मानव (maanav)

noun/adjective मानव (maanav) means 'human/mankind' -- it's a somewhat formal, Sanskritic word used mostly as a noun and sometimes as an adjective meaning 'human' (as opposed to divine or animal).
Sense 1 : human being, mankind
noun, masculine
Synonyms: इंसान (insaan), आदमी (aadmii), मनुष्य (manushy)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will meet मानव (maanav) constantly in compound official terms like मानव अधिकार (maanav adhikaar, 'human rights') or मानव संसाधन (maanav sansaadhan, 'human resources'), which is exactly the register it belongs to -- formal, written, Sanskrit-flavored Hindi. For everyday talk about people, इंसान (insaan) and आदमी (aadmii) are what you will actually hear on the street.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for मानव (maanav) in casual speech where इंसान (insaan) or आदमी (aadmii) is what a native speaker would actually say -- मानव (maanav) sounds bookish or official, like something from a textbook, news report, or government scheme name, rather than everyday conversation.
Sample Sentences:
मानव अधिकार हर व्यक्ति को जन्म से मिलते हैं। Human rights are granted to every person from birth.
(maanav adhikaar har vyakti ko janm se milte hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस विभाग को मानव संसाधन विभाग कहा जाता है। This department is called the human resources department.
(is vibhaag ko maanav sansaadhan vibhaag kahaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
मानव जाति का इतिहास हजारों वर्षों पुराना है। The history of the human race is thousands of years old.
(maanav jaati kaa itihaas hajaaron varshon puraanaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सरकार ने मानव अधिकार आयोग का गठन किया था। The government had constituted a human rights commission.
(sarkaar ne maanav adhikaar aayog kaa gathan kiyaa thaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मानव मस्तिष्क की क्षमता अब भी पूरी तरह समझी नहीं गई है। The capacity of the human brain has still not been fully understood.
(maanav mastishk kii kshamtaa ab bhii poorii tarah samjhii nahiin gaii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
यदि मानव संसाधन ठीक से प्रबंधित हो, तो कंपनी की उत्पादकता बढ़ती है। If human resources are managed properly, the company's productivity increases.
(yadi maanav sansaadhan thiik se prabandhit ho, to kampnii kii utpaadaktaa badhtii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
काश हर देश मानव अधिकारों का सम्मान करता। If only every country respected human rights.
(kaash har desh maanav adhikaaron kaa sammaan kartaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
मानव कल्याण के लिए वैज्ञानिक निरंतर शोध कर रहे हैं। For the welfare of mankind, scientists are continuously conducting research.
(maanav kalyaan ke lie vaigyaanik nirantar shodh kar rahe hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मानव संसाधन विकास मंत्रालय ने नई नीति की घोषणा की। The Ministry of Human Resource Development announced a new policy.
(maanav sansaadhan vikaas mantraalay ne naii niiti kii ghoshnaa kii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मानव जीवन की गरिमा बनाए रखना संविधान का उद्देश्य है। Preserving the dignity of human life is the purpose of the constitution.
(maanav jiivan kii garimaa banaae rakhnaa sanvidhaan kaa uddeshy hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : human (as opposed to divine, animal, or artificial)
adjective Used attributively before a noun, e.g. मानव शरीर (maanav shariir, 'human body'); this adjectival use is invariant and does not change form with gender or number.
Synonyms: इंसानी (insaanii), मानवीय (maanviiy)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This adjectival sense overlaps with मानवीय (maanviiy, 'human, humane'), but मानव (maanav) as an adjective tends to describe the biological or species category (मानव शरीर (maanav shariir, 'human body'), मानव जीवन (maanav jiivan, 'human life')), while मानवीय (maanviiy) leans toward 'humane, compassionate' qualities.
Sample Sentences:
मानव शरीर बहुत जटिल होता है। The human body is very complex.
(maanav shariir bahut jatil hotaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मानव जीवन अनमोल है। Human life is precious.
(maanav jiivan anmol hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वैज्ञानिक मानव मस्तिष्क पर शोध कर रहे हैं। Scientists are researching the human brain.
(vaigyaanik maanav mastishk par shodh kar rahe hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह रोबोट मानव व्यवहार की नकल करता है। This robot imitates human behavior.
(yah robot maanav vyavahaar kii nakal kartaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मानव सभ्यता हज़ारों सालों से विकसित हो रही है। Human civilization has been developing for thousands of years.
(maanav sabhytaa hazaaron saalon se viksit ho rahii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर मानव कोशिकाओं का ठीक से अध्ययन किया जाता, तो यह बीमारी पहले ही समझी जा चुकी होती। If human cells had been studied properly, this disease would have already been understood.
(agar maanav koshikaaon kaa thiik se adhyyan kiyaa jaataa, to yah biimaarii pahle hii samjhii jaa chukii hotii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Passive
मानव अधिकारों की रक्षा के लिए यह कानून बनाया गया। This law was made to protect human rights.
(maanav adhikaaron kii rakshaa ke lie yah kaanoon banaayaa gayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
इस मशीन में मानव त्रुटि की कोई गुंजाइश नहीं है। There is no scope for human error in this machine.
(is mashiin men maanav truti kii koii gunjaaish nahiin hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या मानव मस्तिष्क कभी पूरी तरह समझा जा सकेगा? Will the human brain ever be fully understood?
(kyaa maanav mastishk kabhii poorii tarah samjhaa jaa sakegaa?)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
पुराणों में मानव रूप धारण करने वाले देवताओं की कथाएँ मिलती हैं। In the Puranas, one finds stories of gods taking on a human form.
(puraanon men maanav roop dhaaran karne vaale devtaaon kii kathaaen miltii hain।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): मानव (maanav)
(sg.m.oblique): मानव (maanav)
(pl.m.direct): मानव (maanav)
(pl.m.oblique): मानवों (maanvon)
Adjective (invariant)
invariant: मानव (maanav)