दंड (dand)
noun
Mainly means 'punishment/penalty' in formal, legal, and moral contexts; also used for a 'stick/rod' and, extended from that, the traditional Indian exercise of push-ups (dands). Also spelled दण्ड (dand) with the conjunct nasal.
Sense
1
:
punishment, penalty
noun, masculine
Synonyms: सज़ा (sazaa), जुर्माना (jurmaanaa, specifically a fine), शासन (shaasan, literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will see this word on official signage like अपराध और दंड (apraadh aur dand, 'crime and punishment') or in a teacher's lecture about karma and consequence -- it carries a slightly weightier, almost moralistic tone compared to the everyday सज़ा (sazaa).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for सज़ा (sazaa) by default; दंड (dand) is the more formal/legal register word, common in written notices, court contexts, and moral or religious discourse (e.g. describing consequences of sin) rather than everyday speech about scoldings.
Sample Sentences:
अपराधी को उसके अपराध के लिए कड़ा दंड दिया गया।
The criminal was given severe punishment for his crime.
(apraadhii ko uske apraadh ke lie kadaa dand diyaa gayaa।)
गीता में कर्म और दंड के सिद्धांत की व्याख्या की गई है।
The principle of karma and punishment is explained in the Gita.
(giitaa men karm aur dand ke siddhaant kii vyaakhyaa kii gaii hai।)
न्यायाधीश ने उसे कठोर दंड सुनाया।
The judge pronounced a harsh punishment on him.
(nyaayaadhiish ne use kathor dand sunaayaa।)
अच्छे कर्म का फल मिलता है और बुरे कर्म का दंड।
Good deeds bring reward and bad deeds bring punishment.
(achchhe karm kaa phal miltaa hai aur bure karm kaa dand।)
क्या तुम्हें पता है कि इस अपराध का दंड क्या है?
Do you know what the punishment for this crime is?
(kyaa tumhen pataa hai ki is apraadh kaa dand kyaa hai?)
अगर वह सच बोलता तो उसे इतना बड़ा दंड नहीं मिलता।
If he had told the truth, he wouldn't have received such a big punishment.
(agar vah sach boltaa to use itnaa badaa dand nahiin miltaa।)
सरकार ने कानून बनाया कि प्रदूषण फैलाने वालों को भारी दंड दिया जाए।
The government made a law so that those who spread pollution would be given heavy punishment.
(sarkaar ne kaanoon banaayaa ki pradooshan phailaane vaalon ko bhaarii dand diyaa jaae।)
उस दीवार पर लिखा था: "अपराध और दंड, दोनों साथ चलते हैं।"
It was written on that wall: "Crime and punishment go hand in hand."
(us diivaar par likhaa thaa: "apraadh aur dand, donon saath chalte hain।")
पापी को उसके पापों का दंड अवश्य मिलेगा।
The sinner will certainly receive punishment for his sins.
(paapii ko uske paapon kaa dand avashy milegaa।)
Sense
2
:
a push-up (traditional Indian exercise)
noun, masculine Usually appears in the plural as दंड लगाना (dand lagaanaa, 'to do push-ups'), paired with बैठक (baithak, squats) in akhara/gym culture.
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This comes straight from traditional Indian wrestling (kushti) and akhara culture, where दंड-बैठक (dand-baithak, 'push-ups and squats') was the classic daily fitness routine long before gyms became common in Delhi-NCR.
Common Mistakes: 1) Do not confuse this with the punishment sense just because both come from the same word -- in old-school akharas (wrestling gyms), doing दंड (dand) was itself sometimes assigned as a form of दंड (dand) in the punishment sense, which is a genuine wordplay native speakers enjoy pointing out.
Sample Sentences:
पहलवान रोज़ सुबह सौ दंड लगाते हैं।
The wrestlers do a hundred push-ups every morning.
(pahalvaan roz subah sau dand lagaate hain।)
अखाड़े में उस्ताद ने कहा, दंड-बैठक किए बिना कुश्ती नहीं सीखी जाती।
The guru in the akhara said, wrestling can't be learned without doing push-ups and squats.
(akhaade men ustaad ne kahaa, dand-baithak kie binaa kushtii nahiin siikhii jaatii।)
आज पचास दंड लगा!
Do fifty push-ups today!
(aaj pachaas dand lagaa!)
उसने बिना रुके तीस दंड लगा लिए।
He did thirty push-ups without stopping.
(usne binaa ruke tiis dand lagaa lie।)
अगर तू रोज़ दंड लगाता तो इतना कमज़ोर न होता।
If you did push-ups every day, you wouldn't be this weak.
(agar too roz dand lagaataa to itnaa kamzor n hotaa।)
कोच चाहता है कि हर खिलाड़ी सौ दंड लगाए।
The coach wants every player to do a hundred push-ups.
(koch chaahtaa hai ki har khilaadii sau dand lagaae।)
गुरु जी की निगरानी में सुबह-सुबह दंड लगाए जा रहे थे।
Push-ups were being done early in the morning under the guru's watch.
(guru jii kii nigraanii men subah-subah dand lagaae jaa rahe the।)
कुश्ती के अखाड़ों में सदियों से दंड-बैठक को शरीर मज़बूत करने का सबसे पुराना तरीका माना जाता है।
In wrestling akharas, push-ups and squats have for centuries been considered the oldest way to build a strong body.
(kushtii ke akhaadon men sadiyon se dand-baithak ko shariir mazboot karne kaa sabse puraanaa tariikaa maanaa jaataa hai।)
Sense
3
:
staff, rod, stick (esp. of authority or ritual)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: छड़ी (chhadii), लाठी (laathii)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This older sense survives in compound words and titles -- for instance दंडवत (dandvat) describes prostrating flat like a rod/staff before someone, a gesture of deep respect still seen at temples and touching elders' feet in a very formal way.
Sample Sentences:
साधु के हाथ में एक लंबा दंड था।
The sage had a long staff in his hand.
(saadhu ke haath men ek lambaa dand thaa।)
वह दंड लेकर मंदिर की ओर चल पड़ा।
He set off towards the temple, staff in hand.
(vah dand lekar mandir kii or chal padaa।)
भक्त ने भगवान के सामने दंडवत प्रणाम किया।
The devotee prostrated flat like a rod before God.
(bhakt ne bhagvaan ke saamne dandvat pranaam kiyaa।)
गुरु अपने दंड के सहारे धीरे-धीरे चलते हैं।
The guru walks slowly, supported by his staff.
(guru apne dand ke sahaare dhiire-dhiire chalte hain।)
कृपया वह पवित्र दंड मुझे थमा दीजिए।
Please hand me that sacred staff.
(kripyaa vah pavitr dand mujhe thamaa diijie।)
यदि उसके पास दंड होता, तो वह और प्रभावशाली दिखता।
If he had a staff, he would look even more imposing.
(yadi uske paas dand hotaa, to vah aur prabhaavshaalii dikhtaa।)
प्राचीन काल में राजा भी दंड धारण करते थे।
In ancient times, even kings used to carry a staff of authority.
(praachiin kaal men raajaa bhii dand dhaaran karte the।)
पंडित जी ने दादी के दंडवत करने पर आशीर्वाद दिया।
The priest gave his blessing when grandmother prostrated flat before him.
(pandit jii ne daadii ke dandvat karne par aashiirvaad diyaa।)
यह दंड ऋषि की शक्ति और अधिकार का प्रतीक माना जाता है।
This staff is regarded as a symbol of the sage's power and authority.
(yah dand rishi kii shakti aur adhikaar kaa pratiik maanaa jaataa hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
दंड
(dand)
(sg.m.oblique):
दंड
(dand)
(pl.m.direct):
दंड
(dand)
(pl.m.oblique):
दंडों
(dandon)