चमचा (chamchaa)
noun
Literally a spoon, but the word carries a very lively figurative sense in everyday speech: a sycophant or yes-man (chamchaa) who flatters someone powerful.
Sense
1
:
sycophant, flatterer, yes-man
noun, masculine
Synonyms: खुशामदी (khushaamdii), जीहुजूर (jiihujoor, colloquial)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is one of Hindi's great political and office-culture insults -- a नेता का चमचा (netaa kaa chamchaa, 'a politician's flunkey') is a stock phrase in Indian news and everyday gossip about people who flatter bosses or leaders to gain favor. The image is vivid: a spoon just scoops up and serves whatever the powerful person wants.
Common Mistakes: 1) This word is mildly insulting -- calling someone चमचा (chamchaa) to their face is a jab, not a neutral description, so learners should be careful using it in polite company. 2) It is almost always used about someone (third person) rather than as a self-description.
Sample Sentences:
वो अपने बॉस का चमचा है।
He's his boss's yes-man.
(vo apne bos kaa chamchaa hai।)
उस नेता के चमचे हर रैली में सबसे आगे नारे लगाते हैं।
That politician's flunkeys shout slogans right at the front of every rally.
(us netaa ke chamche har railii men sabse aage naare lagaate hain।)
दफ्तर में तरक्की पानी है तो चमचागिरी करना सीख।
If you want a promotion at the office, learn to be a sycophant.
(daphtar men tarakkii paanii hai to chamchaagirii karnaa siikh।)
मैं किसी का चमचा बनकर नहीं जी सकता।
I can't live by becoming anyone's toady.
(main kisii kaa chamchaa bankar nahiin jii saktaa।)
अगर वो थोड़ा कम चमचा होता, तो शायद लोग उसकी इज़्ज़त करते।
If he were a bit less of a sycophant, people might respect him.
(agar vo thodaa kam chamchaa hotaa, to shaayad log uskii izzat karte।)
मंत्री जी के चमचों ने उन्हें भगवान का दर्जा दे दिया है।
The minister's flunkeys have practically elevated him to the status of a god.
(mantrii jii ke chamchon ne unhen bhagvaan kaa darjaa de diyaa hai।)
पार्टी में असली नेता कम और चमचे ज़्यादा हैं।
In the party there are fewer real leaders and more yes-men.
(paartii men aslii netaa kam aur chamche zyaadaa hain।)
समाचार चैनल पर बहस के दौरान एंकर ने उसे नेता का चमचा कह दिया।
During the debate on the news channel, the anchor called him the politician's flunkey.
(samaachaar chainal par bahas ke dauraan enkar ne use netaa kaa chamchaa kah diyaa।)
शायद वो चमचा न हो, बस बहुत ज़्यादा विनम्र है।
Maybe he isn't a sycophant, he's just extremely polite.
(shaayad vo chamchaa n ho, bas bahut zyaadaa vinamr hai।)
उसकी चमचागिरी देखकर मुझे उल्टी आने लगती है।
Watching his sycophancy makes me feel sick.
(uskii chamchaagirii dekhkar mujhe ultii aane lagtii hai।)
उस अफ़सर के चमचों को दफ़्तर में सब पहचानते हैं।
Everyone in the office recognizes that officer's yes-men.
(us afsar ke chamchon ko daftar men sab pahchaante hain।)
Sense
2
:
spoon (eating/serving utensil)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: चम्मच (chammach)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In a Delhi kitchen you will hear both चमचा (chamchaa) and चम्मच (chammach) used interchangeably for a spoon -- there is no real difference in meaning, just personal or regional habit.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often meet चम्मच (chammach) first in textbooks and don't realize चमचा (chamchaa) is an equally common everyday variant for the physical spoon, not just the slang sense.
Sample Sentences:
मुझे एक चमचा दे दो।
Give me a spoon.
(mujhe ek chamchaa de do।)
यह चमचा चांदी का है।
This spoon is made of silver.
(yah chamchaa chaandii kaa hai।)
वह हमेशा चमचे से चाय पीती है।
She always drinks her tea with a spoon.
(vah hameshaa chamche se chaay piitii hai।)
मैंने चमचे से दाल चखी।
I tasted the lentils with a spoon.
(mainne chamche se daal chakhii।)
एक साफ चमचा किचन के दराज में रखा है।
A clean spoon is kept in the kitchen drawer.
(ek saaph chamchaa kichan ke daraaj men rakhaa hai।)
चमचा गिर गया और खनखना कर फर्श पर बज उठा।
The spoon fell and clattered noisily on the floor.
(chamchaa gir gayaa aur khanakhnaa kar pharsh par baj uthaa।)
अगर चमचा साफ होता तो मैं इससे खाना खा लेता।
If the spoon were clean, I would have eaten with it.
(agar chamchaa saaph hotaa to main isse khaanaa khaa letaa।)
कृपया मुझे एक बड़ा चमचा दीजिए, यह छोटा वाला काम नहीं करेगा।
Please give me a bigger spoon, this small one won't do.
(kripyaa mujhe ek badaa chamchaa diijie, yah chhotaa vaalaa kaam nahiin karegaa।)
मिठाई सर्व करने के लिए एक चमचा चाहिए।
A spoon is needed to serve the sweets.
(mithaaii sarv karne ke lie ek chamchaa chaahie।)
चमचे से खाना गंदा नहीं लगता।
Eating with a spoon doesn't seem dirty.
(chamche se khaanaa gandaa nahiin lagtaa।)
बर्तन धोते समय सारे चमचे भी धो लिए गए।
While washing the dishes, all the spoons were also washed.
(bartan dhote samay saare chamche bhii dho lie gae।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
चमचा
(chamchaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
चमचे
(chamche)
(pl.m.direct):
चमचे
(chamche)
(pl.m.oblique):
चमचों
(chamchon)