मंदिर (mandir)
noun
A concrete noun for a Hindu temple; it has one primary sense but a common figurative extension for a place treated with temple-like reverence.
Sense
1
:
Hindu temple, a place of worship
noun, masculine
Synonyms: देवालय (devaalay, literary), देवस्थान (devasthaan, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Almost every neighborhood in Delhi-NCR has a small local मंदिर (mandir), often just a single room or even a roadside shrine under a tree, and people casually drop in for a few seconds on their way to work. The word also anchors common compounds like मंदिर जाना (mandir jaanaa, 'to go to the temple'), which is a routine weekly or daily habit for many families rather than a special occasion.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use मंदिर (mandir) for any place of worship regardless of religion; in everyday Hindi it specifically means a Hindu temple. For a mosque, church, or gurdwara, native speakers use मस्जिद (masjid), गिरजाघर (girjaaghar), and गुरुद्वारा (gurudvaaraa) respectively.
Sample Sentences:
हम हर रविवार को मंदिर जाते हैं।
We go to the temple every Sunday.
(ham har ravivaar ko mandir jaate hain।)
मेरी दादी सुबह-सुबह मंदिर गई थीं।
My grandmother had gone to the temple early in the morning.
(merii daadii subah-subah mandir gaii thiin।)
गली के नुक्कड़ पर एक छोटा-सा मंदिर है।
There is a small temple at the corner of the street.
(galii ke nukkad par ek chhotaa-saa mandir hai।)
मंदिर जाओ और भगवान को प्रणाम करो।
Go to the temple and pay your respects to God.
(mandir jaao aur bhagvaan ko pranaam karo।)
अगर बारिश न हो रही होती, तो हम मंदिर चले जाते।
If it hadn't been raining, we would have gone to the temple.
(agar baarish n ho rahii hotii, to ham mandir chale jaate।)
नया मंदिर सरकारी ज़मीन पर बनाया गया।
The new temple was built on government land.
(nayaa mandir sarkaarii zamiin par banaayaa gayaa।)
पुजारी मंदिर में आरती कर रहा है।
The priest is performing the aarti in the temple.
(pujaarii mandir men aartii kar rahaa hai।)
शायद वह काम से पहले मंदिर हो आए।
Perhaps he'll pop into the temple before work.
(shaayad vah kaam se pahle mandir ho aae।)
इस मंदिर का निर्माण सौ साल पहले हुआ था।
This temple's construction took place a hundred years ago.
(is mandir kaa nirmaan sau saal pahle huaa thaa।)
वह भक्त मंदिर के द्वार पर सिर झुकाए खड़ा है।
That devotee is standing at the temple door with his head bowed.
(vah bhakt mandir ke dvaar par sir jhukaae khadaa hai।)
क्या तुमने आज मंदिर में मत्था टेका?
Did you bow your head at the temple today?
(kyaa tumne aaj mandir men matthaa tekaa?)
Sense
2
:
figurative: a place or institution regarded with reverence
noun, masculine Used in fixed honorific phrases like विद्या का मंदिर (vidyaa kaa mandir, 'temple of learning') to elevate an institution, especially schools.
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: You'll hear this in school mottos and speeches, where a school is called विद्या का मंदिर (vidyaa kaa mandir) to stress that education deserves the same respect as worship. It's a formal, slightly old-fashioned flourish rather than something said in casual conversation.
Sample Sentences:
विद्यालय ज्ञान का मंदिर है।
The school is a temple of knowledge.
(vidyaalay gyaan kaa mandir hai।)
यह विश्वविद्यालय शिक्षा का मंदिर माना जाता है।
This university is regarded as a temple of education.
(yah vishvvidyaalay shikshaa kaa mandir maanaa jaataa hai।)
प्रधानाचार्य ने कहा कि विद्यालय विद्या का मंदिर है, इसे स्वच्छ रखो।
The principal said that the school is a temple of learning, so keep it clean.
(pradhaanaachaary ne kahaa ki vidyaalay vidyaa kaa mandir hai, ise svachchh rakho।)
यह पुस्तकालय हमारे गाँव के लिए ज्ञान का मंदिर बन गया है।
This library has become a temple of knowledge for our village.
(yah pustkaalay hamaare gaanv ke lie gyaan kaa mandir ban gayaa hai।)
अस्पताल को सेवा का मंदिर समझकर काम करना चाहिए।
One should work by considering the hospital a temple of service.
(asptaal ko sevaa kaa mandir samajhkar kaam karnaa chaahie।)
यदि हम इसे विद्या का मंदिर मानते, तो कभी इसकी दीवारों पर गंदगी न फैलाते।
If we considered it a temple of learning, we would never have spread filth on its walls.
(yadi ham ise vidyaa kaa mandir maante, to kabhii iskii diivaaron par gandgii n phailaate।)
स्वतंत्रता सेनानियों ने संसद को लोकतंत्र का मंदिर कहा था।
The freedom fighters had called Parliament the temple of democracy.
(svatantrtaa senaaniyon ne sansad ko loktantr kaa mandir kahaa thaa।)
यह प्रयोगशाला विज्ञान का मंदिर कहलाती है।
This laboratory is called a temple of science.
(yah prayogshaalaa vigyaan kaa mandir kahlaatii hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
मंदिर
(mandir)
(sg.m.oblique):
मंदिर
(mandir)
(pl.m.direct):
मंदिर
(mandir)
(pl.m.oblique):
मंदिरों
(mandiron)