मुहवरा (muhavraa)

noun This is a variant spelling of मुहावरा (muhaavraa, 'idiom/phrase'); both forms are heard, though मुहावरा (muhaavraa) is somewhat more standard in print.
Sense 1 : idiom, set phrase
noun, masculine
Synonyms: लोकोक्ति (lokokti, more formal, closer to 'proverb'), कहावत (kahaavat, meaning scope: proverb/saying rather than idiom)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Hindi speakers love sprinkling मुहवरे (muhavre) into everyday speech -- phrases like आँखों में धूल झोंकना (aankhon men dhool jhonknaa, 'to throw dust in someone's eyes,' i.e. to deceive) or दाल में कुछ काला होना (daal men kuchh kaalaa honaa, 'something black in the lentils,' i.e. something fishy going on). Learning a handful of common मुहवरे (muhavre) is one of the fastest ways to sound natural rather than textbook-ish.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use मुहवरा (muhavraa) interchangeably with कहावत (kahaavat), but a मुहवरा (muhavraa) is a fixed figurative phrase used inside a sentence (like 'नाक में दम करना' (naak men dam karnaa, 'to trouble someone greatly')), while a कहावत (kahaavat) is a standalone proverb or saying with its own complete wisdom, like 'अधजल गगरी छलकत जाए' (adhjal gagrii chhalkat jaae, 'a half-full pitcher spills the most' -- shallow people boast the most).
Sample Sentences:
हिंदी में मुहवरे सीखना बहुत ज़रूरी है। Learning idioms in Hindi is very important.
(hindii men muhavre siikhnaa bahut zaroorii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस वाक्य में एक मुहवरा इस्तेमाल हुआ है। An idiom has been used in this sentence.
(is vaaky men ek muhavraa istemaal huaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
मुझे कुछ मुहवरे याद थे, पर अब भूल गया हूँ। I remembered a few idioms, but now I have forgotten them.
(mujhe kuchh muhavre yaad the, par ab bhool gayaa hoon।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर तुम मुहवरे नहीं सीखोगे, तो हिंदी बोलना उतना रोचक नहीं लगेगा। If you don't learn idioms, speaking Hindi won't feel as interesting.
(agar tum muhavre nahiin siikhoge, to hindii bolnaa utnaa rochak nahiin lagegaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
कुछ नए मुहवरे रोज़ याद कर लो। Memorize a few new idioms every day.
(kuchh nae muhavre roz yaad kar lo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर उसे ज़्यादा मुहवरे आते, तो उसकी हिंदी और भी असरदार लगती। If he knew more idioms, his Hindi would sound even more impressive.
(agar use zyaadaa muhavre aate, to uskii hindii aur bhii asardaar lagtii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
उसने अपनी कहानी में 'आँखों में धूल झोंकना' जैसा मुहवरा इस्तेमाल किया। She used an idiom like 'to throw dust in someone's eyes' in her story.
(usne apnii kahaanii men 'aankhon men dhool jhonknaa' jaisaa muhavraa istemaal kiyaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
शायद इस मुहवरे का मतलब कुछ और हो। Perhaps this idiom means something else.
(shaayad is muhavre kaa matlab kuchh aur ho।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हें पता है कि 'दाल में कुछ काला होना' कौन सा मुहवरा है? Do you know what idiom 'something black in the lentils' is?
(kyaa tumhen pataa hai ki 'daal men kuchh kaalaa honaa' kaun saa muhavraa hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
किताब के हर अध्याय में एक नया मुहवरा समझाया गया है। A new idiom is explained in every chapter of the book.
(kitaab ke har adhyaay men ek nayaa muhavraa samjhaayaa gayaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): मुहवरा (muhavraa)
(sg.m.oblique): मुहवरे (muhavre)
(pl.m.direct): मुहवरे (muhavre)
(pl.m.oblique): मुहवरों (muhavron)