छुरी (chhurii)

noun A single-sense everyday noun meaning 'knife' -- specifically the smaller kitchen/table knife, as opposed to a bigger blade like a चाकू (chaakoo).
Sense 1 : knife (small, e.g. kitchen or table knife)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: चाकू (chaakoo, usually a bigger or folding blade)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Picture a Delhi kitchen: छुरी (chhurii) is the everyday hand-knife for peeling and chopping vegetables or fruit, often paired mentally with छुरी-काँटा (chhurii-kaantaa, 'knife and fork') when a Western-style table setting is being described. It is also the word behind the common idiom छुरी की तरह चलना (chhurii kii tarah chalnaa, 'to cut sharply/hurt like a knife'), used for sharp words or a cutting remark.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use छुरी (chhurii) and चाकू (chaakoo) interchangeably, but native speakers usually reach for छुरी (chhurii) for a small kitchen or fruit knife and चाकू (chaakoo) for a bigger or more menacing blade -- in crime contexts (a mugger's knife, a stabbing), चाकू (chaakoo) is far more common than छुरी (chhurii).
Sample Sentences:
माँ सब्ज़ी काटने के लिए छुरी ढूँढ रही है। Mom is looking for a knife to cut the vegetables.
(maan sabzii kaatne ke lie chhurii dhoondh rahii hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह छुरी बहुत तेज़ है, संभलकर पकड़ो। This knife is very sharp, hold it carefully.
(yah chhurii bahut tez hai, sambhalkar pakdo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसने छुरी से सेब के टुकड़े कर दिए। He cut the apple into pieces with a knife.
(usne chhurii se seb ke tukde kar die।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
छुरी मेज़ पर पड़ी है, उसे दराज़ में रख दो। The knife is lying on the table, put it away in the drawer.
(chhurii mez par padii hai, use daraaz men rakh do।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
डिनर पार्टी में मेज़ पर छुरी-काँटा सजाकर रखा गया था। At the dinner party, the knife and fork were arranged neatly on the table.
(dinar paartii men mez par chhurii-kaantaa sajaakar rakhaa gayaa thaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
अगर छुरी तेज़ होती तो प्याज़ काटना इतना मुश्किल नहीं होता। If the knife were sharp, cutting onions wouldn't be this hard.
(agar chhurii tez hotii to pyaaz kaatnaa itnaa mushkil nahiin hotaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
उसकी बातें छुरी की तरह चलती हैं। His words cut like a knife.
(uskii baaten chhurii kii tarah chaltii hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम मुझे रसोई से छुरी ला दोगे? Will you bring me the knife from the kitchen?
(kyaa tum mujhe rasoii se chhurii laa doge?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
बच्चों को छुरी से दूर रहना चाहिए। Children should stay away from knives.
(bachchon ko chhurii se door rahnaa chaahie।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
रसोई में हर तरह की छुरियाँ रखी होती हैं -- फल काटने वाली, ब्रेड वाली, और सब्ज़ी वाली। All kinds of knives are kept in the kitchen -- for fruit, for bread, and for vegetables.
(rasoii men har tarah kii chhuriyaan rakhii hotii hain -- phal kaatne vaalii, bred vaalii, aur sabzii vaalii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): छुरी (chhurii)
(sg.f.oblique): छुरी (chhurii)
(pl.f.direct): छुरियाँ (chhuriyaan)
(pl.f.oblique): छुरियों (chhuriyon)