कन्या (kanyaa)
noun
A formal/traditional word for a young unmarried girl or daughter, most alive today in the ritual and cultural context of कन्या पूजन (kanyaa poojan) during Navratri, and in the phrase कन्यादान (kanyaadaan) at weddings.
Sense
1
:
young girl / maiden (unmarried female, especially pre-adolescent)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: लड़की (ladkii), बच्ची (bachchii), बेटी (betii, daughter sense)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This word's main home in daily life is कन्या पूजन (kanyaa poojan), the Navratri ritual where young unmarried girls are invited home, fed, and worshipped as forms of the goddess -- if you hear कन्या (kanyaa) in a Delhi household in autumn, this is almost certainly the context. It also survives in कन्यादान (kanyaadaan), the wedding ritual where the father 'gives away' his daughter.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use कन्या (kanyaa) as a casual everyday word for 'girl,' but in ordinary conversation लड़की (ladkii) is what people actually say; कन्या (kanyaa) sounds formal, ritual, or literary in comparison. 2) It specifically implies an unmarried, typically young/prepubescent girl, not just any female child -- it is not interchangeable with बच्ची (bachchii) for a baby girl.
Sample Sentences:
नवरात्रि में हम नौ कन्याओं को घर बुलाते हैं।
During Navratri, we invite nine young girls home.
(navraatri men ham nau kanyaaon ko ghar bulaate hain।)
कन्या पूजन के लिए माँ ने सुबह से ही तैयारी शुरू कर दी थी।
Mother had started preparations since the morning for the kanya pujan.
(kanyaa poojan ke lie maan ne subah se hii taiyaarii shuroo kar dii thii।)
उस छोटी कन्या को देवी का रूप मानकर उसके पैर छुए जाते हैं।
Considering that little girl a form of the goddess, her feet are touched in reverence.
(us chhotii kanyaa ko devii kaa roop maankar uske pair chhue jaate hain।)
कन्याओं को भोजन करवाओ, फिर उन्हें दक्षिणा दो।
Feed the young girls, then give them their offering.
(kanyaaon ko bhojan karvaao, phir unhen dakshinaa do।)
अगर मंदिर में कन्याएँ न मिलें तो पड़ोस से बुला लेते हैं।
If young girls aren't available at the temple, we call them from the neighborhood instead.
(agar mandir men kanyaaen n milen to pados se bulaa lete hain।)
काश हमारे घर के पास कोई कन्या रहती, तो पूजन आसान हो जाता।
If only some young girl lived near our house, the ritual would have been easier.
(kaash hamaare ghar ke paas koii kanyaa rahtii, to poojan aasaan ho jaataa।)
पुराने समय में कन्याओं को अक्सर बहुत कम उम्र में ब्याह दिया जाता था।
In olden times, young girls were often married off at a very young age.
(puraane samay men kanyaaon ko aksar bahut kam umr men byaah diyaa jaataa thaa।)
उस कन्या ने बड़े ध्यान से हलवा-पूरी खाया और आशीर्वाद दिया।
That young girl ate the halwa-puri carefully and gave her blessing.
(us kanyaa ne bade dhyaan se halvaa-poorii khaayaa aur aashiirvaad diyaa।)
क्या तुम कल कन्या पूजन के लिए दो कन्याएँ ले आओगी?
Will you bring two young girls tomorrow for the kanya pujan?
(kyaa tum kal kanyaa poojan ke lie do kanyaaen le aaogii?)
Sense
2
:
Virgo (zodiac sign)
noun, feminine Used in the fixed astrological term कन्या राशि (kanyaa raashi, 'the sign Virgo').
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: Anyone who reads a Hindi horoscope column or discusses राशि (raashi, zodiac sign) will meet कन्या (kanyaa) as the name for Virgo, literally 'the maiden,' mirroring the Western zodiac's own imagery.
Sample Sentences:
मेरी राशि कन्या है।
My zodiac sign is Virgo.
(merii raashi kanyaa hai।)
आज के अखबार में कन्या राशि वालों के लिए क्या लिखा है?
What is written for Virgos in today's newspaper?
(aaj ke akhbaar men kanyaa raashi vaalon ke lie kyaa likhaa hai?)
पंडित जी ने बताया कि इस महीने कन्या राशि वालों को सेहत का ध्यान रखना चाहिए।
The pandit said that this month Virgos should take care of their health.
(pandit jii ne bataayaa ki is mahiine kanyaa raashi vaalon ko sehat kaa dhyaan rakhnaa chaahie।)
अगर मैं कन्या राशि की होती, तो शायद इतनी लापरवाह नहीं होती।
If I were a Virgo, I probably wouldn't be this careless.
(agar main kanyaa raashi kii hotii, to shaayad itnii laaparvaah nahiin hotii।)
क्या तुम्हारी राशि कन्या है या तुला?
Is your sign Virgo or Libra?
(kyaa tumhaarii raashi kanyaa hai yaa tulaa?)
ज्योतिषी ने कहा कि कन्या राशि के जातकों को इस साल तरक्की मिलेगी।
The astrologer said that natives of Virgo will get a promotion this year.
(jyotishii ne kahaa ki kanyaa raashi ke jaatkon ko is saal tarakkii milegii।)
कन्या राशि का चिन्ह एक कन्या को दर्शाता है, जो अपने हाथ में अनाज की बालें लिए हुए है।
The symbol of Virgo depicts a maiden holding sheaves of grain in her hand.
(kanyaa raashi kaa chinh ek kanyaa ko darshaataa hai, jo apne haath men anaaj kii baalen lie hue hai।)
अपनी राशि कन्या जानकर उसने अपना भाग्यफल पढ़ना शुरू किया।
Knowing his sign was Virgo, he started reading his horoscope.
(apnii raashi kanyaa jaankar usne apnaa bhaagyphal padhnaa shuroo kiyaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
कन्या
(kanyaa)
(sg.f.oblique):
कन्या
(kanyaa)
(pl.f.direct):
कन्याएँ
(kanyaaen)
(pl.f.oblique):
कन्याओं
(kanyaaon)