राख (raakh)

noun A concrete noun meaning 'ash' -- the grey powder left after burning -- with a widely used figurative sense for destruction or ruin.

Sense 1 : ash, ashes

noun, feminine

Synonyms: भस्म (bhasm, literary/ritual)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: In a Delhi kitchen you might hear सिगरेट की राख (sigret kii raakh, 'cigarette ash') or हवन की राख (havan kii raakh, 'the ash from a havan/fire ritual') -- राख (raakh) is everyday but also carries ritual weight, since sacred ash from a havan or cremation pyre is treated with respect, sometimes even smeared on the forehead as भस्म (bhasm).

Common Mistakes: 1) राख (raakh) is used as a mass noun, much like English 'ash' -- learners often try to pluralize it (राखें raakhen) when talking about ash in general, which sounds odd; only use a plural form for distinct heaps or piles of ash in specific contexts.

Sample Sentences:

सिगरेट की राख यहाँ मत गिराओ। Don't drop cigarette ash here.

(sigret kii raakh yahaan mat giraao।)

हवन के बाद पंडित जी ने राख सबको दी। After the havan, the priest gave everyone ash.

(havan ke baad pandit jii ne raakh sabko dii।)

वह हर सुबह माथे पर राख लगाता है। He applies ash on his forehead every morning.

(vah har subah maathe par raakh lagaataa hai।)

चूल्हे की राख अभी भी गरम है, छूना मत। The ash from the stove is still hot, don't touch it.

(choolhe kii raakh abhii bhii garam hai, chhoonaa mat।)

राख उड़ रही थी और पूरा कमरा धुँधला हो गया। Ash was flying about and the whole room became hazy.

(raakh ud rahii thii aur pooraa kamraa dhundhlaa ho gayaa।)

अगर तुम राख को गीली मिट्टी में मिला दो तो खाद अच्छी बनती है। If you mix ash into wet soil, it makes good fertilizer.

(agar tum raakh ko giilii mittii men milaa do to khaad achchhii bantii hai।)

राख को साधु ने अपने पूरे शरीर पर मल लिया। The sadhu smeared ash all over his body.

(raakh ko saadhu ne apne poore shariir par mal liyaa।)

अंगीठी की राख फेंकने से पहले ठंडी हो जाने दो। Before throwing away the ash from the brazier, let it cool down.

(angiithii kii raakh phenkne se pahle thandii ho jaane do।)

अस्थियों और राख को नदी में विसर्जित किया जाता है। The bones and ash are immersed in the river.

(asthiyon aur raakh ko nadii men visarjit kiyaa jaataa hai।)

यदि आग पूरी रात जलती रहती तो सुबह तक सब कुछ राख होता। If the fire had kept burning all night, everything would have turned to ash by morning.

(yadi aag poorii raat jaltii rahtii to subah tak sab kuchh raakh hotaa।)

राख उठाकर बच्चे ने उससे एक शक्ल बना दी। Picking up the ash, the child shaped a face out of it.

(raakh uthaakar bachche ne usse ek shakl banaa dii।)

Sense 2 : ruin, destruction (figurative)

noun, feminine Common in the fixed expression राख हो जाना (raakh ho jaanaa, 'to be burnt/reduced to ashes'), used figuratively for a home, dream, or relationship being utterly destroyed.

Synonyms: बर्बादी (barbaadii), विनाश (vinaash)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: This figurative sense leans on the same image English uses in 'burnt to a crisp' or 'in ashes' -- a house, a business, or even hopes can जलकर राख हो जाना (jalkar raakh ho jaanaa, 'burn down to ashes'), and you will hear this in news reports about fires as often as in poetic or emotional speech.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes translate 'my dreams turned to ashes' too literally; the natural Hindi idiom is X राख हो गया/गई (raakh ho gayaa, 'X turned to ash') or X जलकर राख हो गया (jalkar raakh ho gayaa, 'X burned down to ash'), not a word-for-word rendering.

Sample Sentences:

आग लगने से पूरा घर जलकर राख हो गया। Due to the fire, the whole house was burnt to ashes.

(aag lagne se pooraa ghar jalkar raakh ho gayaa।)

उसके सारे सपने एक ही रात में राख हो गए। All his dreams turned to ashes in a single night.

(uske saare sapne ek hii raat men raakh ho gae।)

अगर वह सावधान न रहे, तो उसका पूरा कारोबार राख हो जाएगा। If he isn't careful, his entire business will be reduced to ashes.

(agar vah saavdhaan n rahe, to uskaa pooraa kaarobaar raakh ho jaaegaa।)

अगर वह चेतावनी सुन लेता, तो उसकी मेहनत राख न होती। If he had heeded the warning, his hard work would not have gone to ruin.

(agar vah chetaavnii sun letaa, to uskii mehnat raakh n hotii।)

फैक्ट्री में लगी आग से सारा माल राख कर दिया गया। The fire in the factory reduced all the goods to ashes.

(phaiktrii men lagii aag se saaraa maal raakh kar diyaa gayaa।)

युद्ध ने पूरे शहर को राख में बदल दिया। The war turned the entire city into ashes.

(yuddh ne poore shahar ko raakh men badal diyaa।)

समाचार में बताया गया कि दंगों में कई दुकानें राख हो गईं। The news reported that many shops were burnt to ashes in the riots.

(samaachaar men bataayaa gayaa ki dangon men kaii dukaanen raakh ho gaiin।)

काश उसकी उम्मीदें राख न होतीं और वह फिर से खड़ा हो पाता। If only his hopes hadn't turned to ashes, and he could have stood up again.

(kaash uskii ummiiden raakh n hotiin aur vah phir se khadaa ho paataa।)

उसकी बरसों की कमाई एक झटके में राख हो गई। His years of earnings turned to ashes in an instant.

(uskii barson kii kamaaii ek jhatke men raakh ho gaii।)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.f.direct): राख (raakh)

(sg.f.oblique): राख (raakh)

(pl.f.direct): राखें (raakhen)

(pl.f.oblique): राखों (raakhon)