अर्थ (arth)
noun
Primarily means 'meaning/sense' as in the meaning of a word; also extends to 'purpose/point' and, in compounds and formal registers, to 'wealth/money'.
Sense
1
:
meaning, sense (of a word or statement)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: मतलब (matlab), मायने (maayne, colloquial), आशय (aashay, formal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word you will see printed in dictionaries and textbooks -- 'शब्द का अर्थ' (shabd kaa arth, 'meaning of the word') is a classic classroom phrase in Indian schools. In daily chat, मतलब (matlab) is what people actually say more often; अर्थ (arth) shows up when things get a little more formal or written.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach only for मतलब (matlab) and forget अर्थ (arth) exists; in practice both are common, but अर्थ (arth) sounds a touch more bookish/precise, as in asking the meaning of a word in a dictionary or textbook context. 2) Do not confuse with अर्थात (arthaat, 'that is to say'), which is a related but separate connective word.
Sample Sentences:
इस शब्द का अर्थ क्या है?
What is the meaning of this word?
(is shabd kaa arth kyaa hai?)
कृपया इस वाक्य का अर्थ समझाइए।
Please explain the meaning of this sentence.
(kripyaa is vaaky kaa arth samjhaaie।)
शिक्षक ने हर शब्द का अर्थ बोर्ड पर लिखा।
The teacher wrote the meaning of every word on the board.
(shikshak ne har shabd kaa arth bord par likhaa।)
कठिन शब्दों के अर्थ शब्दकोश में दिए जाते हैं।
The meanings of difficult words are given in the dictionary.
(kathin shabdon ke arth shabdkosh men die jaate hain।)
मैं इस पंक्ति का अर्थ समझने की कोशिश कर रहा हूँ।
I am trying to understand the meaning of this line.
(main is pankti kaa arth samajhne kii koshish kar rahaa hoon।)
अगर उसका अर्थ स्पष्ट होता, तो कोई भ्रम न होता।
If its meaning were clear, there would be no confusion.
(agar uskaa arth spasht hotaa, to koii bhram n hotaa।)
परीक्षा में शब्दों के अर्थ लिखने को कहा गया था।
We were asked to write the meanings of the words in the exam.
(pariikshaa men shabdon ke arth likhne ko kahaa gayaa thaa।)
इस कविता के कई अर्थ निकाले जा सकते हैं।
Many meanings can be drawn from this poem.
(is kavitaa ke kaii arth nikaale jaa sakte hain।)
अगर तुम्हें इस शब्द का अर्थ न पता हो, तो शब्दकोश देख लो।
If you don't know the meaning of this word, look it up in the dictionary.
(agar tumhen is shabd kaa arth n pataa ho, to shabdkosh dekh lo।)
संस्कृत के इस श्लोक का अर्थ बहुत गहरा है।
The meaning of this Sanskrit verse is very profound.
(sanskrit ke is shlok kaa arth bahut gahraa hai।)
क्या तुम बता सकते हो कि इस मुहावरे का अर्थ क्या होता है?
Can you tell me what this idiom means?
(kyaa tum bataa sakte ho ki is muhaavre kaa arth kyaa hotaa hai?)
Sense
2
:
purpose, point, significance
noun, masculine Often appears in the negative construction 'कोई अर्थ नहीं' (koii arth nahiin, 'there's no point') to say something is pointless.
Synonyms: उद्देश्य (uddeshy, formal), मक़सद (maqsad)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This sense bridges 'meaning' and 'purpose' -- in Hindi, asking what something 'means' and asking what its 'point' is often use the very same word, which reflects a broader tendency to see significance and meaning as the same underlying idea.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes translate 'what's the point of this' too literally; the natural Hindi idiom is 'इसका क्या अर्थ है' (iskaa kyaa arth hai, 'what is the point/meaning of this') or 'इसमें क्या अर्थ है' (ismen kyaa arth hai), leaning on this extended sense of अर्थ (arth) rather than a literal 'point' word.
Sample Sentences:
इस बैठक का अर्थ क्या है?
What is the point of this meeting?
(is baithak kaa arth kyaa hai?)
बिना मेहनत के पढ़ाई का कोई अर्थ नहीं है।
Without hard work, studying has no purpose.
(binaa mehnat ke padhaaii kaa koii arth nahiin hai।)
उसकी बातों का कोई अर्थ नहीं निकला।
His words turned out to have no point.
(uskii baaton kaa koii arth nahiin niklaa।)
अगर तुम अपनी गलती नहीं मानोगे, तो माफी माँगने का क्या अर्थ रह जाएगा?
If you don't admit your mistake, then what purpose will apologizing serve?
(agar tum apnii galtii nahiin maanoge, to maaphii maangne kaa kyaa arth rah jaaegaa?)
अगर वह मेहनत करता, तो उसकी सफलता का कुछ अर्थ होता।
If he had worked hard, his success would have had some meaning.
(agar vah mehnat kartaa, to uskii saphaltaa kaa kuchh arth hotaa।)
जीवन का असली अर्थ खोजना आसान नहीं है।
Finding the true purpose of life is not easy.
(jiivan kaa aslii arth khojnaa aasaan nahiin hai।)
क्या इस पूरी कवायद का कोई अर्थ भी है?
Does this whole exercise even have any point?
(kyaa is poorii kavaayad kaa koii arth bhii hai?)
यार, इस झगड़े का क्या अर्थ है, बता तो सही?
Dude, what's the point of this fight, tell me honestly?
(yaar, is jhagde kaa kyaa arth hai, bataa to sahii?)
यह देखा जाना चाहिए कि इस नियम का व्यावहारिक अर्थ क्या है।
It should be examined what the practical purpose of this rule is.
(yah dekhaa jaanaa chaahie ki is niyam kaa vyaavahaarik arth kyaa hai।)
समिति ने इस प्रस्ताव का अर्थ स्पष्ट करने को कहा।
The committee asked for the purpose of this proposal to be clarified.
(samiti ne is prastaav kaa arth spasht karne ko kahaa।)
Sense
3
:
wealth, money (formal/classical sense)
noun, masculine Survives mainly in compounds and set phrases rather than standalone conversational use.
Synonyms: धन (dhan), पैसा (paisaa, colloquial)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This is the same अर्थ (arth) found in classical Indian thought's four goals of life (पुरुषार्थ, purushaarth) -- धर्म, अर्थ, काम, मोक्ष (dharm, arth, kaam, moksh) -- where it stands for material prosperity. You'll meet it today mostly through words like अर्थशास्त्र (arthshaastr) rather than in everyday talk about cash.
Common Mistakes: 1) This sense is rarely used alone in casual speech; learners are far more likely to meet it inside the compound अर्थशास्त्र (arthshaastr, 'economics', literally 'the science of wealth') or the phrase अर्थव्यवस्था (arthavyvasthaa, 'economy') than as a standalone word for money.
Sample Sentences:
प्राचीन भारतीय चिंतन में धर्म, अर्थ, काम और मोक्ष को जीवन के चार पुरुषार्थ माना गया है।
In ancient Indian thought, dharma, wealth, desire, and liberation are considered the four goals of life.
(praachiin bhaartiiy chintan men dharm, arth, kaam aur moksh ko jiivan ke chaar purushaarth maanaa gayaa hai।)
अर्थशास्त्र उस विद्या को कहते हैं जो अर्थ के उत्पादन और वितरण का अध्ययन करती है।
Economics is the discipline that studies the production and distribution of wealth.
(arthshaastr us vidyaa ko kahte hain jo arth ke utpaadan aur vitran kaa adhyyan kartii hai।)
कौटिल्य के अर्थशास्त्र में राज्य और अर्थ के संबंध की विस्तृत चर्चा मिलती है।
In Kautilya's Arthashastra, one finds a detailed discussion of the relationship between the state and wealth.
(kautily ke arthshaastr men raajy aur arth ke sambandh kii vistrit charchaa miltii hai।)
शास्त्रों में कहा गया है कि धर्म का पालन करते हुए ही अर्थ की प्राप्ति करनी चाहिए।
It is said in the scriptures that one should acquire wealth only while upholding dharma.
(shaastron men kahaa gayaa hai ki dharm kaa paalan karte hue hii arth kii praapti karnii chaahie।)
यदि मनुष्य अर्थ के पीछे धर्म को भूल जाए, तो उसका पतन निश्चित है।
If a man forgets dharma in pursuit of wealth, his downfall is certain.
(yadi manushy arth ke piichhe dharm ko bhool jaae, to uskaa patan nishchit hai।)
प्राचीन काल में अर्थ, धर्म और काम को संतुलित रूप से साधने पर बल दिया जाता था।
In ancient times, emphasis was placed on pursuing wealth, dharma, and desire in balance.
(praachiin kaal men arth, dharm aur kaam ko santulit roop se saadhne par bal diyaa jaataa thaa।)
यदि वह केवल अर्थ की खोज में जीता, तो जीवन का असली उद्देश्य कभी न पाता।
If he had lived only in pursuit of wealth, he would never have found life's true purpose.
(yadi vah keval arth kii khoj men jiitaa, to jiivan kaa aslii uddeshy kabhii n paataa।)
गुरुजी ने समझाया कि अर्थ केवल साधन है, साध्य नहीं।
The teacher explained that wealth is merely a means, not an end.
(gurujii ne samjhaayaa ki arth keval saadhan hai, saadhy nahiin।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
अर्थ
(arth)
(sg.m.oblique):
अर्थ
(arth)
(pl.m.direct):
अर्थ
(arth)
(pl.m.oblique):
अर्थों
(arthon)