चादर (chaadar)
noun
Mainly a household noun for a large sheet of cloth -- a bedsheet or a shawl-like wrap -- with a well-known idiom about living within one's means and a devotional sense tied to shrines.
Sense
1
:
bedsheet
noun, feminine
Synonyms: बिछावन (bichhaavan, less common)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word you will hear a mother say when telling a child to spread the चादर (chaadar) on the bed before guests arrive -- it is a staple of household vocabulary, right up there with तकिया (takiyaa, pillow) and रजाई (rajaaii, quilt).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for शीट (shiit) from English, but चादर (chaadar) is the natural word Hindi speakers use for a bedsheet in daily conversation.
Sample Sentences:
बेड पर नई चादर बिछा दो, मेहमान आते ही होंगे।
Spread a new sheet on the bed, the guests must be about to arrive.
(bed par naii chaadar bichhaa do, mehmaan aate hii honge।)
यह चादर हफ्ते में एक बार धोई जाती है।
This sheet is washed once a week.
(yah chaadar haphte men ek baar dhoii jaatii hai।)
मैंने कल रात चादर बदली थी।
I had changed the sheet last night.
(mainne kal raat chaadar badlii thii।)
बच्चा चादर लपेटे हुए सो रहा है।
The child is sleeping wrapped in the sheet.
(bachchaa chaadar lapete hue so rahaa hai।)
अगर चादर साफ होती तो मैं उस पर लेट जाता।
If the sheet were clean, I would lie down on it.
(agar chaadar saaph hotii to main us par let jaataa।)
क्या तुम चादर उतार कर धोबी को दे दोगी?
Will you take the sheet off and give it to the washerman?
(kyaa tum chaadar utaar kar dhobii ko de dogii?)
गद्दे पर चादर बिछाई जा रही थी जब मेहमान पहुँच गए।
The sheet was being spread on the mattress when the guests arrived.
(gadde par chaadar bichhaaii jaa rahii thii jab mehmaan pahunch gae।)
शायद चादर अभी भी अलमारी में हो।
Perhaps the sheet is still in the cupboard.
(shaayad chaadar abhii bhii almaarii men ho।)
माँ बोलती थी कि हर इतवार चादर ज़रूर बदलो।
Mother used to say to definitely change the sheet every Sunday.
(maan boltii thii ki har itvaar chaadar zaroor badlo।)
होटल के कमरे की चादर बहुत मुलायम थी।
The hotel room's sheet was very soft.
(hotal ke kamre kii chaadar bahut mulaayam thii।)
इतनी झुर्रीदार चादर देखकर मेहमान क्या सोचेंगे?
Seeing such a wrinkled sheet, what will the guests think?
(itnii jhurriidaar chaadar dekhkar mehmaan kyaa sochenge?)
Sense
2
:
shawl or large wrap
noun, feminine
Synonyms: दुपट्टा (dupattaa, smaller, worn differently)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In colder months you will see people wrap a चादर (chaadar) around their shoulders like a light shawl while sitting outside in the winter sun -- it is bigger and plainer than a दुपट्टा (dupattaa) and used more for warmth than for style.
Sample Sentences:
सर्दियों में दादाजी धूप में बैठकर कंधों पर चादर ओढ़ लेते हैं।
In winter, grandfather sits in the sun and wraps a shawl around his shoulders.
(sardiyon men daadaajii dhoop men baithkar kandhon par chaadar odh lete hain।)
ठंड लग रही है, ज़रा वह चादर तो दे दो।
I'm feeling cold, just hand me that shawl.
(thand lag rahii hai, zaraa vah chaadar to de do।)
उसने पूरे शरीर पर मोटी चादर लपेट रखी थी।
She had wrapped a thick shawl around her whole body.
(usne poore shariir par motii chaadar lapet rakhii thii।)
अगर तुम्हारे पास चादर होती, तो इतनी ठंड नहीं लगती।
If you had a shawl, you wouldn't be feeling this cold.
(agar tumhaare paas chaadar hotii, to itnii thand nahiin lagtii।)
बाज़ार से एक अच्छी ऊनी चादर ले आना।
Bring back a good woolen shawl from the market.
(baazaar se ek achchhii oonii chaadar le aanaa।)
स्टेशन पर एक बूढ़ा आदमी चादर ओढ़े हुए बैठा था।
An old man sat at the station, wrapped in a shawl.
(steshan par ek boodhaa aadmii chaadar odhe hue baithaa thaa।)
क्या तुम चाहती हो कि मैं तुम्हें एक चादर लाकर दूँ?
Do you want me to bring you a shawl?
(kyaa tum chaahtii ho ki main tumhen ek chaadar laakar doon?)
सर्दी की शाम में चादर के बिना बाहर मत निकलो।
Don't go out on a winter evening without a shawl.
(sardii kii shaam men chaadar ke binaa baahar mat niklo।)
पहाड़ों पर तो लोग रातभर चादर ओढ़े रहते हैं, फिर भी ठंड नहीं जाती।
In the mountains people stay wrapped in shawls all night, yet the cold doesn't go away.
(pahaadon par to log raatbhar chaadar odhe rahte hain, phir bhii thand nahiin jaatii।)
उसकी पुरानी चादर धूप में धीरे-धीरे सुखाई जा रही थी।
Her old shawl was slowly being dried in the sun.
(uskii puraanii chaadar dhoop men dhiire-dhiire sukhaaii jaa rahii thii।)
Sense
3
:
ceremonial cloth offered at a shrine
noun, feminine
Frequency: devotional
Cultural Note: At a dargah (dargaah) or Sufi shrine, devotees offer a green or embroidered चादर (chaadar) over the saint's grave as an act of reverence -- you will often hear the phrase चादर चढ़ाना (chaadar chadhaanaa, 'to offer a ceremonial cloth') in this context.
Sample Sentences:
हर साल उर्स के मौके पर लोग दरगाह पर चादर चढ़ाते हैं।
Every year on the occasion of the urs, people offer a ceremonial cloth at the dargah.
(har saal urs ke mauke par log dargaah par chaadar chadhaate hain।)
उसने मन्नत पूरी होने पर संत की मज़ार पर चादर चढ़ाई।
When his wish was fulfilled, he offered a ceremonial cloth at the saint's grave.
(usne mannat poorii hone par sant kii mazaar par chaadar chadhaaii।)
आइए, हम सब मिलकर बाबा की दरगाह पर चादर चढ़ाएँ।
Come, let us all together offer a ceremonial cloth at Baba's dargah.
(aaie, ham sab milkar baabaa kii dargaah par chaadar chadhaaen।)
मज़ार पर हरे रंग की चादर बड़े आदर से रखी गई थी।
A green ceremonial cloth had been placed on the grave with great reverence.
(mazaar par hare rang kii chaadar bade aadar se rakhii gaii thii।)
जब भी वह अजमेर जाता है, ख़्वाजा साहब की दरगाह पर चादर ज़रूर चढ़ाता है।
Whenever he goes to Ajmer, he always offers a ceremonial cloth at Khwaja Sahib's dargah.
(jab bhii vah ajmer jaataa hai, khvaajaa saahab kii dargaah par chaadar zaroor chadhaataa hai।)
अगर उसकी मुराद पूरी होती, तो वह सोने की ज़री वाली चादर चढ़ाता।
If his wish had been fulfilled, he would have offered a cloth embroidered with gold thread.
(agar uskii muraad poorii hotii, to vah sone kii zarii vaalii chaadar chadhaataa।)
भक्त कतार में खड़े होकर बारी-बारी से चादर चढ़ा रहे थे।
The devotees were standing in a line, offering the ceremonial cloth one by one.
(bhakt kataar men khade hokar baarii-baarii se chaadar chadhaa rahe the।)
क्या तुमने कभी किसी सूफ़ी संत की दरगाह पर चादर चढ़ाई है?
Have you ever offered a ceremonial cloth at any Sufi saint's dargah?
(kyaa tumne kabhii kisii soofii sant kii dargaah par chaadar chadhaaii hai?)
श्रद्धालु अपनी मन्नत के साथ फूल और चादर लेकर आए थे।
The devotees had come bearing flowers and a ceremonial cloth along with their wish.
(shraddhaalu apnii mannat ke saath phool aur chaadar lekar aae the।)
Sense
4
:
idiom: living within one's means
noun, feminine Lives almost entirely in the fixed idiom जितनी चादर हो उतने पैर फैलाना (jitnii chaadar ho utne pair phailaanaa, 'stretch your legs only as far as the sheet allows') -- meaning to live within one's means.
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This proverb is something elders say often, especially about money -- if a young person overspends, someone might gently remind them: जितनी चादर हो उतने पैर फैलाओ (jitnii chaadar ho utne pair phailaao, 'stretch your legs only as far as your sheet allows'), meaning don't live beyond your means.
Common Mistakes: 1) This chadar is figurative, not a literal bedsheet -- learners should recognize the whole idiom rather than translating word by word.
Sample Sentences:
जितनी चादर हो उतने पैर फैलाने चाहिए।
One should stretch one's legs only as far as the sheet allows.
(jitnii chaadar ho utne pair phailaane chaahie।)
बेटा, जितनी चादर हो उतने पैर फैलाओ, वरना कर्ज़ में डूब जाओगे।
Son, live within your means, or you'll drown in debt.
(betaa, jitnii chaadar ho utne pair phailaao, varnaa karz men doob jaaoge।)
उसने नई कार तो खरीद ली, पर अपनी चादर से ज़्यादा पैर फैला लिए।
He bought the new car, but he stretched his legs further than his sheet allowed.
(usne naii kaar to khariid lii, par apnii chaadar se zyaadaa pair phailaa lie।)
अगर वह अपनी चादर देखकर खर्च करता तो आज परेशान न होता।
If he had spent according to his means, he wouldn't be in trouble today.
(agar vah apnii chaadar dekhkar kharch kartaa to aaj pareshaan n hotaa।)
पापा हमेशा कहते हैं कि अपनी चादर देखकर ही पैर फैलाने चाहिए।
Dad always says one should stretch one's legs only after looking at one's sheet.
(paapaa hameshaa kahte hain ki apnii chaadar dekhkar hii pair phailaane chaahie।)
क्या तुमने कभी सोचा है कि तुम्हारी चादर कितनी बड़ी है?
Have you ever thought about how big your means actually are?
(kyaa tumne kabhii sochaa hai ki tumhaarii chaadar kitnii badii hai?)
गृहस्थी चलाने के लिए ज़रूरी है कि इंसान अपनी चादर के हिसाब से ही पैर फैलाए।
To run a household, it is necessary that a person stretch their legs according to their means.
(grihasthii chalaane ke lie zaroorii hai ki insaan apnii chaadar ke hisaab se hii pair phailaae।)
शादी की तैयारियों में उन्होंने अपनी चादर से ज़्यादा पैर फैला दिए और अब कर्ज़ चुका रहे हैं।
In the wedding preparations they overspent beyond their means, and now they're paying off the debt.
(shaadii kii taiyaariyon men unhonne apnii chaadar se zyaadaa pair phailaa die aur ab karz chukaa rahe hain।)
कंपनी को घाटे से बचना है तो अपनी चादर के मुताबिक ही खर्च करना होगा।
If the company wants to avoid losses, it will have to spend only according to its means.
(kampnii ko ghaate se bachnaa hai to apnii chaadar ke mutaabik hii kharch karnaa hogaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
चादर
(chaadar)
(sg.f.oblique):
चादर
(chaadar)
(pl.f.direct):
चादरें
(chaadren)
(pl.f.oblique):
चादरों
(chaadron)