्र किसी से करता। If only he had ever mentioned me to someone.
(kaash vo kabhii meraa zikr kisii se kartaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
अगर मैं उसका ज़िक्र न करूँ, तो भी वो याद आती है। Even if I don't mention her, she comes to mind anyway.
(agar main uskaa zikr n karoon, to bhii vo yaad aatii hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
क्या तुमने कभी मेरा ज़िक्र सुना है उससे? Have you ever heard him mention me?
(kyaa tumne kabhii meraa zikr sunaa hai usse?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
इस रिपोर्ट में उस घटना का ज़िक्र नहीं है। There is no mention of that incident in this report.
(is riport men us ghatnaa kaa zikr nahiin hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
शायर की हर ग़ज़ल में महबूब का ज़िक्र मिलता है। In every ghazal of the poet, one finds a mention of the beloved.
(shaayar kii har ghazal men mahboob kaa zikr miltaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मीटिंग में तुम्हारे प्रोजेक्ट का ज़िक्र किया जाएगा। Your project will be mentioned in the meeting.
(miiting men tumhaare projekt kaa zikr kiyaa jaaegaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
उसकी बातों में बस उसी पुराने दोस्त का ज़िक्र रहता है। In her talk, there's always some mention of that same old friend.
(uskii baaton men bas usii puraane dost kaa zikr rahtaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): ज़िक्र (zikr)
(sg.m.oblique): ज़िक्र (zikr)
(pl.m.direct): ज़िक्र (zikr)
(pl.m.oblique): ज़िक्रों (zikron)