आईना (aaiinaa)
noun
A common noun meaning 'mirror', used both literally and in figurative expressions about showing someone the truth about themselves. Also spelled आइना (aainaa) -- both spellings are current.
Sense
1
:
mirror (physical object)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: शीशा (shiishaa)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Every Indian household has that one आईना (aaiinaa) by the front door for a last check before stepping out -- checking your बाल (baal, hair) or टीका (tiikaa, forehead mark) on the way to work or a wedding is a small daily ritual.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse आईना (aaiinaa) with शीशा (shiishaa); both are common and largely interchangeable for 'mirror', though शीशा (shiishaa) can also mean 'glass' as a material, so context decides.
Sample Sentences:
दरवाज़े के पास एक बड़ा आईना लगा है।
There's a big mirror near the door.
(darvaaze ke paas ek badaa aaiinaa lagaa hai।)
बाहर निकलने से पहले वह हमेशा आईने में अपने बाल ठीक करती है।
Before stepping out, she always fixes her hair in the mirror.
(baahar nikalne se pahle vah hameshaa aaiine men apne baal thiik kartii hai।)
ज़रा आईना तो देखो, तुम्हारा टीका टेढ़ा लग रहा है।
Just look in the mirror, your forehead mark looks crooked.
(zaraa aaiinaa to dekho, tumhaaraa tiikaa tedhaa lag rahaa hai।)
आईना गिरकर टूट गया।
The mirror fell and broke.
(aaiinaa girkar toot gayaa।)
शादी के लिए तैयार होते वक़्त वह घंटों आईने के सामने खड़ी रहती थी।
While getting ready for the wedding, she used to stand in front of the mirror for hours.
(shaadii ke lie taiyaar hote vaqt vah ghanton aaiine ke saamne khadii rahtii thii।)
अगर आईना साफ होता तो तुझे अपना चेहरा ठीक से दिख जाता।
If the mirror were clean, you would have seen your face properly.
(agar aaiinaa saaph hotaa to tujhe apnaa chehraa thiik se dikh jaataa।)
कृपया आईने को धूल से साफ रखें।
Please keep the mirror free of dust.
(kripyaa aaiine ko dhool se saaph rakhen।)
दुकान में तरह-तरह के आईने बिक रहे हैं।
All kinds of mirrors are being sold in the shop.
(dukaan men tarah-tarah ke aaiine bik rahe hain।)
नया आईना अगले हफ़्ते दीवार पर लगाया जाएगा।
The new mirror will be put up on the wall next week.
(nayaa aaiinaa agle hafte diivaar par lagaayaa jaaegaa।)
हो सकता है कि आईना पैकिंग में ही टूट गया हो।
It's possible the mirror broke during packing itself.
(ho saktaa hai ki aaiinaa paiking men hii toot gayaa ho।)
माँ ने कहा कि निकलने से पहले आईना ज़रूर देख लेना।
Mom said to definitely check the mirror before leaving.
(maan ne kahaa ki nikalne se pahle aaiinaa zaroor dekh lenaa।)
Sense
2
:
figurative reflection of the truth or one's true self
noun, masculine Common in fixed phrases like आईना दिखाना (aaiinaa dikhaanaa, 'to show someone a mirror' -- i.e., to confront them with an unpleasant truth about themselves).
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is the idiom you will hear in a heated family argument or a fiery political speech -- "मैं तुम्हें आईना दिखा दूँगा (main tumhen aaiinaa dikhaa doongaa, 'I will show you your true self')" -- it carries a confrontational, slightly dramatic edge, much like English 'hold up a mirror to' but used more forcefully in everyday Hindi speech.
Common Mistakes: 1) आईना दिखाना (aaiinaa dikhaanaa) does not mean literally holding up a mirror -- it means bluntly confronting someone with a hard truth about their own behavior, often in an argument or criticism.
Sample Sentences:
मैं तुम्हें आईना दिखा दूँगा।
I will show you your true self.
(main tumhen aaiinaa dikhaa doongaa।)
उसकी बातों ने मुझे मेरा आईना दिखा दिया।
Her words showed me my true reflection.
(uskii baaton ne mujhe meraa aaiinaa dikhaa diyaa।)
यह किताब समाज का आईना है।
This book is a mirror of society.
(yah kitaab samaaj kaa aaiinaa hai।)
नेता जी ने अपने भाषण में सरकार को आईना दिखाया।
In his speech, the leader held up a mirror to the government.
(netaa jii ne apne bhaashan men sarkaar ko aaiinaa dikhaayaa।)
कभी-कभी दोस्त ही सबसे सच्चा आईना होते हैं।
Sometimes friends themselves are the truest mirror.
(kabhii-kabhii dost hii sabse sachchaa aaiinaa hote hain।)
अगर वह सच सुनना चाहता, तो मैं उसे आईना दिखा देता।
If he had wanted to hear the truth, I would have shown him his true self.
(agar vah sach sunnaa chaahtaa, to main use aaiinaa dikhaa detaa।)
किसी को आईना दिखाने से पहले खुद के अंदर झाँक लो।
Before showing someone their true self, take a look inside yourself.
(kisii ko aaiinaa dikhaane se pahle khud ke andar jhaank lo।)
यह फिल्म समाज की सच्चाई का आईना दिखाती है।
This film shows a mirror of society's truth.
(yah philm samaaj kii sachchaaii kaa aaiinaa dikhaatii hai।)
उसे उसका आईना दिखाया जाना चाहिए था।
He should have been shown his true self.
(use uskaa aaiinaa dikhaayaa jaanaa chaahie thaa।)
शायद यही मौका है जब हम उन्हें आईना दिखा सकें।
Perhaps this is the moment when we might show them their true self.
(shaayad yahii maukaa hai jab ham unhen aaiinaa dikhaa saken।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
आईना
(aaiinaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
आईने
(aaiine)
(pl.m.direct):
आईने
(aaiine)
(pl.m.oblique):
आईनों
(aaiinon)