झंडा (jhandaa)

noun A concrete noun meaning 'flag,' with a common figurative extension used in the idiom झंडा गाड़ना (jhandaa gaadnaa, 'to plant the flag,' i.e. to triumph or establish dominance).
Sense 1 : flag, banner
noun, masculine
Synonyms: पताका (pataakaa, literary), निशान (nishaan, also means 'mark/sign' in other contexts)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Every Indian schoolchild knows झंडा (jhandaa) from गणतंत्र दिवस (gantantr divas, 'Republic Day') and स्वतंत्रता दिवस (svatantrtaa divas, 'Independence Day'), when the तिरंगा (tirangaa, 'tricolor,' a common nickname for the Indian flag) gets hoisted at schools, offices, and colony gates. The word itself is plain and everyday, not formal or poetic like ध्वज (dhvaj).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for निशान (nishaan) as a direct synonym in all contexts, but निशान (nishaan) more often means 'mark' or 'sign' outside of set phrases like राष्ट्रीय ध्वज (raashtriiy dhvaj, 'national flag') where ध्वज (dhvaj) is the formal term instead.
Sample Sentences:
स्कूल की छत पर झंडा लहरा रहा है। The flag is fluttering on the school's roof.
(skool kii chhat par jhandaa lahraa rahaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
गणतंत्र दिवस पर प्रधानाचार्य ने झंडा फहराया। On Republic Day, the principal hoisted the flag.
(gantantr divas par pradhaanaachaary ne jhandaa phahraayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
कल कॉलोनी के गेट पर झंडा लगाया जाएगा। Tomorrow a flag will be put up at the colony gate.
(kal kolonii ke get par jhandaa lagaayaa jaaegaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Passive
झंडा फहराओ, बच्चों! Hoist the flag, children!
(jhandaa phahraao, bachchon!)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर बारिश न होती तो झंडा पहले ही लहरा दिया जाता। If it hadn't rained, the flag would have already been unfurled.
(agar baarish n hotii to jhandaa pahle hii lahraa diyaa jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Passive
हर साल स्वतंत्रता दिवस पर हर घर में झंडा दिखता है। Every year on Independence Day, a flag is seen on every house.
(har saal svatantrtaa divas par har ghar men jhandaa dikhtaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या तुमने कभी इतना बड़ा झंडा देखा है? Have you ever seen such a big flag?
(kyaa tumne kabhii itnaa badaa jhandaa dekhaa hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मुझे उम्मीद है कि इस बार झंडा ठीक से लगाया जाए। I hope that this time the flag is put up properly.
(mujhe ummiid hai ki is baar jhandaa thiik se lagaayaa jaae।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Passive
समारोह के दौरान भारत का झंडा मंच के बीचोंबीच लगा था। During the ceremony, India's flag stood right in the middle of the stage.
(samaaroh ke dauraan bhaarat kaa jhandaa manch ke biichombiich lagaa thaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बच्चे झंडा बनाने के लिए रंग-कागज़ ले आए। The children brought colored paper to make a flag.
(bachche jhandaa banaane ke lie rang-kaagaz le aae।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Sense 2 : domination, triumph, mark of victory (figurative, in idiom)
noun, masculine Almost exclusively appears as the object of गाड़ना (gaadnaa, 'to plant/drive in') in the fixed expression झंडा गाड़ना (jhandaa gaadnaa), meaning to establish clear dominance or triumph somewhere.
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear झंडा गाड़ना (jhandaa gaadnaa) in sports commentary and casual bragging alike, e.g. someone acing an exam or a team dominating a tournament -- it carries the same triumphant flavor as 'plant the flag' in English, but is much more casually used in everyday Hindi conversation.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners may try to use झंडा (jhandaa) alone to mean 'victory' -- the figurative sense only lives inside the collocation with गाड़ना (gaadnaa); on its own झंडा (jhandaa) just means the physical flag.
Sample Sentences:
उसने बोर्ड एग्ज़ाम में टॉप करके झंडा गाड़ दिया। He topped the board exams and planted the flag, so to speak.
(usne bord egzaam men top karke jhandaa gaad diyaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
हमारी टीम हर साल इस टूर्नामेंट में झंडा गाड़ती है। Our team dominates this tournament every single year.
(hamaarii tiim har saal is toornaament men jhandaa gaadtii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
देखना, अगली बार मैं ही झंडा गाड़ूँगा। Watch, next time I'll be the one who dominates.
(dekhnaa, aglii baar main hii jhandaa gaadoongaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
अगर उसने थोड़ी मेहनत की होती तो वह भी झंडा गाड़ता। If he had worked a little harder, he too would have come out on top.
(agar usne thodii mehnat kii hotii to vah bhii jhandaa gaadtaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
इस बार तो झंडा गाड़ ही दो, यार! Just crush it this time, man!
(is baar to jhandaa gaad hii do, yaar!)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
क्रिकेट के मैदान में उस खिलाड़ी ने अपने दम पर झंडा गाड़ दिया था। On the cricket field, that player had single-handedly established total dominance.
(kriket ke maidaan men us khilaadii ne apne dam par jhandaa gaad diyaa thaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
शायद इस बार वह कंपनी बाज़ार में झंडा गाड़ दे। Maybe this time that company will end up dominating the market.
(shaayad is baar vah kampnii baazaar men jhandaa gaad de।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
जब भी वह मंच पर गाता है, झंडा गाड़ ही देता है। Whenever he sings on stage, he just completely steals the show.
(jab bhii vah manch par gaataa hai, jhandaa gaad hii detaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पूरे मोहल्ले में उसकी दुकान ने झंडा गाड़ रखा है। His shop has established total dominance in the whole neighborhood.
(poore mohalle men uskii dukaan ne jhandaa gaad rakhaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उस स्टार्टअप ने विदेशी बाज़ारों में भी झंडा गाड़ दिया है। That startup has planted its flag in foreign markets too.
(us staartaap ne videshii baazaaron men bhii jhandaa gaad diyaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): झंडा (jhandaa)
(sg.m.oblique): झंडे (jhande)
(pl.m.direct): झंडे (jhande)
(pl.m.oblique): झंडों (jhandon)