तलवार (talvaar)

noun A concrete noun meaning 'sword' -- one straightforward sense, but rich in idiom and metaphor, which show up in common expressions rather than as separate dictionary meanings.
Sense 1 : sword
noun, feminine
Synonyms: खड्ग (khadg, literary), शमशीर (shamshiir, literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: तलवार (talvaar) carries strong symbolic weight in Hindi from Rajput and Mughal history and popular cinema alike -- it stands for valor, honor, and danger far more than for actual combat today. You'll meet it mostly in idioms: तलवार की धार पर चलना (talvaar kii dhaar par chalnaa, 'to walk on the sword's edge', i.e. to live dangerously) and सर पर तलवार लटकना (sar par talvaar lataknaa, 'to have a sword hanging over one's head', i.e. facing imminent danger) are both very much alive in everyday speech.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for छुरी (chhurii) or चाकू (chaakoo, 'knife') when they mean a full sword -- तलवार (talvaar) is specifically the long blade, not a kitchen or pocket knife. 2) In the common idiom तलवार लटकना (talvaar lataknaa, 'a sword to hang [over someone]', i.e. a threat looming), the sword is grammatically the subject that 'hangs', not something a person 'has hanging' -- learners often try to force a possessive construction instead of using लटकना (lataknaa) intransitively with पर (par).
Sample Sentences:
राजा के हाथ में एक चमकती तलवार थी। The king had a gleaming sword in his hand.
(raajaa ke haath men ek chamaktii talvaar thii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
वह हमेशा तलवार लेकर युद्ध में जाता था। He always used to go into battle carrying a sword.
(vah hameshaa talvaar lekar yuddh men jaataa thaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
सिपाही अपनी तलवार तेज कर रहा है। The soldier is sharpening his sword.
(sipaahii apnii talvaar tej kar rahaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस समय हमारे प्रोजेक्ट के ऊपर छंटनी की तलवार लटक रही है। Right now the sword of layoffs is hanging over our project.
(is samay hamaare projekt ke oopar chhantnii kii talvaar latak rahii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसके सर पर तलवार लटकी है, फिर भी वह शांत है। A sword is hanging over his head, yet he is calm.
(uske sar par talvaar latkii hai, phir bhii vah shaant hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर वह उस समय तलवार उठाता, तो शायद जीत जाता। If he had raised his sword at that moment, he might have won.
(agar vah us samay talvaar uthaataa, to shaayad jiit jaataa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
अपनी तलवार म्यान में रखो और शांति से बात करो। Put your sword back in its sheath and talk peacefully.
(apnii talvaar myaan men rakho aur shaanti se baat karo।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
इतिहासकारों का कहना है कि उस युद्ध में हजारों तलवारें इस्तेमाल की गई थीं। Historians say that thousands of swords were used in that war.
(itihaaskaaron kaa kahnaa hai ki us yuddh men hajaaron talvaaren istemaal kii gaii thiin।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
उसने अपने पूरे व्यापारिक जीवन में तलवार की धार पर चलना सीख लिया है। He has learned to walk on the sword's edge throughout his business career.
(usne apne poore vyaapaarik jiivan men talvaar kii dhaar par chalnaa siikh liyaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
काश उसके पास असली तलवार होती, नकली से क्या फायदा। If only he had a real sword, what use is a fake one.
(kaash uske paas aslii talvaar hotii, naklii se kyaa phaaydaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): तलवार (talvaar)
(sg.f.oblique): तलवार (talvaar)
(pl.f.direct): तलवारें (talvaaren)
(pl.f.oblique): तलवारों (talvaaron)