टोपी (topii)
noun
Basically a single-sense word meaning 'cap/hat', but it lives inside a very common idiom for cheating or humiliating someone that every learner should pick up.
Sense
1
:
cap, hat
noun, feminine
Synonyms: टोप (top, usually a larger helmet-like cap)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Think of the little white Gandhi cap (gaandhii topii) worn at political rallies, or the skullcaps (topii) worn by Muslim men for prayer -- टोपी (topii) covers everything from a baby's woolen cap to a chef's tall white hat. It's a very concrete, everyday word you'll hear in markets and at home.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use टोपी (topii) for any headwear, but a formal turban is पगड़ी (pagdii), not टोपी (topii).
Sample Sentences:
बच्चे ने सर्दी में ऊनी टोपी पहनी है।
The child is wearing a woolen cap in the cold.
(bachche ne sardii men oonii topii pahnii hai।)
मेरी टोपी कहाँ रखी है?
Where is my cap kept?
(merii topii kahaan rakhii hai?)
बाज़ार में एक दुकानदार रंग-बिरंगी टोपियाँ बेच रहा था।
A shopkeeper in the market was selling colorful caps.
(baazaar men ek dukaandaar rang-birangii topiyaan bech rahaa thaa।)
रैली में सब कार्यकर्ताओं ने गांधी टोपी पहनी थी।
At the rally, all the workers were wearing Gandhi caps.
(railii men sab kaarykartaaon ne gaandhii topii pahnii thii।)
नमाज़ के समय वह हमेशा सफ़ेद टोपी पहनता है।
At the time of namaz, he always wears a white skullcap.
(namaaz ke samay vah hameshaa safed topii pahantaa hai।)
अपनी टोपी पहन लो, बाहर बहुत ठंड है।
Put on your cap, it's very cold outside.
(apnii topii pahan lo, baahar bahut thand hai।)
शेफ़ की ऊँची सफ़ेद टोपी देखकर बच्चे हैरान हो गए।
Seeing the chef's tall white hat, the children were amazed.
(shef kii oonchii safed topii dekhkar bachche hairaan ho gae।)
काश मेरे पास भी वैसी स्टाइलिश टोपी होती।
I wish I too had a stylish cap like that.
(kaash mere paas bhii vaisii staailish topii hotii।)
अगर धूप तेज़ होती तो मैं टोपी लगाकर निकलता।
If the sun had been strong, I would have gone out wearing a cap.
(agar dhoop tez hotii to main topii lagaakar nikaltaa।)
कृपया अंदर आने से पहले अपनी टोपी उतार दें।
Please take off your cap before coming inside.
(kripyaa andar aane se pahle apnii topii utaar den।)
उस दुकान में हर उम्र के लिए टोपियाँ मिल जाएँगी।
You'll find caps for every age in that shop.
(us dukaan men har umr ke lie topiyaan mil jaaengii।)
Sense
2
:
being cheated/duped (idiomatic)
noun, feminine Almost always appears inside the fixed expression टोपी पहनाना (topii pahnaanaa, 'to make someone wear a cap' = to dupe/cheat someone), with the cheated person marked with को (ko).
Synonyms: धोखा (dhokhaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: किसी को टोपी पहनाना (kisii ko topii pahnaanaa, 'to make someone wear a cap') is a classic Delhi bazaar expression for pulling a fast one on someone, especially in a shady deal -- you'll hear shopkeepers and street-smart friends use it about being overcharged or tricked.
Common Mistakes: 1) This sense barely occurs as a standalone noun outside the idiom टोपी पहनाना (topii pahnaanaa) -- learners shouldn't try to use टोपी (topii) alone to mean 'a cheat.' 2) The verb here is पहनाना (pahnaanaa, the causative of पहनना (pahannaa)), not पहनना (pahannaa) itself -- you 'make someone wear' the cap, you don't just 'wear' it in this idiom.
Sample Sentences:
दुकानदार ने मुझे टोपी पहना दी।
The shopkeeper conned me.
(dukaandaar ne mujhe topii pahnaa dii।)
सावधान रहना, यह आदमी लोगों को टोपी पहनाता है।
Be careful, this man cons people.
(saavdhaan rahnaa, yah aadmii logon ko topii pahnaataa hai।)
मत सोच कि तू मुझे टोपी पहना लेगा।
Don't think you're going to pull one over on me.
(mat soch ki too mujhe topii pahnaa legaa।)
अगर मैं थोड़ा ध्यान देता तो वह मुझे टोपी नहीं पहना पाता।
If I had paid a little attention, he wouldn't have been able to con me.
(agar main thodaa dhyaan detaa to vah mujhe topii nahiin pahnaa paataa।)
उस दलाल से बचकर रहना, वरना वह टोपी पहना देगा।
Stay away from that middleman, or he'll swindle you.
(us dalaal se bachkar rahnaa, varnaa vah topii pahnaa degaa।)
पूरे बाज़ार में उसकी टोपी पहनाने की आदत मशहूर है।
His habit of swindling people is famous throughout the market.
(poore baazaar men uskii topii pahnaane kii aadat mashahoor hai।)
क्या तुम्हें लगता है कि वह हमें टोपी पहनाने की कोशिश कर रहा है?
Do you think he's trying to swindle us?
(kyaa tumhen lagtaa hai ki vah hamen topii pahnaane kii koshish kar rahaa hai?)
उस सौदे में मुझे पूरी टोपी पहनाई गई थी।
In that deal, I was completely conned.
(us saude men mujhe poorii topii pahnaaii gaii thii।)
हो सकता है कि इस डील में हमें टोपी पहना दी जाए।
It's possible that we'll get swindled in this deal.
(ho saktaa hai ki is diil men hamen topii pahnaa dii jaae।)
पुरानी दिल्ली के बाज़ारों में सैलानियों को अक्सर टोपी पहनाई जाती है।
Tourists are often swindled in the markets of Old Delhi.
(puraanii dillii ke baazaaron men sailaaniyon ko aksar topii pahnaaii jaatii hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
टोपी
(topii)
(sg.f.oblique):
टोपी
(topii)
(pl.f.direct):
टोपियाँ
(topiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique):
टोपियों
(topiyon)