कोयला (koylaa)
noun
A concrete noun meaning 'coal' or 'charcoal' -- the black fuel used in stoves, tandoors, and industry -- with a common figurative sense describing something or someone turned pitch-black or morally 'blackened'.
Sense
1
:
coal, charcoal (the fuel)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: अंगार (angaar, embers/glowing coal, not identical), कार्बन (kaarban, technical/chemical term)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: In Delhi-NCR you will still hear कोयले की अंगीठी (koyle kii angiithii, 'coal brazier') mentioned by older folks who remember winters before gas heaters became common, and roadside vendors roasting corn or peanuts over कोयला (koylaa) is a familiar sight even today. It is also the word behind India's coal-mining belt (Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh), so you will meet it often in news about energy and mining.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse कोयला (koylaa) with अंगारा (angaaraa) -- कोयला is the raw fuel (coal/charcoal), while अंगारा refers specifically to a live, glowing ember. 2) In cooking contexts (tandoor, barbecue), कोयला (koylaa) is the standard word for the charcoal used, not 'चारकोल' which is rarely heard in everyday speech despite being borrowed in writing.
Sample Sentences:
सर्दियों में दादी कोयले की अंगीठी जलाती थीं।
In winters, grandmother used to light a coal brazier.
(sardiyon men daadii koyle kii angiithii jalaatii thiin।)
वह ठेले वाला कोयले पर भुट्टा भून रहा है।
That cart vendor is roasting corn on coal.
(vah thele vaalaa koyle par bhuttaa bhoon rahaa hai।)
भारत का ज़्यादातर कोयला झारखंड और छत्तीसगढ़ से निकलता है।
Most of India's coal comes from Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
(bhaarat kaa zyaadaatar koylaa jhaarkhand aur chhattiisgadh se nikaltaa hai।)
सरकार ने कोयले की कीमतों में बढ़ोतरी की घोषणा की।
The government announced an increase in coal prices.
(sarkaar ne koyle kii kiimton men badhotrii kii ghoshnaa kii।)
इस खदान से हर साल लाखों टन कोयला निकाला जाता है।
Millions of tons of coal are extracted from this mine every year.
(is khadaan se har saal laakhon tan koylaa nikaalaa jaataa hai।)
अंगीठी में थोड़ा कोयला डाल दो, ठंड बढ़ रही है।
Put a bit more coal in the brazier, it's getting cold.
(angiithii men thodaa koylaa daal do, thand badh rahii hai।)
अगर कोयला महंगा न होता तो बिजली के बिल कम आते।
If coal weren't so expensive, electricity bills would be lower.
(agar koylaa mahangaa n hotaa to bijlii ke bil kam aate।)
शायद इस साल कोयले का उत्पादन पिछले साल से ज़्यादा हो।
Perhaps coal production this year will be higher than last year.
(shaayad is saal koyle kaa utpaadan pichhle saal se zyaadaa ho।)
पुराने ज़माने में लोग कोयले की भट्टी पर खाना बनाते थे।
In older times, people used to cook on a coal stove.
(puraane zamaane men log koyle kii bhattii par khaanaa banaate the।)
आने वाले सालों में कोयले पर निर्भरता कम होगी।
In the coming years, dependence on coal will decrease.
(aane vaale saalon men koyle par nirbhartaa kam hogii।)
कोयले का धुआँ पूरे कमरे में फैल गया था।
The smoke from the coal had spread through the whole room.
(koyle kaa dhuaan poore kamre men phail gayaa thaa।)
Sense
2
:
something blackened or soot-covered (figurative)
noun, masculine Used almost always in the fixed comparison कोयले जैसा/सा (koyle jaisaa, 'black as coal') or in the idiom मुँह कोयला होना (munh koylaa honaa, 'to be disgraced/have one's face blackened').
Synonyms: काला (kaalaa, as an adjective substitute, not a true synonym)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: The idiom मुँह काला करना/होना (munh kaalaa karnaa, 'to blacken the face') is far more common than the कोयला version, but you will still hear कोयला होना (koylaa honaa) used the same way in scoldings, like a parent saying 'तुमने मेरा मुँह कोयला कर दिया' ('you have blackened my face/disgraced me'). It taps into a wider Hindi idiom family where the face (मुँह) is the seat of honor and reputation.
Common Mistakes: 1) मुँह कोयला होना (munh koylaa honaa) does not literally mean a dirty face -- it is an idiom for public disgrace or shame, similar to 'to blacken one's name' in English, and learners sometimes take it too literally.
Sample Sentences:
तुमने मेरा मुँह कोयला कर दिया।
You have blackened my face (disgraced me).
(tumne meraa munh koylaa kar diyaa।)
बेटे की इस हरकत से बाप का मुँह कोयला हो गया।
Because of the son's act, the father's face turned black with shame.
(bete kii is harkat se baap kaa munh koylaa ho gayaa।)
ऐसा मत करो, वरना सबके सामने मेरा मुँह कोयला हो जाएगा।
Don't do that, or my face will be blackened in front of everyone.
(aisaa mat karo, varnaa sabke saamne meraa munh koylaa ho jaaegaa।)
अगर वह झूठ पकड़ा जाता, तो परिवार का मुँह कोयला हो जाता।
If that lie had been caught, the family's face would have turned black with shame.
(agar vah jhooth pakdaa jaataa, to parivaar kaa munh koylaa ho jaataa।)
बेटी, ऐसा काम मत करना जिससे मेरा मुँह कोयला हो जाए।
Daughter, don't do anything that would blacken my face.
(betii, aisaa kaam mat karnaa jisse meraa munh koylaa ho jaae।)
माँ हमेशा कहती थी कि गलत रास्ते पर चलने से मुँह कोयला हो जाता है।
Mother always used to say that walking the wrong path turns one's face black with shame.
(maan hameshaa kahtii thii ki galat raaste par chalne se munh koylaa ho jaataa hai।)
समाज के सामने उसका मुँह कोयला किया जा रहा था।
His face was being blackened (his reputation was being destroyed) in front of society.
(samaaj ke saamne uskaa munh koylaa kiyaa jaa rahaa thaa।)
अरे, तूने तो पूरे खानदान का मुँह कोयला कर दिया!
Hey, you've blackened the whole family's name!
(are, toone to poore khaandaan kaa munh koylaa kar diyaa!)
देखना, कहीं तुम्हारी इस लापरवाही से मेरा मुँह कोयला न हो जाए।
Watch out, lest your carelessness end up blackening my face.
(dekhnaa, kahiin tumhaarii is laaparvaahii se meraa munh koylaa n ho jaae।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
कोयला
(koylaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
कोयले
(koyle)
(pl.m.direct):
कोयले
(koyle)
(pl.m.oblique):
कोयलों
(koylon)