चाची (chaachii)

noun One core meaning: paternal aunt, specifically the wife of one's father's younger brother (chaachaa).
Sense 1 : paternal uncle's wife (father's younger brother's wife)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: चाची जी (chaachii jii, respectful address form)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Hindi kinship terms map out the extended family tree with a precision English lacks: चाचा (chaachaa) is specifically the father's younger brother, and चाची (chaachii) is his wife, distinct from ताऊ/ताई (taaoo/taaii) for the father's older brother and his wife. In many North Indian households children are raised calling all these relatives 'chacha/chachi' with real closeness, often living in the same joint family home, so the word carries a warmth that 'uncle's wife' in English simply doesn't convey.
Common Mistakes: 1) English 'aunt' covers every aunt, but Hindi kinship terms are precise: चाची (chaachii) is specifically the wife of the father's younger brother, not the mother's sister (maamii or mausii) or the wife of the father's older brother (taaii). 2) Learners sometimes use चाची (chaachii) as a generic polite term for any older woman, the way one might use 'aunty' in Indian English; in Hindi this is common in casual speech but मौसी (mausii) or आंटी (aantii) are also heard depending on context and region.
Sample Sentences:
मेरी चाची बहुत अच्छा खाना बनाती हैं। My aunt cooks very good food.
(merii chaachii bahut achchhaa khaanaa banaatii hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
चाची कल हमारे घर आई थीं। Aunt came to our house yesterday.
(chaachii kal hamaare ghar aaii thiin।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
चाची, आप कैसी हैं? Aunt, how are you?
(chaachii, aap kaisii hain?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
चाची, ज़रा मेरी मदद कर दीजिए। Aunty, please help me for a moment.
(chaachii, zaraa merii madad kar diijie।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर चाची घर पर होती, तो वह ज़रूर मदद करती। If aunt had been home, she would surely have helped.
(agar chaachii ghar par hotii, to vah zaroor madad kartii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
चाची इस समय रसोई में खाना बना रही हैं। Aunt is cooking food in the kitchen right now.
(chaachii is samay rasoii men khaanaa banaa rahii hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
शायद चाची को यह बात पसंद न आए। Maybe aunt won't like this.
(shaayad chaachii ko yah baat pasand n aae।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
चाची द्वारा बनाई गई मिठाई सबको बहुत पसंद आई। The sweets made by aunt were liked very much by everyone.
(chaachii dvaaraa banaaii gaii mithaaii sabko bahut pasand aaii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
चाची अगले महीने अपने गाँव जाएँगी। Aunt will go to her village next month.
(chaachii agle mahiine apne gaanv jaaengii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
छोटी चाची हमेशा सबकी फ़िक्र करती हैं। The younger aunt always worries about everyone.
(chhotii chaachii hameshaa sabkii fikr kartii hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
चाची सो चुकी हैं, इसलिए अभी शोर मत करो। Aunt has already gone to sleep, so don't make noise now.
(chaachii so chukii hain, islie abhii shor mat karo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): चाची (chaachii)
(sg.f.oblique): चाची (chaachii)
(pl.f.direct): चाचियाँ (chaachiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique): चाचियों (chaachiyon)