झील (jhiil)

noun A simple, single-sense noun meaning 'lake'. No complications, just a concrete everyday word for a body of water.
Sense 1 : lake
noun, feminine
Synonyms: सरोवर (sarovar, literary), ताल (taal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Think of नैनीताल (nainiitaal) or उदयपुर (udaypur) -- when Indians talk about a झील (jhiil), they usually have a hill-station or tourist image in mind, a place you go for a boat ride (naav kii savaarii, 'boat ride') on a family holiday. It carries a slightly more scenic, postcard-worthy connotation than the humble तालाब (taalaab).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse झील (jhiil) with तालाब (taalaab, 'pond') -- झील (jhiil) is reserved for a proper lake, usually larger and often a natural or scenic one, while तालाब (taalaab) is the small neighborhood pond you might see cattle drinking from or kids swimming in.
Sample Sentences:
नैनीताल की झील बहुत सुंदर है। The lake in Nainital is very beautiful.
(nainiitaal kii jhiil bahut sundar hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
हम छुट्टियों में झील पर नाव की सवारी करने गए थे। We went to the lake for a boat ride during the holidays.
(ham chhuttiyon men jhiil par naav kii savaarii karne gae the।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम कल झील घूमने चलोगे? Will you come to visit the lake tomorrow?
(kyaa tum kal jhiil ghoomne chaloge?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
झील किनारे बैठकर चाय पीना कितना अच्छा लगता है। How nice it feels to sit by the lake and drink tea.
(jhiil kinaare baithkar chaay piinaa kitnaa achchhaa lagtaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उदयपुर की झीलों को देखने के लिए हर साल लाखों पर्यटक आते हैं। Millions of tourists come every year to see the lakes of Udaipur.
(udaypur kii jhiilon ko dekhne ke lie har saal laakhon parytak aate hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर यहाँ एक झील होती, तो यह जगह और भी खूबसूरत होती। If there were a lake here, this place would be even more beautiful.
(agar yahaan ek jhiil hotii, to yah jagah aur bhii khoobsoorat hotii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
झील के बीचोंबीच एक छोटा सा टापू बना हुआ है। There is a small island built right in the middle of the lake.
(jhiil ke biichombiich ek chhotaa saa taapoo banaa huaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
झील के पास मत जाओ, पानी बहुत गहरा है। Don't go near the lake, the water is very deep.
(jhiil ke paas mat jaao, paanii bahut gahraa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
शायद वह झील बरसात में ही इतनी भर जाती है। Perhaps that lake fills up this much only during the monsoon.
(shaayad vah jhiil barsaat men hii itnii bhar jaatii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सूर्यास्त के समय झील का पानी सुनहरा दिखाई देता है। At sunset, the lake's water appears golden.
(sooryaast ke samay jhiil kaa paanii sunahraa dikhaaii detaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
झील का निर्माण कई सदियों पहले किया गया था। The lake was constructed many centuries ago.
(jhiil kaa nirmaan kaii sadiyon pahle kiyaa gayaa thaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): झील (jhiil)
(sg.f.oblique): झील (jhiil)
(pl.f.direct): झीलें (jhiilen)
(pl.f.oblique): झीलों (jhiilon)