नाक (naak)

noun The everyday word for 'nose'; also carries a strong figurative sense of honor/pride that shows up constantly in idioms.

Sense 1 : nose (body part)

noun, feminine

Synonyms: नासिका (naasikaa, literary)

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: Nose-related body idioms are everywhere in daily Hindi -- नाक बहना (naak bahnaa, 'nose to run') for a runny nose, or नाक पर मक्खी न बैठने देना (naak par makkhii n baithne denaa, 'to not let a fly sit on one's nose') for being overly fastidious. This literal sense is the anchor for the honor-related figurative sense below.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes forget नाक (naak) is feminine, leading to wrong adjective/verb agreement -- say मेरी नाक (merii naak, 'my nose'), not मेरा नाक (meraa naak).

Sample Sentences:

बच्चे की नाक बह रही है। The child's nose is running.

(bachche kii naak bah rahii hai।)

उसकी नाक बहुत तीखी है, इत्र की हल्की खुशबू भी पकड़ लेती है। Her nose is very sharp -- it picks up even a faint whiff of perfume.

(uskii naak bahut tiikhii hai, itr kii halkii khushboo bhii pakad letii hai।)

गिरने से उसकी नाक से खून बहने लगा। After the fall, blood started flowing from his nose.

(girne se uskii naak se khoon bahne lagaa।)

डॉक्टर ने उसकी नाक की हड्डी जांची। The doctor examined the bone of his nose.

(doktar ne uskii naak kii haddii jaanchii।)

अपनी नाक साफ करो, बहुत बह रही है। Clean your nose, it's running a lot.

(apnii naak saaph karo, bahut bah rahii hai।)

अगर उसकी नाक थोड़ी छोटी होती, तो वह बिल्कुल अपनी माँ जैसी दिखती। If her nose were a little smaller, she would look exactly like her mother.

(agar uskii naak thodii chhotii hotii, to vah bilkul apnii maan jaisii dikhtii।)

इस पुरानी मूर्ति की नाक तोड़ दी गई थी। The nose of this old statue had been broken.

(is puraanii moorti kii naak tod dii gaii thii।)

सर्दी लगते ही मेरी नाक बंद हो जाती है। As soon as I catch a cold, my nose gets blocked.

(sardii lagte hii merii naak band ho jaatii hai।)

मुमकिन है कि तेज़ धूप से उसकी नाक लाल हो जाए। It's possible that his nose will turn red from the harsh sun.

(mumkin hai ki tez dhoop se uskii naak laal ho jaae।)

उसने अपनी नाक पर चश्मा टिका लिया। He balanced his glasses on his nose.

(usne apnii naak par chashmaa tikaa liyaa।)

वह हर छोटी बात पर नाक सिकोड़ता है, नाक पर मक्खी न बैठने देना जैसे उसकी फितरत हो। He wrinkles his nose at every little thing, as if being fastidious about the smallest fault were his very nature.

(vah har chhotii baat par naak sikodtaa hai, naak par makkhii n baithne denaa jaise uskii phitrat ho।)

Sense 2 : honor, pride, reputation (figurative)

noun, feminine Almost always appears inside fixed idiomatic expressions rather than as a free-standing noun for 'honor'.

Synonyms: इज़्ज़त (izzat), मान-सम्मान (maan-sammaan)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: This is the sense behind classic expressions like नाक कटना (naak katnaa, 'to be disgraced', literally 'for the nose to be cut') and नाक रखना (naak rakhnaa, 'to save someone's honor'). The image of the nose standing for family or personal dignity runs deep in North Indian culture -- think of how 'losing face' works in English, but rooted specifically in the nose rather than the whole face.

Common Mistakes: 1) This sense is idiom-bound -- you can't freely substitute इज़्ज़त (izzat) for नाक (naak) inside these fixed phrases and expect the same idiom to work; the idioms are learned as whole chunks, not built word by word.

Sample Sentences:

उसकी वजह से पूरे खानदान की नाक कट गई। Because of him, the whole family's honor was ruined.

(uskii vajah se poore khaandaan kii naak kat gaii।)

बेटे ने परीक्षा में टॉप करके बाप की नाक रख ली। By topping the exam, the son saved his father's honor.

(bete ne pariikshaa men top karke baap kii naak rakh lii।)

अगर हम यह मुकाबला हार गए तो नाक कट जाएगी। If we lose this match, our reputation will be destroyed.

(agar ham yah mukaablaa haar gae to naak kat jaaegii।)

अपने माता-पिता की नाक मत कटवाओ, मन लगाकर पढ़ो। Don't disgrace your parents -- study with focus.

(apne maataa-pitaa kii naak mat katvaao, man lagaakar padho।)

अगर वह सच बोलता तो परिवार की नाक बच जाती। If he had told the truth, the family's honor would have been saved.

(agar vah sach boltaa to parivaar kii naak bach jaatii।)

गाँव में लोग अपनी नाक की खातिर बड़ी-बड़ी शादियाँ करते हैं। In the village, people hold lavish weddings for the sake of their honor.

(gaanv men log apnii naak kii khaatir badii-badii shaadiyaan karte hain।)

समाज में नाक कटने का डर उसे हमेशा सताता रहता है। The fear of being disgraced in society always torments him.

(samaaj men naak katne kaa dar use hameshaa sataataa rahtaa hai।)

क्या तुम्हें अपने घर की नाक की कोई फिक्र नहीं है? Don't you have any concern for your family's honor?

(kyaa tumhen apne ghar kii naak kii koii phikr nahiin hai?)

उम्मीद है कि इस बार बेटी अपने पिता की नाक रख लेगी। Let's hope that this time the daughter will preserve her father's honor.

(ummiid hai ki is baar betii apne pitaa kii naak rakh legii।)

राजा के दरबार में हार जाने से पूरे राज्य की नाक कटती। Losing in the king's court would have disgraced the whole kingdom.

(raajaa ke darbaar men haar jaane se poore raajy kii naak kattii।)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.f.direct): नाक (naak)

(sg.f.oblique): नाक (naak)

(pl.f.direct): नाकें (naaken)

(pl.f.oblique): नाकों (naakon)