डिबिया (dibiyaa)

noun A small box or container, typically for storing small items like snuff, spices, or trinkets; a diminutive relative of डिब्बा (dibbaa).
Sense 1 : small box, tin, or container
noun, feminine
Synonyms: डिब्बी (dibbii), डिब्बा (dibbaa, larger box)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Think of the little tin your grandmother keeps her सुपारी (supaarii, betel nut) or सिंदूर (sindoor, vermillion) in on her dressing table -- that's a classic डिबिया (dibiyaa). The -इया (iyaa) ending is a common Hindi diminutive suffix, so डिबिया (dibiyaa) literally feels like the cute, small cousin of डिब्बा (dibbaa).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use डिबिया (dibiyaa) and डिब्बा (dibbaa) interchangeably, but डिबिया (dibiyaa) is specifically small and often has a lid, like something you'd keep bindis, sindoor, or paan ingredients in, whereas डिब्बा (dibbaa) can be any size, including large storage tins or even train compartments.
Sample Sentences:
दादी की डिबिया में सिंदूर रखा है। There is vermillion kept in grandmother's little box.
(daadii kii dibiyaa men sindoor rakhaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह चांदी की डिबिया बहुत पुरानी है। This little silver box is very old.
(yah chaandii kii dibiyaa bahut puraanii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसने सुपारी की डिबिया अलमारी में रख दी। She put the little box of betel nuts in the cupboard.
(usne supaarii kii dibiyaa almaarii men rakh dii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम मुझे वह छोटी डिबिया दे सकते हो? Can you give me that little box?
(kyaa tum mujhe vah chhotii dibiyaa de sakte ho?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
डिबिया को ठीक से बंद कर दो, नहीं तो सब बिखर जाएगा। Close the little box properly, otherwise everything will spill out.
(dibiyaa ko thiik se band kar do, nahiin to sab bikhar jaaegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
पहले लोग माचिस की डिबिया में छोटी-छोटी चीज़ें रख लेते थे। In the past, people used to keep tiny things in matchboxes.
(pahle log maachis kii dibiyaa men chhotii-chhotii chiizen rakh lete the।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर मेरे पास एक अच्छी डिबिया होती, तो मैं अपनी अंगूठियाँ उसमें रखता। If I had a nice little box, I would keep my rings in it.
(agar mere paas ek achchhii dibiyaa hotii, to main apnii angoothiyaan usmen rakhtaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
डिबिया इतनी छोटी है कि उसमें बस दो-चार सिक्के ही आते हैं। The little box is so small that only a few coins fit in it.
(dibiyaa itnii chhotii hai ki usmen bas do-chaar sikke hii aate hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मंदिर से आई हुई प्रसाद की डिबिया बड़े जतन से रखी गई थी। The little box of prasad that came from the temple had been kept with great care.
(mandir se aaii huii prasaad kii dibiyaa bade jatan se rakhii gaii thii।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
शायद यह डिबिया किसी पुराने खिलौने की हो। This little box might belong to some old toy.
(shaayad yah dibiyaa kisii puraane khilaune kii ho।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): डिबिया (dibiyaa)
(sg.f.oblique): डिबिया (dibiyaa)
(pl.f.direct): डिबियाएँ (dibiyaaen)
(pl.f.oblique): डिबियाओं (dibiyaaon)