फूल (phool)

noun Primarily 'flower', with a common figurative extension to something delicate/precious; a separate, unrelated homophone sense means 'swollen/puffed up' from the verb फूलना (phoolnaa).

Sense 1 : flower, blossom

noun, masculine

Synonyms: पुष्प (pushp, literary), कुसुम (kusum, literary)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: Think of the marigold and rose garlands sold outside every Delhi mandir (mandir) -- फूल (phool) is the everyday word you'd use buying them from a thelewaala (thelevaalaa), while पुष्प (pushp) shows up in bhajans and formal writing, not in the market.

Sample Sentences:

बगीचे में बहुत सारे फूल खिले हैं। Many flowers have bloomed in the garden.

(bagiiche men bahut saare phool khile hain।)

क्या तुम मंदिर के लिए फूल ले आओगे? Will you bring flowers for the temple?

(kyaa tum mandir ke lie phool le aaoge?)

ठेलेवाले से गुलाब के फूल ले लो, बहुत ताज़े हैं। Get some rose flowers from the cart guy, they're really fresh.

(thelevaale se gulaab ke phool le lo, bahut taaze hain।)

हर सुबह वह फूल तोड़कर माला बनाती थी। Every morning she used to pluck flowers and make a garland.

(har subah vah phool todkar maalaa banaatii thii।)

अगर मैं समय पर पहुँचता तो तुम्हारे लिए फूल भी लाता। If I had arrived on time, I would have brought flowers for you too.

(agar main samay par pahunchtaa to tumhaare lie phool bhii laataa।)

शादी के मंडप को फूलों से सजाया गया था। The wedding mandap was decorated with flowers.

(shaadii ke mandap ko phoolon se sajaayaa gayaa thaa।)

काश हमारे आँगन में भी इतने रंग-बिरंगे फूल होते। I wish our courtyard also had such colorful flowers.

(kaash hamaare aangan men bhii itne rang-birange phool hote।)

देवी माँ की मूर्ति पर लाल फूल चढ़ाए जाते हैं। Red flowers are offered on the goddess's idol.

(devii maan kii moorti par laal phool chadhaae jaate hain।)

वह बालकनी में गमलों के फूलों को पानी दे रही है। She is watering the flowers in the pots on the balcony.

(vah baalaknii men gamlon ke phoolon ko paanii de rahii hai।)

शायद बाज़ार में अब भी कुछ ताज़े फूल मिल जाएँ। Maybe some fresh flowers can still be found in the market.

(shaayad baazaar men ab bhii kuchh taaze phool mil jaaen।)

पेड़ पर सफ़ेद फूल लगे हुए हैं। White flowers are hanging on the tree.

(ped par safed phool lage hue hain।)

Sense 2 : something delicate or precious (figurative, often of a child)

noun, masculine Common in fixed expressions like फूल सा बच्चा (phool saa bachchaa, 'a child as delicate as a flower') and फूलों जैसा (phoolon jaisaa, 'flower-like, tender').

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: Parents and grandparents love calling a small child मेरा फूल (meraa phool, 'my little flower') -- it carries the same tenderness as English 'sweetheart' but leans specifically on softness and fragility rather than sweetness.

Sample Sentences:

मेरा फूल कहाँ है? Where is my little darling?

(meraa phool kahaan hai?)

बच्चे को इतनी ज़ोर से मत डाँटो, वह तो फूल है। Don't scold the child so harshly, he's just a delicate little flower.

(bachche ko itnii zor se mat daanto, vah to phool hai।)

दादी अपनी पोती को हमेशा अपना फूल कहती थीं। Grandmother always used to call her granddaughter her little flower.

(daadii apnii potii ko hameshaa apnaa phool kahtii thiin।)

यह घर के फूलों की परवरिश है, ज़रा भी लापरवाही नहीं होनी चाहिए। This is the upbringing of the household's little ones, there shouldn't be even the slightest carelessness.

(yah ghar ke phoolon kii paravrish hai, zaraa bhii laaparvaahii nahiin honii chaahie।)

अगर वह मेरा फूल न होता, तो मैं इतना परेशान न होता। If he weren't my precious little one, I wouldn't be so worried.

(agar vah meraa phool n hotaa, to main itnaa pareshaan n hotaa।)

नानी अपने नाती को गोद में लेकर बोली, "मेरा फूल आ गया।" Grandmother picked up her grandson and said, "My little flower has come."

(naanii apne naatii ko god men lekar bolii, "meraa phool aa gayaa।")

इन फूलों को दुनिया की तेज़ हवाओं से बचाना हमारा फ़र्ज़ है। It is our duty to protect these delicate little ones from the harsh winds of the world.

(in phoolon ko duniyaa kii tez havaaon se bachaanaa hamaaraa farz hai।)

काश वह फूल जैसी बच्ची इतनी जल्दी बड़ी न हो जाती। If only that flower-like child hadn't grown up so quickly.

(kaash vah phool jaisii bachchii itnii jaldii badii n ho jaatii।)

उस मासूम फूल को इस बेरहम दुनिया में क्यों भेज दिया गया? Why was that innocent little flower sent into this merciless world?

(us maasoom phool ko is beraham duniyaa men kyon bhej diyaa gayaa?)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.m.direct): फूल (phool)

(sg.m.oblique): फूल (phool)

(pl.m.direct): फूल (phool)

(pl.m.oblique): फूलों (phoolon)