अनुयायी (anuyaayii)
noun/adjective
A learned (Sanskrit-derived) word meaning a follower or adherent -- of a person, religion, ideology, or leader. Functions as both a noun and an adjective with the same underlying sense.
Sense
1
:
follower, disciple, adherent
noun, masculine/feminine
Synonyms: शिष्य (shishy, a disciple/student of a guru), भक्त (bhakt, devotee, more religious in tone), समर्थक (samarthak, supporter, broader political sense)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear this word constantly in news reports about godmen, political leaders, and religious movements in India -- 'गांधी के अनुयायी' (gaandhii ke anuyaayii, 'Gandhi's followers') is the classic textbook example. It carries a slightly formal, journalistic register compared to the more everyday भक्त (bhakt) or फैन (phain).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for शिष्य (shishy) when they mean अनुयायी (anuyaayii) -- शिष्य implies a direct teacher-student bond, while अनुयायी (anuyaayii) works for followers of a religion, movement, or public figure one has never personally met. 2) This word stays the same for masculine and feminine referents in the singular (महिला अनुयायी (mahilaa anuyaayii, a female follower)) -- do not force a feminine ending onto it.
Sample Sentences:
महात्मा गांधी के लाखों अनुयायी थे।
Mahatma Gandhi had millions of followers.
(mahaatmaa gaandhii ke laakhon anuyaayii the।)
वह गुरु जी का सबसे पुराना अनुयायी है।
He is the guru's oldest follower.
(vah guru jii kaa sabse puraanaa anuyaayii hai।)
इस नेता के अनुयायी हर शहर में मिल जाते हैं।
This leader's followers can be found in every city.
(is netaa ke anuyaayii har shahar men mil jaate hain।)
स्वामी जी के अनुयायी आश्रम में जमा हो रहे हैं।
The swami's followers are gathering at the ashram.
(svaamii jii ke anuyaayii aashram men jamaa ho rahe hain।)
क्या तुम सच में उस बाबा के अनुयायी हो?
Are you really a follower of that baba?
(kyaa tum sach men us baabaa ke anuyaayii ho?)
अगर वह सच्चा अनुयायी होता, तो अपने गुरु की बात नहीं टालता।
If he were a true follower, he wouldn't dismiss his guru's words.
(agar vah sachchaa anuyaayii hotaa, to apne guru kii baat nahiin taaltaa।)
पार्टी अपने अनुयायियों की संख्या बढ़ाना चाहती है।
The party wants to increase the number of its followers.
(paartii apne anuyaayiyon kii sankhyaa badhaanaa chaahtii hai।)
उस संत के अनुयायियों द्वारा हर साल एक बड़ा मेला आयोजित किया जाता है।
A big fair is organized every year by that saint's followers.
(us sant ke anuyaayiyon dvaaraa har saal ek badaa melaa aayojit kiyaa jaataa hai।)
पुलिस ने उस धर्मगुरु के कई अनुयायियों से पूछताछ की।
The police questioned several followers of that religious leader.
(pulis ne us dharmguru ke kaii anuyaayiyon se poochhtaachh kii।)
शायद वह भी इस विचारधारा का अनुयायी बन जाए।
Perhaps he too will become a follower of this ideology.
(shaayad vah bhii is vichaardhaaraa kaa anuyaayii ban jaae।)
Sense
2
:
of or relating to following/adherence
adjective Used attributively, as in अनुयायी वर्ग (anuyaayii varg, 'the following/adherent class') -- less common than the noun use, mostly seen in formal or written descriptions of groups.
Synonyms: अनुगामी (anugaamii, literary, one who follows/comes after)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This adjectival use shows up mainly in formal writing -- describing a अनुयायी वर्ग (anuyaayii varg) or अनुयायी समुदाय (anuyaayii samudaay, 'follower community') -- rather than in casual speech, where the noun sense dominates.
Sample Sentences:
यह अनुयायी वर्ग धीरे-धीरे पूरे राज्य में फैल गया।
This adherent class gradually spread across the entire state.
(yah anuyaayii varg dhiire-dhiire poore raajy men phail gayaa।)
अनुयायी समुदाय की संख्या हर वर्ष बढ़ती जाती है।
The number of the follower community keeps increasing every year.
(anuyaayii samudaay kii sankhyaa har varsh badhtii jaatii hai।)
इस संगठन का अनुयायी वर्ग मुख्यतः ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में पाया जाता है।
This organization's adherent class is found mainly in rural areas.
(is sangthan kaa anuyaayii varg mukhytah graamiin kshetron men paayaa jaataa hai।)
अनुयायी समुदाय के बिना कोई भी आंदोलन दीर्घकाल तक नहीं टिक सकता।
Without a follower community, no movement can sustain itself for long.
(anuyaayii samudaay ke binaa koii bhii aandolan diirghkaal tak nahiin tik saktaa।)
यदि अनुयायी वर्ग संगठित होता, तो आंदोलन कहीं अधिक प्रभावशाली होता।
If the adherent class had been organized, the movement would have been far more effective.
(yadi anuyaayii varg sangthit hotaa, to aandolan kahiin adhik prabhaavshaalii hotaa।)
लेखक ने अपनी पुस्तक में अनुयायी समुदाय की सामाजिक संरचना का विस्तार से वर्णन किया है।
The author has described in detail the social structure of the follower community in his book.
(lekhak ne apnii pustak men anuyaayii samudaay kii saamaajik sanrachnaa kaa vistaar se varnan kiyaa hai।)
भविष्य में यह अनुयायी वर्ग और भी संगठित हो जाएगा।
In the future, this adherent class will become even more organized.
(bhavishy men yah anuyaayii varg aur bhii sangthit ho jaaegaa।)
इतिहासकारों ने उस काल के अनुयायी समुदाय पर गहन शोध किया है।
Historians have conducted deep research on the follower community of that era.
(itihaaskaaron ne us kaal ke anuyaayii samudaay par gahan shodh kiyaa hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m/f.direct):
अनुयायी
(anuyaayii)
(sg.m/f.oblique):
अनुयायी
(anuyaayii)
(pl.m/f.direct):
अनुयायियाँ
(anuyaayiyaan)
(pl.m/f.oblique):
अनुयायियों
(anuyaayiyon)
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
अनुयायी
(anuyaayii)