चालाकी (chaalaakii)
noun
A feminine noun meaning cleverness or cunning; the same word covers both admirable quick-wittedness and sly deceit, and context decides which one is meant.
Sense
1
:
cunning, slyness, deceitful cleverness
noun, feminine
Synonyms: धूर्तता (dhoorttaa, formal), चालबाज़ी (chaalbaazii), शरारत (sharaarat, mischief, meaning scope narrower)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In everyday Delhi speech, चालाकी (chaalaakii) is what you accuse a shopkeeper or a scheming relative of when they get one over on you -- it's the word behind the common warning होशियार रहो, यह चालाकी कर सकता है (hoshiyaar raho, yah chaalaakii kar saktaa hai, 'be careful, he might try something sly'). It shares a root with चालाक (chaalaak, 'clever/cunning' -- the adjective) and चाल (chaal, 'move, trick, gait'), so once you know one you can guess the family.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use चालाकी (chaalaakii) as a flat compliment for 'smart,' but in most everyday sentences it leans negative -- it implies someone got the better of another person through trickery, not just intelligence. 2) चालाकी करना (chaalaakii karnaa, 'to act cunningly/play a trick') is the common verb pairing -- learners sometimes reach for करना (karnaa) with the wrong object structure, forgetting चालाकी (chaalaakii) itself takes से (se) when describing the manner of doing something, as in चालाकी से (chaalaakii se, 'cunningly/slyly').
Sample Sentences:
होशियार रहो, यह चालाकी कर सकता है।
Be careful, he might try something sly.
(hoshiyaar raho, yah chaalaakii kar saktaa hai।)
दुकानदार ने चालाकी से मुझे नकली सामान बेच दिया।
The shopkeeper cunningly sold me a fake product.
(dukaandaar ne chaalaakii se mujhe naklii saamaan bech diyaa।)
उसकी चालाकी सबके सामने आ गई।
His cunning was exposed in front of everyone.
(uskii chaalaakii sabke saamne aa gaii।)
वह हमेशा चालाकी से काम निकालता है।
He always gets his work done through cunning.
(vah hameshaa chaalaakii se kaam nikaaltaa hai।)
मेरे साथ चालाकी मत करना।
Don't try any tricks with me.
(mere saath chaalaakii mat karnaa।)
अगर उसने चालाकी न की होती तो हम धोखा न खाते।
If he hadn't resorted to trickery, we wouldn't have been cheated.
(agar usne chaalaakii n kii hotii to ham dhokhaa n khaate।)
उसकी बातों में चालाकी छिपी रहती है।
There is cunning hidden in his words.
(uskii baaton men chaalaakii chhipii rahtii hai।)
इस समझौते में उसकी चालाकी साफ़ नज़र आती है।
His cunning is clearly visible in this agreement.
(is samjhaute men uskii chaalaakii saaf nazar aatii hai।)
क्या तुम सच में सोचते हो कि यह चालाकी है, या सिर्फ़ चतुराई?
Do you really think this is cunning, or just cleverness?
(kyaa tum sach men sochte ho ki yah chaalaakii hai, yaa sirf chaturaaii?)
व्यापारी की चालाकी से ग्राहक अक्सर ठगे जाते हैं।
Customers are often cheated by the trader's cunning.
(vyaapaarii kii chaalaakii se graahak aksar thage jaate hain।)
उसकी चालाकी की वजह से पूरा प्लान बिगड़ गया।
Because of his cunning, the whole plan fell apart.
(uskii chaalaakii kii vajah se pooraa plaan bigad gayaa।)
Sense
2
:
quick-wittedness, presence of mind (positive sense)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: होशियारी (hoshiyaarii), फुर्ती (phurtii, meaning scope: quickness/agility more than mental cleverness)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll hear this positive spin when someone praises a kid or an employee for wriggling out of a tight spot smartly -- उसने बड़ी चालाकी से मामला सुलझा लिया (usne badii chaalaakii se maamlaa suljhaa liyaa, 'he resolved the matter very cleverly'). Still, most native speakers reach for होशियारी (hoshiyaarii) or समझदारी (samajhdaarii) when they want unambiguous praise, keeping चालाकी (chaalaakii) for when there's at least a hint of scheming involved.
Common Mistakes: 1) This positive reading only surfaces when context clearly praises someone's resourcefulness (e.g. escaping a tricky situation); without that context, listeners default to the negative 'cunning' sense, so learners should not assume चालाकी (chaalaakii) is a safe, neutral compliment the way 'clever' is in English.
Sample Sentences:
उसने बड़ी चालाकी से मामला सुलझा लिया।
He resolved the matter very cleverly.
(usne badii chaalaakii se maamlaa suljhaa liyaa।)
बच्चे ने चालाकी से अपनी गलती छिपाने के बजाय उसे मान लिया और सबका दिल जीत लिया।
Instead of using his cleverness to hide his mistake, the child admitted it and won everyone's heart.
(bachche ne chaalaakii se apnii galtii chhipaane ke bajaay use maan liyaa aur sabkaa dil jiit liyaa।)
मुश्किल हालात में भी वह हमेशा चालाकी से रास्ता निकाल लेती है।
Even in difficult situations, she always finds a way out with quick thinking.
(mushkil haalaat men bhii vah hameshaa chaalaakii se raastaa nikaal letii hai।)
अगर तुम इस मीटिंग में थोड़ी चालाकी दिखाओ, तो बात बन सकती है।
If you show a bit of cleverness in this meeting, things might work out.
(agar tum is miiting men thodii chaalaakii dikhaao, to baat ban saktii hai।)
उस समय तुमने जो चालाकी दिखाई, वह सचमुच काबिले-तारीफ थी।
The presence of mind you showed at that time was truly commendable.
(us samay tumne jo chaalaakii dikhaaii, vah sachmuch kaabile-taariiph thii।)
अगर उसमें थोड़ी चालाकी होती, तो वह इतनी आसानी से नौकरी से नहीं निकाला जाता।
If he had had a bit more presence of mind, he wouldn't have been fired so easily.
(agar usmen thodii chaalaakii hotii, to vah itnii aasaanii se naukrii se nahiin nikaalaa jaataa।)
बेटा, थोड़ी चालाकी से काम लो, हर बात सीधे मुँह पर मत कह दो।
Son, use a bit of tact, don't just blurt out everything to people's faces.
(betaa, thodii chaalaakii se kaam lo, har baat siidhe munh par mat kah do।)
प्रबंधन ने उस कर्मचारी की चालाकी की सराहना की, जिसने संकट के समय टीम को संभाल लिया।
The management praised the employee's quick-wittedness, who handled the team during the crisis.
(prabandhan ne us karmchaarii kii chaalaakii kii saraahnaa kii, jisne sankat ke samay tiim ko sambhaal liyaa।)
बातचीत के दौरान वह इतनी चालाकी से अपनी बात रख रहा था कि सब चुप हो गए।
During the conversation, he was making his point with such quick wit that everyone fell silent.
(baatchiit ke dauraan vah itnii chaalaakii se apnii baat rakh rahaa thaa ki sab chup ho gae।)
क्या तुम अगली बार भी इतनी चालाकी से हालात संभाल पाओगे?
Will you be able to handle the situation with the same presence of mind next time too?
(kyaa tum aglii baar bhii itnii chaalaakii se haalaat sambhaal paaoge?)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
चालाकी
(chaalaakii)
(sg.f.oblique):
चालाकी
(chaalaakii)
(pl.f.direct):
चालाकियाँ
(chaalaakiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique):
चालाकियों
(chaalaakiyon)