होशियारी (hoshiyaarii)
noun
A feminine noun built from the adjective होशियार (hoshiyaar, 'clever/smart') plus the abstract-noun suffix -ई; it covers both the positive sense of cleverness/skill and the negative sense of cunning or being 'too clever by half'.
Sense
1
:
cleverness, intelligence, skillfulness
noun, feminine
Synonyms: समझदारी (samajhdaarii), चतुराई (chaturaaii), सूझबूझ (soojhboojh)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word a proud parent uses about a child who handled something tricky well -- 'देखो कितनी होशियारी से किया' (dekho kitnii hoshiyaarii se kiyaa, 'look how cleverly he did it'). It praises the doing, not just the having, of intelligence.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for बुद्धि (buddhi) when they mean this word, but बुद्धि (buddhi) is more about raw intellect or reasoning power, while होशियारी (hoshiyaarii) is about practical smartness or presence of mind in a situation.
Sample Sentences:
उसने बड़ी होशियारी से यह काम पूरा किया।
He completed this work with great cleverness.
(usne badii hoshiyaarii se yah kaam pooraa kiyaa।)
देखो कितनी होशियारी से उसने गाड़ी पार्क की।
Look how cleverly he parked the car.
(dekho kitnii hoshiyaarii se usne gaadii paark kii।)
वह हर मुश्किल सवाल को अपनी होशियारी से हल कर लेती है।
She solves every difficult question with her intelligence.
(vah har mushkil savaal ko apnii hoshiyaarii se hal kar letii hai।)
अगर तुम थोड़ी होशियारी दिखाते तो यह गलती नहीं होती।
If you had shown a bit of cleverness, this mistake wouldn't have happened.
(agar tum thodii hoshiyaarii dikhaate to yah galtii nahiin hotii।)
बच्चे की होशियारी देखकर सब हैरान रह गए।
Everyone was left amazed seeing the child's cleverness.
(bachche kii hoshiyaarii dekhkar sab hairaan rah gae।)
इस समस्या को सुलझाने के लिए बड़ी होशियारी चाहिए।
Solving this problem requires a lot of cleverness.
(is samasyaa ko suljhaane ke lie badii hoshiyaarii chaahie।)
उम्मीद है कि वह अपनी होशियारी से इस बार भी बाजी मार लेगा।
Hopefully he'll win this time too with his cleverness.
(ummiid hai ki vah apnii hoshiyaarii se is baar bhii baajii maar legaa।)
इंटरव्यू में उसकी होशियारी सबकी नज़र में आ गई।
His intelligence caught everyone's attention in the interview.
(intravyoo men uskii hoshiyaarii sabkii nazar men aa gaii।)
प्रबंधन द्वारा उसकी होशियारी की खूब सराहना की गई।
His cleverness was greatly praised by the management.
(prabandhan dvaaraa uskii hoshiyaarii kii khoob saraahnaa kii gaii।)
बेटा, अपनी होशियारी से सबको गर्व करने का मौका दो।
Son, give everyone a chance to be proud with your cleverness.
(betaa, apnii hoshiyaarii se sabko garv karne kaa maukaa do।)
विद्वान लोग अपनी होशियारी और ज्ञान से समाज की सेवा करते रहे हैं।
Learned people have continued serving society with their intelligence and knowledge.
(vidvaan log apnii hoshiyaarii aur gyaan se samaaj kii sevaa karte rahe hain।)
Sense
2
:
cunning, sly cleverness (negative)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: चालाकी (chaalaakii), धूर्तता (dhoorttaa, stronger/more negative)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You'll hear this in the same breath as a scolding -- a shopkeeper or elder saying 'होशियारी मत करो' (hoshiyaarii mat karo, 'don't try any tricks') when they suspect someone is trying to outsmart or shortchange them. The line between admirable smarts and shady scheming is thin, and this sense lives right on it.
Common Mistakes: 1) The same word can flip from a compliment to an accusation depending on tone and context -- 'ज़्यादा होशियारी मत दिखाओ' (zyaadaa hoshiyaarii mat dikhaao, 'don't try to be too clever') is a warning, not praise, so learners should listen for tone rather than assume the word is always positive.
Sample Sentences:
मेरे साथ होशियारी मत करो।
Don't try any tricks with me.
(mere saath hoshiyaarii mat karo।)
दुकानदार ने तराजू में होशियारी की।
The shopkeeper cheated with the scale.
(dukaandaar ne taraajoo men hoshiyaarii kii।)
वह हमेशा बिल में होशियारी करता है।
He always plays sly tricks with the bill.
(vah hameshaa bil men hoshiyaarii kartaa hai।)
अगर उसने होशियारी न की होती तो पकड़ा न जाता।
If he hadn't tried to be sly, he wouldn't have been caught.
(agar usne hoshiyaarii n kii hotii to pakdaa n jaataa।)
क्या तुम मुझसे होशियारी करने की सोच रहे हो?
Are you thinking of pulling something sly on me?
(kyaa tum mujhse hoshiyaarii karne kii soch rahe ho?)
ठेकेदार ने सामान के हिसाब में होशियारी दिखाई।
The contractor was cunning with the material accounts.
(thekedaar ne saamaan ke hisaab men hoshiyaarii dikhaaii।)
अगर वह होशियारी करेगा तो मैं मैनेजर से शिकायत करूँगा।
If he tries any tricks, I'll complain to the manager.
(agar vah hoshiyaarii karegaa to main mainejar se shikaayat karoongaa।)
उसकी होशियारी आखिरकार पकड़ी गई।
His scheming was finally caught out.
(uskii hoshiyaarii aakhirkaar pakdii gaii।)
मुझे शक है कि वह किराए के मामले में होशियारी कर रहा है।
I suspect he's being sly about the rent matter.
(mujhe shak hai ki vah kiraae ke maamle men hoshiyaarii kar rahaa hai।)
अपनी होशियारी अपने पास रखो, हम सब समझते हैं।
Keep your slyness to yourself, we all understand.
(apnii hoshiyaarii apne paas rakho, ham sab samajhte hain।)
शायद उसने जानबूझकर यह होशियारी की हो।
Perhaps he pulled this trick on purpose.
(shaayad usne jaanboojhkar yah hoshiyaarii kii ho।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
होशियारी
(hoshiyaarii)
(sg.f.oblique):
होशियारी
(hoshiyaarii)
(pl.f.direct):
होशियारियाँ
(hoshiyaariyaan)
(pl.f.oblique):
होशियारियों
(hoshiyaariyon)