धड़कन (dhadkan)

noun A feminine noun meaning 'heartbeat' or 'pulse' -- used both literally (the physical beat of the heart) and figuratively (a beloved as one's 'heartbeat', or the throb of anxiety/excitement).
Sense 1 : the physical beating/pulse of the heart
noun, feminine
Synonyms: दिल की धड़कन (dil kii dhadkan, full phrase form), नब्ज़ (nabz, pulse, felt at the wrist rather than the heart)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Doctors and everyday speakers alike say मेरी धड़कन तेज़ हो गई (merii dhadkan tez ho gaii, 'my heartbeat quickened') -- it is the natural way to describe a racing heart from fear, exertion, or excitement, much like English 'my heart was pounding.'
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say दिल धड़कना (dil dhadaknaa, 'the heart to beat') for the verb but then wrongly use धड़कन (dhadkan) itself as a verb -- धड़कन (dhadkan) is only the noun 'heartbeat'; the verb is धड़कना (dhadaknaa).
Sample Sentences:
दौड़ने के बाद मेरी धड़कन तेज़ हो गई। After running, my heartbeat quickened.
(daudne ke baad merii dhadkan tez ho gaii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
डॉक्टर स्टेथोस्कोप से मरीज़ की धड़कन सुनता है। The doctor listens to the patient's heartbeat with a stethoscope.
(doktar stethoskop se mariiz kii dhadkan suntaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अंधेरे में अचानक आवाज़ सुनकर उसकी धड़कन बढ़ गई। Hearing a sudden noise in the dark, her heartbeat rose.
(andhere men achaanak aavaaz sunkar uskii dhadkan badh gaii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
जब नतीजा आएगा, मेरी धड़कन और तेज़ हो जाएगी। When the result comes, my heartbeat will get even faster.
(jab natiijaa aaegaa, merii dhadkan aur tez ho jaaegii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम ध्यान से सुनो, तो अपनी धड़कन महसूस कर सकते हो। If you listen carefully, you can feel your own heartbeat.
(agar tum dhyaan se suno, to apnii dhadkan mahsoos kar sakte ho।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
नर्स मशीन पर मरीज़ की धड़कन नोट कर रही थी। The nurse was noting the patient's heartbeat on the machine.
(nars mashiin par mariiz kii dhadkan not kar rahii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
गर्भवती महिला की जाँच में बच्चे की धड़कन सुनाई दी। During the pregnant woman's checkup, the baby's heartbeat could be heard.
(garbhavtii mahilaa kii jaanch men bachche kii dhadkan sunaaii dii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
मंच पर जाने से पहले उसकी धड़कन रुक-सी गई थी। Before going on stage, her heartbeat had almost stopped from nerves.
(manch par jaane se pahle uskii dhadkan ruk-sii gaii thii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
शांत हो जाओ, तुम्हारी धड़कन सामान्य होनी चाहिए। Calm down, your heartbeat should be normal.
(shaant ho jaao, tumhaarii dhadkan saamaany honii chaahie।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर वह डर न जाता, तो उसकी धड़कन इतनी तेज़ न होती। If he had not gotten scared, his heartbeat would not have been this fast.
(agar vah dar n jaataa, to uskii dhadkan itnii tez n hotii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
एक्सरसाइज़ के दौरान धड़कन का बढ़ना सामान्य बात है। It is normal for the heartbeat to rise during exercise.
(eksarsaaiz ke dauraan dhadkan kaa badhnaa saamaany baat hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : a beloved person, cherished as one's 'heartbeat'
noun, feminine Used as a metaphor for a loved one, typically in phrases like तुम मेरी धड़कन हो (tum merii dhadkan ho, 'you are my heartbeat').
Synonyms: जान (jaan, my life/darling), दिल की धड़कन (dil kii dhadkan)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is a favorite line in Hindi film songs and romantic speech -- calling someone अपनी धड़कन (apnii dhadkan, 'one's own heartbeat']) suggests they are as essential to you as your own pulse, a step more intimate and poetic than जान (jaan).
Sample Sentences:
तुम मेरी धड़कन हो। You are my heartbeat.
(tum merii dhadkan ho।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वह मेरी धड़कनों में बसा है। He lives on in my heartbeats.
(vah merii dhadaknon men basaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मेरी धड़कन को कुछ नहीं होना चाहिए, उसका ध्यान रखना। Nothing must happen to my heartbeat -- take care of her.
(merii dhadkan ko kuchh nahiin honaa chaahie, uskaa dhyaan rakhnaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम मेरी धड़कन न होती, तो मैं जिंदा कैसे रहता? If you weren't my heartbeat, how would I even stay alive?
(agar tum merii dhadkan n hotii, to main jindaa kaise rahtaa?)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
इस गाने में हीरो अपनी महबूबा को अपनी धड़कन कहकर बुलाता है। In this song, the hero calls his beloved his heartbeat.
(is gaane men hiiro apnii mahboobaa ko apnii dhadkan kahkar bulaataa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
काश तुम समझ पाती कि तुम मेरी धड़कन हो। I wish you could understand that you are my heartbeat.
(kaash tum samajh paatii ki tum merii dhadkan ho।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
मेरी धड़कन, आज तुम बहुत खूबसूरत लग रही हो। My heartbeat, you look so beautiful today.
(merii dhadkan, aaj tum bahut khoobsoorat lag rahii ho।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
जब वह चली गई, तो लगा जैसे मेरी धड़कन ही चली गई हो। When she left, it felt as if my very heartbeat had gone away.
(jab vah chalii gaii, to lagaa jaise merii dhadkan hii chalii gaii ho।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
उसे अपनी धड़कन मानकर वह हर दर्द सह लेता है। Considering her his own heartbeat, he endures every pain.
(use apnii dhadkan maankar vah har dard sah letaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बचपन का वह दोस्त अब भी मेरी धड़कन है। That childhood friend is still my heartbeat.
(bachpan kaa vah dost ab bhii merii dhadkan hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): धड़कन (dhadkan)
(sg.f.oblique): धड़कन (dhadkan)
(pl.f.direct): धड़कनें (dhadaknen)
(pl.f.oblique): धड़कनों (dhadaknon)