रहस्य (rahasy)
noun
A single core meaning: 'mystery/secret,' used both for a puzzling thing that lacks explanation and for information deliberately kept hidden.
Sense
1
:
mystery, enigma (something unexplained)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: गुत्थी (gutthii, a puzzle/knotty problem), पहेली (pahelii, riddle-like mystery)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Detective novels and TV shows love the phrase रहस्य और रोमांच (rahasy aur romaanch, 'mystery and thrill') as a genre label, roughly Hindi's version of 'mystery and suspense.' You will also hear ब्रह्मांड का रहस्य (brahmaand kaa rahasy, 'the mystery of the universe') in a more philosophical register.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for पहेली (pahelii) when they mean a genuine unsolved mystery -- पहेली leans toward a riddle or brain-teaser, while रहस्य (rahasy) suits deeper, often unsettling mysteries (a murder, the universe, a person's past). 2) रहस्य (rahasy) is masculine, so watch agreement: यह रहस्य है (yah rahasy hai, 'this is a mystery'), not feminine agreement.
Sample Sentences:
इस हत्या के पीछे एक बड़ा रहस्य छिपा है।
A big mystery is hidden behind this murder.
(is hatyaa ke piichhe ek badaa rahasy chhipaa hai।)
यह किताब रहस्य और रोमांच से भरी है।
This book is full of mystery and thrill.
(yah kitaab rahasy aur romaanch se bharii hai।)
वैज्ञानिक ब्रह्मांड के रहस्यों को सुलझाने की कोशिश कर रहे हैं।
Scientists are trying to solve the mysteries of the universe.
(vaigyaanik brahmaand ke rahasyon ko suljhaane kii koshish kar rahe hain।)
उस पुराने महल का रहस्य आज तक नहीं सुलझा।
The mystery of that old palace has not been solved to this day.
(us puraane mahal kaa rahasy aaj tak nahiin suljhaa।)
काश कोई इस रहस्य को सुलझा पाता।
If only someone could solve this mystery.
(kaash koii is rahasy ko suljhaa paataa।)
अगर यह रहस्य सुलझ जाता, तो सब कुछ साफ हो जाता।
If this mystery had been solved, everything would have become clear.
(agar yah rahasy sulajh jaataa, to sab kuchh saaph ho jaataa।)
जिंदगी के कुछ रहस्य कभी नहीं सुलझते।
Some mysteries of life never get solved.
(jindgii ke kuchh rahasy kabhii nahiin sulajhte।)
यह रहस्य है कि वह अचानक कहाँ गायब हो गया।
It is a mystery where he suddenly disappeared to.
(yah rahasy hai ki vah achaanak kahaan gaayab ho gayaa।)
इस केस का रहस्य पुलिस द्वारा सुलझाया गया।
The mystery of this case was solved by the police.
(is kes kaa rahasy pulis dvaaraa suljhaayaa gayaa।)
बच्चे रहस्य और रोमांच वाली फिल्में देखना पसंद करते हैं।
Children like watching mystery and thriller films.
(bachche rahasy aur romaanch vaalii philmen dekhnaa pasand karte hain।)
प्रकृति के अनेक रहस्य अभी भी मानव की समझ से बाहर हैं।
Many mysteries of nature are still beyond human understanding.
(prakriti ke anek rahasy abhii bhii maanav kii samajh se baahar hain।)
क्या तुम इस रहस्य को सुलझा सकते हो?
Can you solve this mystery?
(kyaa tum is rahasy ko suljhaa sakte ho?)
Sense
2
:
secret (deliberately withheld information)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: राज़ (raaz, everyday word for a personal secret), भेद (bhed, secret/distinction, slightly literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Think of रहस्य (rahasy) as the word for a secret with some weight or gravity to it -- a family's hidden past, a locked room, a conspiracy -- whereas राज़ (raaz) covers the small, personal secrets of daily life, like a crush or a surprise gift.
Common Mistakes: 1) In casual conversation about personal secrets ('don't tell anyone my secret'), native speakers overwhelmingly reach for राज़ (raaz) rather than रहस्य (rahasy); रहस्य sounds a notch more formal or dramatic, fitting a 'deep dark secret' more than everyday gossip. 2) The common verb pairing is राज़ खोलना (raaz kholnaa, 'to reveal a secret') more often than रहस्य खोलना (rahasy kholnaa), though both are understood.
Sample Sentences:
उस हवेली का रहस्य आज तक कोई नहीं जान पाया।
No one has been able to find out the secret of that mansion to this day.
(us havelii kaa rahasy aaj tak koii nahiin jaan paayaa।)
वह अपने परिवार का यह रहस्य किसी को नहीं बताती।
She doesn't tell anyone this secret of her family.
(vah apne parivaar kaa yah rahasy kisii ko nahiin bataatii।)
यह रहस्य इतने सालों से इसलिए छिपा रहा क्योंकि सारे सबूत जला दिए गए थे।
This secret remained hidden for so many years because all the evidence had been burned.
(yah rahasy itne saalon se islie chhipaa rahaa kyonki saare saboot jalaa die gae the।)
पुलिस धीरे-धीरे इस हत्या के पीछे का रहस्य सुलझा रही है।
The police are slowly solving the secret behind this murder.
(pulis dhiire-dhiire is hatyaa ke piichhe kaa rahasy suljhaa rahii hai।)
काश वह अपने पिता का असली रहस्य मुझसे न छिपाता।
If only he hadn't hidden his father's real secret from me.
(kaash vah apne pitaa kaa aslii rahasy mujhse n chhipaataa।)
यह रहस्य मुझे बताओ, मैं किसी से नहीं कहूँगा।
Tell me this secret, I won't tell anyone.
(yah rahasy mujhe bataao, main kisii se nahiin kahoongaa।)
उस गुप्त संस्था का रहस्य कभी उजागर नहीं हुआ।
The secret of that secretive organization was never exposed.
(us gupt sansthaa kaa rahasy kabhii ujaagar nahiin huaa।)
शायद उसे उस बंद तिजोरी का रहस्य पता हो।
Maybe he knows the secret of that locked safe.
(shaayad use us band tijorii kaa rahasy pataa ho।)
सरकार ने इस मामले का रहस्य सार्वजनिक रूप से खोलने का फैसला किया।
The government decided to publicly reveal the secret of this matter.
(sarkaar ne is maamle kaa rahasy saarvajnik roop se kholne kaa phaislaa kiyaa।)
यह रहस्य से भरा किस्सा उसने अपनी डायरी में दर्ज़ कर रखा है।
He has recorded this tale, full of secrets, in his diary.
(yah rahasy se bharaa kissaa usne apnii daayrii men darz kar rakhaa hai।)
उस साधु के जीवन का रहस्य कभी किसी शिष्य को नहीं सौंपा गया।
The secret of that sage's life was never entrusted to any disciple.
(us saadhu ke jiivan kaa rahasy kabhii kisii shishy ko nahiin saumpaa gayaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
रहस्य
(rahasy)
(sg.m.oblique):
रहस्य
(rahasy)
(pl.m.direct):
रहस्य
(rahasy)
(pl.m.oblique):
रहस्यों
(rahasyon)