मच्छरदानी (machchhardaanii)

noun A single, concrete household noun: 'mosquito net'. It is a compound of मच्छर (machchhar, 'mosquito') plus -दानी (daanii, a suffix meaning 'container/holder for'), the same pattern seen in words like चायदानी (chaaydaanii, 'teapot').
Sense 1 : mosquito net
noun, feminine
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In much of North India, especially during monsoon months when mosquitoes swarm, a मच्छरदानी (machchhardaanii) tied over a cot or bed frame is still a common sight in villages and older homes, even as urban households have largely switched to plug-in repellents and coils. Older relatives will often insist on one for babies, since it is seen as the safest, chemical-free option.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to use मच्छरदानी (machchhardaanii) with लगाना (lagaanaa) when they mean 'putting on' repellent instead -- for the net itself, the common verbs are लगाना (lagaanaa, to set it up/hang it) or तानना (taannaa, to stretch it taut over the bed), while for cream or spray you'd use लगाना (lagaanaa) with क्रीम (kriim) or स्प्रे (spre) instead.
Sample Sentences:
रात को सोने से पहले मच्छरदानी लगा लो। Put up the mosquito net before you sleep at night.
(raat ko sone se pahle machchhardaanii lagaa lo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
दादी हमेशा बच्चे के पालने पर मच्छरदानी बांध देती हैं। Grandma always ties a mosquito net over the baby's cradle.
(daadii hameshaa bachche ke paalne par machchhardaanii baandh detii hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बारिश के मौसम में मच्छरदानी के बिना सोना मुश्किल है। In the monsoon season it's hard to sleep without a mosquito net.
(baarish ke mausam men machchhardaanii ke binaa sonaa mushkil hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मच्छरदानी खिड़की के पास टंगी हुई है। The mosquito net is hanging near the window.
(machchhardaanii khidkii ke paas tangii huii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
गांव के घर में हर चारपाई पर एक मच्छरदानी लगी रहती थी। In the village house, a mosquito net used to stay put up over every cot.
(gaanv ke ghar men har chaarpaaii par ek machchhardaanii lagii rahtii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर तुमने मच्छरदानी लगाई होती तो इतने काटे न होते। If you had put up the mosquito net, you wouldn't have gotten bitten so much.
(agar tumne machchhardaanii lagaaii hotii to itne kaate n hote।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम बाज़ार से नई मच्छरदानी ले आओगे? Will you bring a new mosquito net from the market?
(kyaa tum baazaar se naii machchhardaanii le aaoge?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
बच्चे को डेंगू से बचाने के लिए मच्छरदानी का इस्तेमाल किया जाना चाहिए। To protect the child from dengue, a mosquito net should be used.
(bachche ko dengoo se bachaane ke lie machchhardaanii kaa istemaal kiyaa jaanaa chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
पुराने ज़माने में मच्छरदानी ही मलेरिया से बचने का सबसे भरोसेमंद ज़रिया मानी जाती थी। In olden times, the mosquito net alone used to be considered the most reliable way to avoid malaria.
(puraane zamaane men machchhardaanii hii maleriyaa se bachne kaa sabse bharosemand zariyaa maanii jaatii thii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
मां ने कहा कि मच्छरदानी ठीक से बंद कर दो, नहीं तो मच्छर घुस जाएंगे। Mother said to close the mosquito net properly, otherwise mosquitoes will get in.
(maan ne kahaa ki machchhardaanii thiik se band kar do, nahiin to machchhar ghus jaaenge।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): मच्छरदानी (machchhardaanii)
(sg.f.oblique): मच्छरदानी (machchhardaanii)
(pl.f.direct): मच्छरदानियाँ (machchhardaaniyaan)
(pl.f.oblique): मच्छरदानियों (machchhardaaniyon)