चौराहा (chauraahaa)

noun A crossroads or intersection where four (or more) roads meet -- a common, single-sense everyday word for navigating cities and towns.
Sense 1 : crossroads, intersection
noun, masculine
Synonyms: चौक (chauk, often a market square at a crossing), तिराहा (tiraahaa, three-way junction, not a true synonym but often confused)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Every Indian town has its landmark चौराहा (chauraahaa) -- often named after a person, a statue, or a shop -- and locals give directions relative to it rather than by street names, e.g. 'गांधी चौराहे से बाएं मुड़ जाओ' (gaandhii chauraahe se baaen mud jaao, 'turn left from Gandhi Chowk'). These intersections are also natural gathering spots -- chai stalls, auto stands, and roadside vendors cluster right at the चौराहा (chauraahaa).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use चौराहा (chauraahaa) for any road junction, but it specifically implies four roads meeting; a three-way junction is तिराहा (tiraahaa). 2) Direction-giving often pairs it with पर (par) -- मुड़ना (mudnaa) -- as in चौराहे पर मुड़ना (chauraahe par mudnaa, 'to turn at the crossroads') -- not से (se).
Sample Sentences:
यह शहर का सबसे बड़ा चौराहा है। This is the biggest crossroads in the city.
(yah shahar kaa sabse badaa chauraahaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
गांधी चौराहे से बाएं मुड़ जाओ, फिर सीधे चलते जाना। Turn left from Gandhi Chowk, then keep going straight.
(gaandhii chauraahe se baaen mud jaao, phir siidhe chalte jaanaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
चौराहे पर हमेशा एक चाय वाला खड़ा रहता है। There is always a tea vendor standing at the crossroads.
(chauraahe par hameshaa ek chaay vaalaa khadaa rahtaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
हम अगले चौराहे पर मिल रहे हैं। We are meeting at the next crossroads.
(ham agle chauraahe par mil rahe hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पुलिस ने चौराहे पर एक नया सिग्नल लगाया। The police installed a new signal at the intersection.
(pulis ne chauraahe par ek nayaa signal lagaayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर चौराहे पर सिग्नल होता तो इतनी भीड़ न होती। If there were a signal at the crossroads, there wouldn't be such a crowd.
(agar chauraahe par signal hotaa to itnii bhiid n hotii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
चौराहे को पार करते समय ध्यान रखना। Be careful while crossing the intersection.
(chauraahe ko paar karte samay dhyaan rakhnaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
शायद यह मुलाकात किसी चौराहे पर ही हो। Perhaps this meeting might happen at some crossroads.
(shaayad yah mulaakaat kisii chauraahe par hii ho।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
चौराहे के पास ही ऑटो स्टैंड बना दिया गया। An auto stand was built right near the crossroads.
(chauraahe ke paas hii oto staind banaa diyaa gayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
बचपन में हम इस चौराहे पर घंटों खड़े रहते थे। In childhood, we used to stand at this crossroads for hours.
(bachpan men ham is chauraahe par ghanton khade rahte the।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
उस चौराहे पर मूर्ति के चारों ओर दुकानें फैली हुई हैं। Shops are spread all around the statue at that intersection.
(us chauraahe par moorti ke chaaron or dukaanen phailii huii hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
जीवन के इस चौराहे पर उसे एक बड़ा फैसला लेना था। At this crossroads of life, he had to make a big decision.
(jiivan ke is chauraahe par use ek badaa phaislaa lenaa thaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): चौराहा (chauraahaa)
(sg.m.oblique): चौराहे (chauraahe)
(pl.m.direct): चौराहे (chauraahe)
(pl.m.oblique): चौराहों (chauraahon)