कलाई (kalaaii)

noun A body-part noun meaning 'wrist' -- the single everyday sense; you will meet it most often with verbs like पकड़ना (pakadnaa) or मोड़ना (modnaa), or in the context of bangles and watches.
Sense 1 : wrist
noun, feminine
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word you'll hear constantly around Rakhi (राखी, raakhii) season, when sisters tie a raksha sutra around their brother's कलाई (kalaaii); it's also simply where you wear a कलाई घड़ी (kalaaii ghadii, 'wrist watch') or चूड़ियाँ (choodiyaan, 'bangles').
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse कलाई (kalaaii, 'wrist') with बाँह (baanh, 'arm') or हाथ (haath, 'hand') -- कलाई refers specifically to the joint between the two, where you'd wear a watch or bangles.
Sample Sentences:
मेरी कलाई में मोच आ गई है। My wrist has been sprained.
(merii kalaaii men moch aa gaii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बहन ने भाई की कलाई पर राखी बाँधी। The sister tied a rakhi on her brother's wrist.
(bahan ne bhaaii kii kalaaii par raakhii baandhii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
वह हर वक्त अपनी कलाई घड़ी देखता रहता है। He keeps looking at his wrist watch all the time.
(vah har vakt apnii kalaaii ghadii dekhtaa rahtaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसकी कलाई में सोने की चूड़ियाँ चमक रही थीं। Gold bangles were shining on her wrist.
(uskii kalaaii men sone kii choodiyaan chamak rahii thiin।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
डॉक्टर, मेरी कलाई में बहुत दर्द हो रहा है। Doctor, my wrist is hurting a lot.
(doktar, merii kalaaii men bahut dard ho rahaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसकी कलाई पकड़कर उसे रोक लिया गया। He was stopped by grabbing his wrist.
(uskii kalaaii pakadkar use rok liyaa gayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
अगर मेरी कलाई ना मुड़ी होती, तो मैं आज खेलने जाता। If my wrist had not twisted, I would have gone to play today.
(agar merii kalaaii naa mudii hotii, to main aaj khelne jaataa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
अपनी कलाई को आराम दो, ज्यादा भारी सामान मत उठाओ। Rest your wrist, don't lift heavy things.
(apnii kalaaii ko aaraam do, jyaadaa bhaarii saamaan mat uthaao।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
राखी के दिन हर भाई की कलाई रंग-बिरंगे धागों से सज जाती है। On Rakhi day, every brother's wrist gets decorated with colorful threads.
(raakhii ke din har bhaaii kii kalaaii rang-birange dhaagon se saj jaatii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
शायद उसकी कलाई टूट गई हो, इसलिए दर्द इतना ज्यादा है। Maybe her wrist has broken, that's why the pain is so much.
(shaayad uskii kalaaii toot gaii ho, islie dard itnaa jyaadaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
उसने अपनी कलाई पर टैटू बनवाया। She got a tattoo made on her wrist.
(usne apnii kalaaii par taitoo banvaayaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): कलाई (kalaaii)
(sg.f.oblique): कलाई (kalaaii)
(pl.f.direct): कलाईएँ (kalaaiien)
(pl.f.oblique): कलाईओं (kalaaiion)