हिफ़ाज़त (hifaazat)
noun
A single-sense noun meaning 'protection, safekeeping, care' -- the state of being kept safe from harm, often used in the fixed phrase हिफ़ाज़त से (hifaazat se, 'safely, carefully').
Sense
1
:
protection, safekeeping, care
noun, feminine
Synonyms: सुरक्षा (surakshaa), रक्षा (rakshaa), निगरानी (nigraanii, more like 'watch over, supervision')
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This word comes from Persian/Urdu and has a caring, almost parental warmth to it -- a mother telling a child अपनी हिफ़ाज़त करना (apnii hifaazat karnaa, 'take care of yourself') before they leave the house is a very common, tender scene in Delhi households. It sits alongside सुरक्षा (surakshaa) as a near-synonym, but सुरक्षा (surakshaa) leans more formal/institutional (police, security guards) while हिफ़ाज़त (hifaazat) leans personal and everyday.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for सुरक्षा (surakshaa) by default; हिफ़ाज़त (hifaazat) is just as common in spoken Hindi and carries a slightly warmer, more personal tone, as if someone is looking after you rather than a system protecting you. 2) The common adverbial phrase हिफ़ाज़त से (hifaazat se, 'carefully, safely') is often used with रखना (rakhnaa) or चलना (chalnaa) -- e.g. sामान हिफ़ाज़त से रखो (saamaan hifaazat se rakho, 'keep the luggage safely') -- and learners sometimes forget the से (se) here, treating it like an adjective instead of an adverbial phrase.
Sample Sentences:
अपनी हिफ़ाज़त करना, बेटा।
Take care of yourself, son.
(apnii hifaazat karnaa, betaa।)
माँ ने जाते वक़्त कहा, अपनी हिफ़ाज़त करना।
As she was leaving, mom said, take care of yourself.
(maan ne jaate vaqt kahaa, apnii hifaazat karnaa।)
वह हमेशा अपने छोटे भाई की हिफ़ाज़त करता है।
He always takes care of his younger brother.
(vah hameshaa apne chhote bhaaii kii hifaazat kartaa hai।)
इस बुखार में अपनी हिफ़ाज़त रखना, बाहर मत निकलना।
Take care of yourself in this fever, don't go outside.
(is bukhaar men apnii hifaazat rakhnaa, baahar mat nikalnaa।)
अगर तुम मेरी हिफ़ाज़त करते तो मुझे इतनी चोट नहीं लगती।
If you had taken care of me, I wouldn't have gotten hurt so much.
(agar tum merii hifaazat karte to mujhe itnii chot nahiin lagtii।)
बच्चों की हिफ़ाज़त करना हर माँ-बाप की ज़िम्मेदारी होती है।
Taking care of children is the responsibility of every parent.
(bachchon kii hifaazat karnaa har maan-baap kii zimmedaarii hotii hai।)
दादी ने पूरी ज़िंदगी अपने बच्चों की हिफ़ाज़त की।
Grandma took care of her children her whole life.
(daadii ne poorii zindgii apne bachchon kii hifaazat kii।)
ख़ुदा तुम्हारी हिफ़ाज़त करे।
May God protect you.
(khudaa tumhaarii hifaazat kare।)
इतनी तेज़ बारिश में बिना छत के हिफ़ाज़त कैसे होगी?
In such heavy rain, how will there be safety without a roof?
(itnii tez baarish men binaa chhat ke hifaazat kaise hogii?)
उस दौर में औरतों की हिफ़ाज़त के लिए कोई ठोस इंतज़ाम नहीं था।
In that era, there was no solid arrangement for the safekeeping of women.
(us daur men aurton kii hifaazat ke lie koii thos intzaam nahiin thaa।)
यह ताबीज़ उनकी हिफ़ाज़त के लिए बांधी गई थी।
This amulet had been tied for their protection.
(yah taabiiz unkii hifaazat ke lie baandhii gaii thii।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
हिफ़ाज़त
(hifaazat)
(sg.f.oblique):
हिफ़ाज़त
(hifaazat)
(pl.f.direct):
हिफ़ाज़तें
(hifaazten)
(pl.f.oblique):
हिफ़ाज़तों
(hifaazton)