डंडा (dandaa)
noun
A stick, rod, or staff -- the everyday physical object -- and by extension, a figurative sense of forceful authority or a beating. Also spelled डण्डा (dandaa) with the full-form nasal, though डंडा (dandaa) with the anusvaar is far more common in print and speech.
Sense
1
:
stick, rod, staff, cane
noun, masculine
Synonyms: छड़ी (chhadii, thinner, like a walking cane or teacher's cane), लाठी (laathii, stout, associated with watchmen and police), सोंटा (sontaa, colloquial)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Picture a chowkidar (chaukiidaar) doing his rounds at night, thumping his डंडा (dandaa) on the ground as he walks -- that rhythmic sound is a very familiar part of the soundscape in Indian neighborhoods, signaling that someone is on watch.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for छड़ी (chhadii) or लाठी (laathii) interchangeably, but डंडा (dandaa) is the general, all-purpose word -- from a kid's cricket stump substitute to a watchman's night-stick -- while लाठी (laathii) specifically evokes the long bamboo staff carried by chowkidars (chaukiidaar) and police.
Sample Sentences:
चौकीदार रात को डंडा लेकर गली में घूमता है।
The watchman walks around the lane at night carrying a stick.
(chaukiidaar raat ko dandaa lekar galii men ghoomtaa hai।)
बुढ़िया चलने के लिए डंडे का सहारा लेती है।
The old woman uses a stick as support to walk.
(budhiyaa chalne ke lie dande kaa sahaaraa letii hai।)
कोने में एक डंडा रखा है।
There is a stick placed in the corner.
(kone men ek dandaa rakhaa hai।)
उसने कुत्ते को भगाने के लिए डंडा उठा लिया।
He picked up a stick to chase the dog away.
(usne kutte ko bhagaane ke lie dandaa uthaa liyaa।)
जरा वह डंडा तो पकड़ाना।
Just hand me that stick, will you.
(jaraa vah dandaa to pakdaanaa।)
अगर मेरे पास डंडा होता तो मैं भी सांप को भगा देता।
If I had a stick, I would have chased the snake away too.
(agar mere paas dandaa hotaa to main bhii saamp ko bhagaa detaa।)
पुलिस वाले के हाथ में एक लंबा डंडा था।
The policeman had a long stick in his hand.
(pulis vaale ke haath men ek lambaa dandaa thaa।)
बाजार में बांस के डंडे बिक रहे थे।
Bamboo sticks were being sold in the market.
(baajaar men baans ke dande bik rahe the।)
क्या तुम्हारे पास कोई मजबूत डंडा है जिससे यह जाला हटा सकूँ?
Do you have a sturdy stick with which I could remove this cobweb?
(kyaa tumhaare paas koii majboot dandaa hai jisse yah jaalaa hataa sakoon?)
सर्दियों में चौकीदार का डंडा फुटपाथ पर बजता रहता है।
In winter, the watchman's stick keeps thumping on the pavement.
(sardiyon men chaukiidaar kaa dandaa phutpaath par bajtaa rahtaa hai।)
साधु ने अपना डंडा जमीन पर टेककर आशीर्वाद दिया।
The sadhu planted his staff on the ground and gave his blessing.
(saadhu ne apnaa dandaa jamiin par tekkar aashiirvaad diyaa।)
Sense
2
:
a beating; harsh disciplinary force (figurative)
noun, masculine Common in the fixed phrase डंडे के ज़ोर पर (dande ke zor par, 'by force of the stick', i.e. through coercion) and in डंडा चलाना (dandaa chalaanaa, 'to wield the stick', meaning to use force or discipline someone).
Synonyms: पिटाई (pitaaii, the beating itself, more common for this exact meaning), मार (maar, a hit or blow)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: डंडा (dandaa) shows up constantly in talk about discipline -- a strict school headmaster, a stern father, or an authoritarian boss is often described as running things 'डंडे के ज़ोर पर' (dande ke zor par, 'by force of the stick'), meaning through fear and force rather than persuasion. It captures the same idea as the English 'rule with an iron fist,' but the Hindi image is very literally the stick in hand.
Sample Sentences:
यहाँ तो डंडे के ज़ोर पर काम चलता है।
Here, things run by force of the stick.
(yahaan to dande ke zor par kaam chaltaa hai।)
बॉस को डंडे के ज़ोर पर काम करवाना पसंद है।
The boss likes to get work done through fear and force.
(bos ko dande ke zor par kaam karvaanaa pasand hai।)
अगर डंडे का डर न होता तो कोई समय पर नहीं आता।
If there were no fear of the stick, no one would come on time.
(agar dande kaa dar n hotaa to koii samay par nahiin aataa।)
पुराने ज़माने में मास्टर जी डंडे के ज़ोर पर ही पढ़ाते थे।
In the old days, the teacher used to teach by sheer force of the stick.
(puraane zamaane men maastar jii dande ke zor par hii padhaate the।)
कर्मचारियों को डंडे के ज़ोर पर अनुशासन में रखा गया।
The employees were kept disciplined through harsh force.
(karmchaariyon ko dande ke zor par anushaasan men rakhaa gayaa।)
क्या सच में हर जगह डंडे के ज़ोर पर ही व्यवस्था चलनी चाहिए?
Should order really be maintained everywhere only through the force of the stick?
(kyaa sach men har jagah dande ke zor par hii vyavasthaa chalnii chaahie?)
बच्चों को डंडे से नहीं, प्यार से समझाओ।
Don't discipline the children with the stick, explain things with love.
(bachchon ko dande se nahiin, pyaar se samjhaao।)
सरकार ने भ्रष्टाचार रोकने के लिए डंडा चलाने का फ़ैसला किया है।
The government has decided to crack down harshly to stop corruption.
(sarkaar ne bhrashtaachaar rokne ke lie dandaa chalaane kaa faislaa kiyaa hai।)
जब तक डंडा नहीं पड़ेगा, ये लोग नहीं सुधरेंगे।
Until the stick falls on them, these people won't mend their ways.
(jab tak dandaa nahiin padegaa, ye log nahiin sudhrenge।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
डंडा
(dandaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
डंडे
(dande)
(pl.m.direct):
डंडे
(dande)
(pl.m.oblique):
डंडों
(dandon)