नस (nas)

noun A concrete anatomical noun meaning 'vein/nerve/sinew,' with a common figurative extension into idioms about someone's innate temperament or 'nature.'

Sense 1 : vein, nerve, sinew (anatomical)

noun, feminine

Synonyms: रग (rag), शिरा (shiraa, formal/medical)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: You'll hear this word a lot in casual health talk -- someone pressing a sore shoulder might say नस चढ़ गई (nas chadh gaii, 'a nerve/muscle got pulled or knotted up'), a very common household complaint. Related body-part vocabulary like रग (rag) overlaps closely with this word.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often assume नस (nas) maps cleanly to English 'nerve' in the sense of courage or boldness -- it doesn't; that figurative use belongs to a separate idiom (see the other sense) and does not apply here. 2) It is used loosely in everyday speech for veins, nerves, and even tendons/sinews without much anatomical precision -- a doctor and a grandmother might both say नस (nas) for different structures.

Sample Sentences:

डॉक्टर ने इंजेक्शन लगाने के लिए मेरी नस ढूँढी। The doctor searched for my vein to give the injection.

(doktar ne injekshan lagaane ke lie merii nas dhoondhii।)

आज सुबह से मेरी गर्दन की नस चढ़ गई है। Since this morning, a nerve in my neck has gotten pulled and knotted up.

(aaj subah se merii gardan kii nas chadh gaii hai।)

बुढ़ापे में उसके हाथों की नसें साफ़ दिखने लगी हैं। In old age, the veins in his hands have started showing clearly.

(budhaape men uske haathon kii nasen saaf dikhne lagii hain।)

अगर तुम भारी वज़न उठाओगे तो नस चढ़ सकती है। If you lift heavy weights, a nerve might get pulled.

(agar tum bhaarii vazan uthaaoge to nas chadh saktii hai।)

नस दबाकर देखो, दर्द वहीं से आ रहा है। Press on the vein/nerve and see, the pain is coming from right there.

(nas dabaakar dekho, dard vahiin se aa rahaa hai।)

सर्जरी के दौरान एक नस कट गई थी, इसलिए खून ज़्यादा बहा। A vein got cut during the surgery, so there was a lot of bleeding.

(sarjrii ke dauraan ek nas kat gaii thii, islie khoon zyaadaa bahaa।)

अगर उस वक़्त नस न कटी होती तो इतना खून न बहता। If the vein hadn't been cut at that time, there wouldn't have been so much bleeding.

(agar us vaqt nas n katii hotii to itnaa khoon n bahtaa।)

मानव शरीर में हज़ारों नसें रक्त को हृदय तक पहुँचाती हैं। In the human body, thousands of veins carry blood to the heart.

(maanav shariir men hazaaron nasen rakt ko hriday tak pahunchaatii hain।)

पैर की नस पर चोट लगने से वह लंगड़ाकर चल रहा है। Because of an injury to the nerve in his leg, he is walking with a limp.

(pair kii nas par chot lagne se vah langdaakar chal rahaa hai।)

क्या तुम्हारी नस अब भी चढ़ी हुई है? Is your nerve/muscle still knotted up?

(kyaa tumhaarii nas ab bhii chadhii huii hai?)

नस दब जाने के कारण उसकी उँगलियों में सुनसुनी हो रही थी। Because a nerve had gotten pinched, his fingers were tingling.

(nas dab jaane ke kaaran uskii ungliyon men sunsunii ho rahii thii।)

ऑपरेशन के बाद उस नस की सिलाई की गई। After the operation, that vein was stitched up.

(opreshan ke baad us nas kii silaaii kii gaii।)

Sense 2 : innate nature, deep-seated trait or tendency (idiomatic, as in 'it's in his blood')

noun, feminine Lives mainly in the fixed idiom नस-नस में (nas-nas men, 'in every vein,' i.e. 'in one's very blood/bones') and phrases like उसकी नस पहचानना (uskii nas pahchaannaa, 'to know someone's true nature/weak spot').

Synonyms: फ़ितरत (fitrat), आदत (aadat, meaning scope: habit, narrower)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: This is the Hindi equivalent of saying something 'runs in someone's blood' -- नस-नस में बसा है (nas-nas men basaa hai, 'it has settled into every vein') is a favorite way to describe a passion or trait someone was simply born with, whether it's a love of music or a family business.

Common Mistakes: 1) This figurative sense is idiom-bound -- you won't substitute नस (nas) freely for 'nature' or 'personality' outside these set phrases; use स्वभाव (svabhaav) for that general meaning instead.

Sample Sentences:

संगीत तो उसकी नस-नस में बसा है। Music is in his very blood.

(sangiit to uskii nas-nas men basaa hai।)

व्यापार करना उसके खानदान की नस में है। Doing business runs in his family's blood.

(vyaapaar karnaa uske khaandaan kii nas men hai।)

उसकी हर नस में गुस्सा भरा हुआ था। Anger was ingrained in his every fiber.

(uskii har nas men gussaa bharaa huaa thaa।)

अगर मेहनत उसकी नस में होती, तो वह इतना आलसी नहीं होता। If hard work were in his nature, he wouldn't be so lazy.

(agar mehnat uskii nas men hotii, to vah itnaa aalsii nahiin hotaa।)

क्या कला सच में किसी की नस में बस सकती है? Can art really settle into someone's very being?

(kyaa kalaa sach men kisii kii nas men bas saktii hai?)

उसकी नस-नस में शरारत भरी है, यह बात सब जानते हैं। Mischief runs through his every vein, everyone knows this.

(uskii nas-nas men sharaarat bharii hai, yah baat sab jaante hain।)

काश उसकी नस में थोड़ी विनम्रता होती। I wish a little humility were in his nature.

(kaash uskii nas men thodii vinamrtaa hotii।)

पहलवानी उसके पूरे खानदान की नस-नस में समाई हुई है। Wrestling is woven into the very veins of his whole family.

(pahalvaanii uske poore khaandaan kii nas-nas men samaaii huii hai।)

उसे देखकर लगता है कि झूठ बोलना उसकी नस में बस गया है। Looking at him, it seems lying has settled into his very blood.

(use dekhkar lagtaa hai ki jhooth bolnaa uskii nas men bas gayaa hai।)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.f.direct): नस (nas)

(sg.f.oblique): नस (nas)

(pl.f.direct): नसें (nasen)

(pl.f.oblique): नसों (nason)