धुलाई (dhulaaii)
noun
Means 'washing' -- both the act/process of washing (clothes, vehicles, etc.) and, by extension, the fee charged for it. It also has a common figurative sense meaning a beating or thrashing.
Sense
1
:
washing (the act or process)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: सफाई (saphaaii, cleaning, broader sense)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this word a lot around the local dhobi (dhobii, washerman) or laundromat -- people say कपड़े धुलाई के लिए दिए (kapde dhulaaii ke lie die, 'gave clothes for washing') rather than using the verb धोना (dhonaa) directly, since it is someone else doing the washing.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse धुलाई (dhulaaii) with धोना (dhonaa) -- धोना (dhonaa) is the verb 'to wash,' while धुलाई (dhulaaii) is the noun naming the activity or job of washing, often used with कराना (karaanaa, to get something done), as in कपड़ों की धुलाई कराना (kapdon kii dhulaaii karaanaa, 'to get clothes washed').
Sample Sentences:
मैंने कपड़े धुलाई के लिए दिए हैं।
I have given the clothes for washing.
(mainne kapde dhulaaii ke lie die hain।)
यह कंबल धुलाई के लिए बहुत भारी है।
This blanket is very heavy for washing.
(yah kambal dhulaaii ke lie bahut bhaarii hai।)
पर्दों की धुलाई हर महीने होनी चाहिए।
The washing of the curtains should be done every month.
(pardon kii dhulaaii har mahiine honii chaahie।)
इन ऊनी कपड़ों की धुलाई हाथ से की जाती है।
The washing of these woolen clothes is done by hand.
(in oonii kapdon kii dhulaaii haath se kii jaatii hai।)
अगर मशीन खराब न होती, तो धुलाई आज ही हो जाती।
If the machine hadn't been broken, the washing would have gotten done today itself.
(agar mashiin kharaab n hotii, to dhulaaii aaj hii ho jaatii।)
सोफे के कवर की धुलाई करवा दो, बहुत गंदे लग रहे हैं।
Get the sofa covers washed, they're looking very dirty.
(sophe ke kavar kii dhulaaii karvaa do, bahut gande lag rahe hain।)
धोबी हफ्ते में दो बार धुलाई के लिए आता है।
The washerman comes twice a week for the washing.
(dhobii haphte men do baar dhulaaii ke lie aataa hai।)
कालीन की धुलाई हो चुकी है, अब बस सूखने का इंतज़ार है।
The carpet's washing is already done, now we're just waiting for it to dry.
(kaaliin kii dhulaaii ho chukii hai, ab bas sookhne kaa intzaar hai।)
बारिश के मौसम में धुलाई के बाद कपड़े सूखने में बहुत समय लेते हैं।
In the rainy season, clothes take a long time to dry after washing.
(baarish ke mausam men dhulaaii ke baad kapde sookhne men bahut samay lete hain।)
क्या आप इस जैकेट की धुलाई खुद करेंगी या ड्राईक्लीन के लिए भेजेंगी?
Will you wash this jacket yourself or send it for dry cleaning?
(kyaa aap is jaiket kii dhulaaii khud karengii yaa draaiikliin ke lie bhejengii?)
बर्तनों की धुलाई करते-करते उसकी उंगलियाँ सूज गई थीं।
Her fingers had swollen up from doing the dishwashing continuously.
(bartnon kii dhulaaii karte-karte uskii ungliyaan sooj gaii thiin।)
Sense
2
:
washing charge/fee
noun, feminine
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: At the laundry or dry cleaner, you will often be quoted a per-piece धुलाई (dhulaaii) rate -- this extension from 'the act of washing' to 'the price for that act' is a very natural, everyday shift in Hindi, similar to how 'delivery' can mean both the act and its fee in English.
Sample Sentences:
इस कमीज़ की धुलाई कितनी है?
How much is the washing fee for this shirt?
(is kamiiz kii dhulaaii kitnii hai?)
धोबी ने हर कपड़े की धुलाई बीस रुपये रखी है।
The washerman has set the washing fee at twenty rupees per piece of clothing.
(dhobii ne har kapde kii dhulaaii biis rupye rakhii hai।)
पिछले महीने धुलाई का बिल बहुत ज़्यादा आ गया था।
Last month the washing fee bill came out much higher than usual.
(pichhle mahiine dhulaaii kaa bil bahut zyaadaa aa gayaa thaa।)
अगर तुम भारी कंबल दो, तो धुलाई ज़्यादा लगेगी।
If you give a heavy blanket, the washing fee will be more.
(agar tum bhaarii kambal do, to dhulaaii zyaadaa lagegii।)
कृपया पहले धुलाई का भुगतान करें।
Please pay the washing fee first.
(kripyaa pahle dhulaaii kaa bhugtaan karen।)
इस ड्राई क्लीनर में सूट की धुलाई डेढ़ सौ रुपये में होती है।
At this dry cleaner, the washing fee for a suit is one hundred fifty rupees.
(is draaii kliinar men soot kii dhulaaii dedh sau rupye men hotii hai।)
अगर होटल में धुलाई इतनी महंगी न होती, तो मैं यहीं कपड़े धुला लेता।
If the washing fee at the hotel weren't so expensive, I would have gotten my clothes washed right here.
(agar hotal men dhulaaii itnii mahangii n hotii, to main yahiin kapde dhulaa letaa।)
धुलाई की रसीद संभाल कर रखिए, वरना पैसे दोबारा माँगे जा सकते हैं।
Keep the washing-fee receipt safe, otherwise you might be asked for the money again.
(dhulaaii kii rasiid sambhaal kar rakhie, varnaa paise dobaaraa maange jaa sakte hain।)
इस लॉन्ड्री में धुलाई की दरें दीवार पर लिखी गई हैं।
The washing fee rates are written on the wall at this laundry.
(is londrii men dhulaaii kii daren diivaar par likhii gaii hain।)
मैंने पूछा कि जैकेट की धुलाई कितने में होगी।
I asked how much the washing fee for the jacket would be.
(mainne poochhaa ki jaiket kii dhulaaii kitne men hogii।)
Sense
3
:
a beating, thrashing (figurative)
noun, feminine Common in the phrase धुलाई करना (dhulaaii karnaa, 'to beat someone up') or धुलाई होना (dhulaaii honaa, 'to get beaten up'), paralleling how पिटाई (pitaaii) works.
Synonyms: पिटाई (pitaaii)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This is a classic bit of Hindi wordplay: getting yelled at or beaten up is described the same way as getting your laundry cleaned -- as if the person's mistakes are being 'scrubbed out' of them. You will hear parents jokingly threaten अच्छी धुलाई होगी (achchhii dhulaaii hogii, 'you'll get a good thrashing') without any real violence implied.
Common Mistakes: 1) This figurative sense is informal and used mostly in speech about scuffles, scoldings, or fights -- do not use it in a formal or written complaint; प्रताड़ना (prataadnaa) or मारपीट (maarpiit) would be more appropriate there.
Sample Sentences:
अगर तुमने फिर शरारत की, तो अच्छी धुलाई होगी।
If you misbehave again, you'll get a good thrashing.
(agar tumne phir sharaarat kii, to achchhii dhulaaii hogii।)
कल क्लास में लेट पहुँचने पर मास्टर जी ने उसकी अच्छी धुलाई कर दी।
Yesterday the teacher gave him a proper thrashing for arriving late to class.
(kal klaas men let pahunchne par maastar jii ne uskii achchhii dhulaaii kar dii।)
पापा घर आते ही धुलाई कर देंगे, देख लेना।
The moment Dad gets home, he'll give you a thrashing, just wait and see.
(paapaa ghar aate hii dhulaaii kar denge, dekh lenaa।)
अगर सच में झूठ बोलते पकड़े जाते, तो उनकी धुलाई हो जाती।
If they had actually been caught lying, they would have gotten a thrashing.
(agar sach men jhooth bolte pakde jaate, to unkii dhulaaii ho jaatii।)
इतनी बदतमीज़ी करोगे तो एक दिन धुलाई हो जाएगी।
Keep being this rude and one day you'll get thrashed.
(itnii badatmiizii karoge to ek din dhulaaii ho jaaegii।)
बॉस ने मीटिंग में उसकी जो धुलाई की, वो सबके सामने हुई।
The dressing-down the boss gave him in the meeting happened in front of everyone.
(bos ne miiting men uskii jo dhulaaii kii, vo sabke saamne huii।)
चुप रहो, नहीं तो अभी तुम्हारी धुलाई हो जाएगी।
Be quiet, or you're about to get a thrashing right now.
(chup raho, nahiin to abhii tumhaarii dhulaaii ho jaaegii।)
क्रिकेट मैच हारने के बाद कप्तान की सोशल मीडिया पर जमकर धुलाई हुई।
After losing the cricket match, the captain got thoroughly thrashed on social media.
(kriket maich haarne ke baad kaptaan kii soshal miidiyaa par jamkar dhulaaii huii।)
बेटा, इतना मत बिगड़, वरना धुलाई खानी पड़ेगी।
Son, don't act up so much, or you'll have to take a thrashing.
(betaa, itnaa mat bigad, varnaa dhulaaii khaanii padegii।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
धुलाई
(dhulaaii)
(sg.f.oblique):
धुलाई
(dhulaaii)
(pl.f.direct):
धुलाईएँ
(dhulaaiien)
(pl.f.oblique):
धुलाईओं
(dhulaaiion)