गद्दी (gaddii)
noun
Basic sense is a thick cushion or mattress-seat (gaddii); from there it extends to a throne/seat of authority and, in business contexts, a shopkeeper's or moneylender's seat of trade.
Sense
1
:
throne, seat of power/authority
noun, feminine
Synonyms: सिंहासन (sinhaasan, throne, literary/formal), राजगद्दी (raajgaddii, royal throne)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This sense comes straight from the image of a ruler sitting on a raised cushioned seat rather than a Western-style throne -- Mughal and Rajput courts used richly embroidered गद्दी (gaddii) as the actual seat of rule, so गद्दी पर बैठना (gaddii par baithnaa, 'to ascend the throne') still carries that historical flavor even when used for a modern CEO or political successor.
Common Mistakes: 1) गद्दी पर बैठना (gaddii par baithnaa, 'to sit on the throne/to take charge') is the fixed idiom for assuming power or headship -- learners sometimes translate 'take over' literally instead of using this phrase.
Sample Sentences:
राजा की मृत्यु के बाद उसका बेटा गद्दी पर बैठा।
After the king's death, his son ascended the throne.
(raajaa kii mrityu ke baad uskaa betaa gaddii par baithaa।)
मुग़ल बादशाह अकबर बहुत छोटी उम्र में गद्दी पर बैठा था।
The Mughal emperor Akbar ascended the throne at a very young age.
(mughal baadshaah akbar bahut chhotii umr men gaddii par baithaa thaa।)
कंपनी के संस्थापक के रिटायर होने के बाद उनकी बेटी गद्दी संभालेगी।
After the company's founder retires, his daughter will take over the throne of leadership.
(kampnii ke sansthaapak ke ritaayar hone ke baad unkii betii gaddii sambhaalegii।)
अगर वह गद्दी हथिया लेता तो पूरे राज्य में विद्रोह हो जाता।
If he had seized the throne, there would have been a rebellion throughout the kingdom.
(agar vah gaddii hathiyaa letaa to poore raajy men vidroh ho jaataa।)
दोनों भाइयों के बीच गद्दी के लिए झगड़ा वर्षों तक चलता रहा।
The fight between the two brothers over the throne continued for years.
(donon bhaaiyon ke biich gaddii ke lie jhagdaa varshon tak chaltaa rahaa।)
जब तक असली वारिस को गद्दी नहीं मिलती, राज्य में शांति नहीं होगी।
Until the rightful heir gets the throne, there will be no peace in the kingdom.
(jab tak aslii vaaris ko gaddii nahiin miltii, raajy men shaanti nahiin hogii।)
उद्योगपति चाहता है कि उसकी गद्दी उसके सबसे बड़े बेटे को सौंपी जाए।
The industrialist wants his throne (of leadership) to be handed over to his eldest son.
(udyogapti chaahtaa hai ki uskii gaddii uske sabse bade bete ko saumpii jaae।)
युद्ध में हार के बाद उसकी गद्दी छीन ली गई।
After his defeat in the war, his throne was snatched away.
(yuddh men haar ke baad uskii gaddii chhiin lii gaii।)
जनता ने माँग की कि तानाशाह गद्दी छोड़ दे।
The people demanded that the dictator give up the throne.
(jantaa ne maang kii ki taanaashaah gaddii chhod de।)
गद्दी संभालना इतना आसान नहीं जितना लोग समझते हैं।
Taking charge of the throne isn't as easy as people think.
(gaddii sambhaalnaa itnaa aasaan nahiin jitnaa log samajhte hain।)
Sense
2
:
cushion seat, thick padded seat
noun, feminine
Synonyms: तकिया (takiyaa, cushion/pillow, meaning scope), गद्दा (gaddaa, mattress, closely related)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Picture the low, cushioned seating still common in many Indian homes and shops -- a shopkeeper sitting cross-legged on a गद्दी (gaddii) behind the counter is a very familiar Delhi-NCR bazaar image, and it feeds directly into the 'seat of business' sense below.
Common Mistakes: 1) Don't confuse with गद्दा (gaddaa) -- गद्दा (gaddaa) is the mattress itself, while गद्दी (gaddii) is more often the smaller cushioned seat, like the padded seat on a chair, sofa, or traditional low seating.
Sample Sentences:
दुकानदार गद्दी पर बैठा है।
The shopkeeper is sitting on the cushioned seat.
(dukaandaar gaddii par baithaa hai।)
दादी हमेशा उस मोटी गद्दी पर बैठती हैं।
Grandma always sits on that thick cushion.
(daadii hameshaa us motii gaddii par baithtii hain।)
कल हमने बाजार से एक नई गद्दी खरीदी।
Yesterday we bought a new cushion-seat from the market.
(kal hamne baajaar se ek naii gaddii khariidii।)
कृपया यह गद्दी बरामदे में बिछा दो।
Please spread this cushion-seat out on the verandah.
(kripyaa yah gaddii baraamde men bichhaa do।)
अगर गद्दी थोड़ी मोटी होती तो बैठने में और आराम आता।
If the cushion-seat were a bit thicker, sitting would be even more comfortable.
(agar gaddii thodii motii hotii to baithne men aur aaraam aataa।)
हर शाम गद्दी को धूप में सुखाया जाता है।
Every evening the cushion-seat is dried out in the sun.
(har shaam gaddii ko dhoop men sukhaayaa jaataa hai।)
पुरानी गद्दी की रुई निकल आई थी, इसलिए उसे बदलना पड़ा।
The stuffing of the old cushion-seat had come out, so it had to be replaced.
(puraanii gaddii kii ruii nikal aaii thii, islie use badalnaa padaa।)
मेहमान गद्दी पर बैठे-बैठे चाय पी रहे थे।
The guests were drinking tea while sitting on the cushion-seats.
(mehmaan gaddii par baithe-baithe chaay pii rahe the।)
क्या तुम मेरे लिए एक छोटी गद्दी सिल सकती हो?
Can you stitch a small cushion-seat for me?
(kyaa tum mere lie ek chhotii gaddii sil saktii ho?)
शायद उसने गद्दी नई खरीदी हो, इसलिए इतनी मुलायम लग रही है।
Maybe he bought a new cushion-seat, that's why it feels so soft.
(shaayad usne gaddii naii khariidii ho, islie itnii mulaayam lag rahii hai।)
Sense
3
:
shop counter, business seat/establishment
noun, feminine Especially common in trading and moneylending communities, where गद्दी (gaddii) refers to the family firm or its physical seat of business, not just any shop.
Synonyms: दुकान (dukaan, shop, meaning scope), प्रतिष्ठान (pratishthaan, establishment, formal)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: Old trading families in markets like Chandni Chowk still talk about 'बैठना गद्दी पर' (baithnaa gaddii par, 'to sit at the business seat') meaning to run the family firm from its traditional seat, often literally a cushioned spot behind ledgers and cash boxes.
Common Mistakes: 1) In this sense गद्दी (gaddii) implies a traditional, often family-run trading business (cloth merchants, jewelers, moneylenders) rather than a generic modern shop or store -- using it for a supermarket or mall outlet sounds odd.
Sample Sentences:
उनकी गद्दी चांदनी चौक में है।
Their shop is in Chandni Chowk.
(unkii gaddii chaandnii chauk men hai।)
दादाजी अब भी रोज़ सुबह गद्दी पर बैठते हैं।
Grandfather still sits at the business seat every morning.
(daadaajii ab bhii roz subah gaddii par baithte hain।)
उनके परदादा ने यह गद्दी सौ साल पहले शुरू की थी।
Their great-grandfather had started this shop a hundred years ago.
(unke pardaadaa ne yah gaddii sau saal pahle shuroo kii thii।)
पिताजी की तबीयत ठीक नहीं है, इसलिए आज बेटा गद्दी पर बैठा है।
Father isn't well, so today the son is sitting at the business seat.
(pitaajii kii tabiiyat thiik nahiin hai, islie aaj betaa gaddii par baithaa hai।)
क्या तुम कभी अपने पिता की गद्दी पर बैठोगे?
Will you ever sit at your father's business seat?
(kyaa tum kabhii apne pitaa kii gaddii par baithoge?)
गद्दी पर बैठो और हिसाब-किताब देखो।
Sit at the shop counter and look after the accounts.
(gaddii par baitho aur hisaab-kitaab dekho।)
अगर उनका बेटा पढ़ाई छोड़ देता तो गद्दी पर बैठ जाता।
If their son had left his studies, he would have taken over the business seat.
(agar unkaa betaa padhaaii chhod detaa to gaddii par baith jaataa।)
बरसों से यह गद्दी उसी परिवार की चली आ रही है।
This business seat has been running under that same family for years.
(barson se yah gaddii usii parivaar kii chalii aa rahii hai।)
उस गद्दी को अंग्रेज़ों के ज़माने से जाना जाता है।
That business establishment has been known since the British era.
(us gaddii ko angrezon ke zamaane se jaanaa jaataa hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
गद्दी
(gaddii)
(sg.f.oblique):
गद्दी
(gaddii)
(pl.f.direct):
गद्दियाँ
(gaddiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique):
गद्दियों
(gaddiyon)