कंधा (kandhaa)
noun
A concrete body-part noun meaning 'shoulder,' with a common figurative extension to bearing responsibility or emotional support.
Sense
1
:
shoulder (body part)
noun, masculine
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Picture a father walking through a mela with his child perched on his कंधा (kandhaa) -- कंधे पर बैठाना (kandhe par baithaanaa, 'to carry on the shoulders') is a very common, affectionate image in Hindi households and films alike.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often forget this noun is masculine and takes the -e oblique/plural pattern like कमरा (kamraa) -> कमरे (kamre), so 'on the shoulders' is कंधों पर (kandhon par), not a feminine-pattern form. 2) The postposition पर (par) is used for 'on the shoulder' (कंधे पर बैठाना, kandhe par baithaanaa, 'to seat on the shoulder'), where learners sometimes reach for में (men) by mistake.
Sample Sentences:
मेरे कंधे में बहुत दर्द हो रहा है।
My shoulder is hurting a lot.
(mere kandhe men bahut dard ho rahaa hai।)
पिता ने बच्चे को कंधे पर बैठाया।
The father sat the child on his shoulders.
(pitaa ne bachche ko kandhe par baithaayaa।)
मेले में बच्चे अक्सर अपने पिता के कंधे पर बैठे रहते हैं।
At the fair, children often sit on their father's shoulders.
(mele men bachche aksar apne pitaa ke kandhe par baithe rahte hain।)
अपना कंधा मेरी तरफ करो, मुझे देखना है कि चोट कहाँ लगी है।
Turn your shoulder towards me, I need to see where you got hurt.
(apnaa kandhaa merii taraph karo, mujhe dekhnaa hai ki chot kahaan lagii hai।)
डॉक्टर ने कहा कि मेरे कंधे की हड्डी खिसक गई है।
The doctor said that my shoulder bone has slipped.
(doktar ne kahaa ki mere kandhe kii haddii khisak gaii hai।)
अगर मेरा कंधा ठीक होता तो मैं आज बैग खुद उठा लेता।
If my shoulder were fine, I would have carried the bag myself today.
(agar meraa kandhaa thiik hotaa to main aaj baig khud uthaa letaa।)
उसने अपना सिर मेरे कंधे पर रख दिया।
She rested her head on my shoulder.
(usne apnaa sir mere kandhe par rakh diyaa।)
बंदूक कंधे पर टिकाकर सैनिक खड़ा था।
The soldier stood with his gun resting on his shoulder.
(bandook kandhe par tikaakar sainik khadaa thaa।)
क्या तुम मेरा सामान थोड़ी देर के लिए कंधे पर रख सकते हो?
Can you hold my bag on your shoulder for a little while?
(kyaa tum meraa saamaan thodii der ke lie kandhe par rakh sakte ho?)
भारी सामान उठाने से उसके कंधे में चोट लग गई।
Lifting the heavy luggage injured his shoulder.
(bhaarii saamaan uthaane se uske kandhe men chot lag gaii।)
शव को चार लोगों ने कंधे पर उठाया।
The body was lifted onto the shoulders by four men.
(shav ko chaar logon ne kandhe par uthaayaa।)
Sense
2
:
figurative: support, responsibility borne by someone
noun, masculine Common in the frame कंधे से कंधा मिलाना (kandhe se kandhaa milaanaa, 'to stand shoulder to shoulder, to support together') and कंधों पर ज़िम्मेदारी होना (kandhon par zimmedaarii honaa, 'to have responsibility on one's shoulders').
Synonyms: जिम्मा (jimmaa, responsibility, not a body part), सहारा (sahaaraa, support)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This figurative use mirrors English 'shoulder the burden,' but Hindi leans on it constantly in speeches and news headlines -- कंधे से कंधा मिलाकर काम करना (kandhe se kandhaa milaakar kaam karnaa, 'to work shoulder to shoulder') is a go-to phrase for unity, whether between siblings, colleagues, or a whole nation.
Common Mistakes: 1) कंधे से कंधा मिलाना (kandhe se kandhaa milaanaa) is a fixed idiom for standing in solidarity or working together -- learners sometimes translate it too literally as just physical touching rather than teamwork or moral support.
Sample Sentences:
अब घर की सारी जिम्मेदारी उसके कंधों पर है।
Now the whole responsibility of the house is on his shoulders.
(ab ghar kii saarii jimmedaarii uske kandhon par hai।)
पिता की मौत के बाद पूरे परिवार का बोझ उसके कंधों पर आ गया।
After the father's death, the burden of the whole family fell on his shoulders.
(pitaa kii maut ke baad poore parivaar kaa bojh uske kandhon par aa gayaa।)
हमें कंधे से कंधा मिलाकर काम करना चाहिए ताकि यह प्रोजेक्ट समय पर पूरा हो।
We should work shoulder to shoulder so that this project gets finished on time.
(hamen kandhe se kandhaa milaakar kaam karnaa chaahie taaki yah projekt samay par pooraa ho।)
देश के जवान सरहद पर कंधे से कंधा मिलाकर खड़े हैं।
The country's soldiers are standing shoulder to shoulder at the border.
(desh ke javaan sarahad par kandhe se kandhaa milaakar khade hain।)
अगर तुम भी कंधा दे दो, तो यह काम जल्दी हो जाएगा।
If you also lend a shoulder (support), this work will get done quickly.
(agar tum bhii kandhaa de do, to yah kaam jaldii ho jaaegaa।)
अगर उस वक्त किसी ने उसका कंधा न थामा होता, तो वह अकेली टूट जाती।
If no one had held her shoulder (supported her) at that time, she would have broken down alone.
(agar us vakt kisii ne uskaa kandhaa n thaamaa hotaa, to vah akelii toot jaatii।)
सरकार पर अब आम आदमी की उम्मीदों का कंधा उठाने की जिम्मेदारी है।
The government now bears the responsibility of shouldering the common man's hopes.
(sarkaar par ab aam aadmii kii ummiidon kaa kandhaa uthaane kii jimmedaarii hai।)
संकट की इस घड़ी में पूरा देश एक-दूसरे का कंधा बना।
In this hour of crisis, the whole nation became a shoulder for one another.
(sankat kii is ghadii men pooraa desh ek-doosre kaa kandhaa banaa।)
मत घबराओ, मैं हूँ, कंधा दूँगा तुम्हें।
Don't worry, I am here, I will give you my shoulder (support).
(mat ghabraao, main hoon, kandhaa doongaa tumhen।)
इतने बड़े व्यापार को चलाने का कंधा किसके पास है?
Who has the shoulders (capability) to run such a huge business?
(itne bade vyaapaar ko chalaane kaa kandhaa kiske paas hai?)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
कंधा
(kandhaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
कंधे
(kandhe)
(pl.m.direct):
कंधे
(kandhe)
(pl.m.oblique):
कंधों
(kandhon)