गुरु (guru)
noun/adjective
Primarily a noun meaning teacher/guru/spiritual master, with a secondary adjective sense meaning heavy/important/serious. The adjective sense is far less common in everyday speech than the noun.
Sense
1
:
teacher, spiritual guide, mentor
noun, masculine
Synonyms: शिक्षक (shikshak), उस्ताद (ustaad), आचार्य (aachaary, formal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In North Indian culture the guru-shishya (teacher-disciple) (guru-shishy) relationship carries deep respect, historically rooted in classical music, dance, and wrestling akhadas (akhaadaa) where the guru's word was law. You will also hear it used lightly on the street, as in अरे गुरु, सुन (are guru, sun, 'hey buddy, listen'), showing how a weighty word softens into everyday camaraderie.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often think गुरु (guru) only means a New-Age 'spiritual guru' as in English; in everyday Hindi it is used far more broadly, for a music/dance teacher, a wrestling coach, or even informally for someone skilled and respected in any field. 2) It is also used as a casual, friendly form of address between men (like 'boss' or 'buddy'), which surprises learners expecting only a reverent religious sense.
Sample Sentences:
मेरे गुरु ने मुझे संगीत की शिक्षा दी।
My guru taught me music.
(mere guru ne mujhe sangiit kii shikshaa dii।)
गुरु-शिष्य परंपरा भारतीय संस्कृति की एक अनमोल विरासत है।
The guru-disciple tradition is a priceless heritage of Indian culture.
(guru-shishy parampraa bhaartiiy sanskriti kii ek anmol viraasat hai।)
अखाड़े में गुरु की आज्ञा के बिना कोई पहलवान कुछ नहीं करता था।
In the akhada, no wrestler used to do anything without the guru's command.
(akhaade men guru kii aagyaa ke binaa koii pahalvaan kuchh nahiin kartaa thaa।)
अरे गुरु, सुन, कल आना है क्या?
Hey buddy, listen, are you coming tomorrow?
(are guru, sun, kal aanaa hai kyaa?)
अपने गुरु का सम्मान करो।
Respect your guru.
(apne guru kaa sammaan karo।)
अगर मुझे सही गुरु मिलता, तो मैं शास्त्रीय नृत्य में निपुण हो जाता।
If I had found the right guru, I would have become skilled in classical dance.
(agar mujhe sahii guru miltaa, to main shaastriiy nrity men nipun ho jaataa।)
क्या तुम अपने गुरु से मिलने जा रहे हो?
Are you going to meet your guru?
(kyaa tum apne guru se milne jaa rahe ho?)
यह गीत उनके गुरु द्वारा रचा गया था।
This song was composed by their guru.
(yah giit unke guru dvaaraa rachaa gayaa thaa।)
मैं चाहता हूँ कि मुझे भी कोई अच्छा गुरु मिले।
I wish that I too could find a good guru.
(main chaahtaa hoon ki mujhe bhii koii achchhaa guru mile।)
वे संगीत जगत के जाने-माने गुरु हैं।
He is a well-known guru of the music world.
(ve sangiit jagat ke jaane-maane guru hain।)
गुरु के चरणों में बैठकर उसने वर्षों तक तबला सीखा।
Sitting at the feet of his guru, he learned the tabla for years.
(guru ke charnon men baithkar usne varshon tak tablaa siikhaa।)
Sense
2
:
heavy, weighty, serious (formal/literary register)
adjective
Synonyms: भारी (bhaarii), गंभीर (gambhiir)
Frequency: literary
Cultural Note: This older, literal sense of गुरु (guru) as 'heavy' is the root from which the 'teacher' sense grew -- a guru is literally one whose words and presence carry weight. In modern speech this adjective use is rare and mostly confined to formal or literary Hindi, so learners will meet it far less than the noun sense.
Sample Sentences:
यह विषय अत्यंत गुरु है, इसे हल्के में मत लो।
This matter is extremely weighty; don't take it lightly.
(yah vishay atyant guru hai, ise halke men mat lo।)
उसके शब्दों में एक गुरु गंभीरता थी।
There was a grave weightiness in his words.
(uske shabdon men ek guru gambhiirtaa thii।)
यह निर्णय गुरु दायित्व का विषय है, इसलिए विचारपूर्वक लिया जाना चाहिए।
This decision is a matter of grave responsibility, so it should be made thoughtfully.
(yah nirnay guru daayitv kaa vishay hai, islie vichaarpoorvak liyaa jaanaa chaahie।)
यदि यह अपराध गुरु होता, तो दंड भी उतना ही कठोर होता।
If this offense had been grave, the punishment too would have been just as harsh.
(yadi yah apraadh guru hotaa, to dand bhii utnaa hii kathor hotaa।)
गुरु प्रश्नों का उत्तर शीघ्रता से नहीं दिया जाता।
Weighty questions are not answered hastily.
(guru prashnon kaa uttar shiighrtaa se nahiin diyaa jaataa।)
इस ग्रंथ में गुरु विषयों की चर्चा गंभीरता से की गई है।
In this text, weighty subjects have been discussed with seriousness.
(is granth men guru vishyon kii charchaa gambhiirtaa se kii gaii hai।)
काश यह प्रश्न इतना गुरु न होता।
If only this question were not so weighty.
(kaash yah prashn itnaa guru n hotaa।)
गुरु समस्याओं का समाधान समय लेता है।
The solution to grave problems takes time.
(guru samasyaaon kaa samaadhaan samay letaa hai।)
Sense
3
:
Jupiter (the planet, in astrology)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: बृहस्पति (brihaspti)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: In Hindi astrology (jyotish) (jyotish), गुरु (guru) is the standard name for the planet Jupiter, considered the guru of the gods -- a source of wisdom and good fortune. You will hear this in phrases like गुरु की दशा (guru kii dashaa, 'the period ruled by Jupiter') when people discuss horoscopes.
Sample Sentences:
मेरी कुंडली में गुरु बहुत मजबूत है।
In my birth chart, Jupiter is very strong.
(merii kundlii men guru bahut majboot hai।)
पंडित जी ने कहा कि अभी गुरु की दशा चल रही है।
The priest said that Jupiter's period is currently running.
(pandit jii ne kahaa ki abhii guru kii dashaa chal rahii hai।)
गुरु को देवताओं का गुरु माना जाता है।
Jupiter is considered the guru of the gods.
(guru ko devtaaon kaa guru maanaa jaataa hai।)
अगर गुरु शुभ स्थान में होता तो तुम्हें इतनी परेशानी न होती।
If Jupiter were in an auspicious position, you would not have had so much trouble.
(agar guru shubh sthaan men hotaa to tumhen itnii pareshaanii n hotii।)
गुरु की दशा में लोग अक्सर नई शुरुआत करते हैं।
During Jupiter's period, people often make new beginnings.
(guru kii dashaa men log aksar naii shuruaat karte hain।)
ज्योतिषी ने बताया कि गुरु अगले महीने राशि बदलेगा।
The astrologer told me that Jupiter will change signs next month.
(jyotishii ne bataayaa ki guru agle mahiine raashi badlegaa।)
क्या तुम्हें पता है कि तुम्हारा गुरु किस भाव में बैठा है?
Do you know which house your Jupiter is sitting in?
(kyaa tumhen pataa hai ki tumhaaraa guru kis bhaav men baithaa hai?)
गुरु की कृपा हो तो हर काम आसान हो जाता है।
If there is Jupiter's grace, every task becomes easy.
(guru kii kripaa ho to har kaam aasaan ho jaataa hai।)
पुराने समय में लोग गुरु को धन और ज्ञान का कारक मानते थे।
In olden times, people used to consider Jupiter the factor governing wealth and knowledge.
(puraane samay men log guru ko dhan aur gyaan kaa kaarak maante the।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
गुरु
(guru)
(sg.m.oblique):
गुरु
(guru)
(pl.m.direct):
गुरु
(guru)
(pl.m.oblique):
गुरुों
([[गुरुों]])
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
गुरु
(guru)