खादी (khaadii)
noun
A single, culturally loaded sense: hand-spun, hand-woven cloth, and by extension the fabric's association with Gandhian self-reliance and Indian politics.
Sense
1
:
hand-spun, hand-woven cotton cloth
noun, feminine
Synonyms: खादी का कपड़ा (khaadii kaa kapdaa, full phrase)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: खादी (khaadii) is inseparable from Gandhi's Swadeshi movement -- he promoted spinning it on the चरखा (charkhaa, 'spinning wheel') as a symbol of self-reliance and resistance to British textile imports. Today it's still worn by many Indian politicians and officials as a mark of simplicity and nationalist identity, so the word carries political and moral weight beyond just describing cloth.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes treat खादी (khaadii) as just a generic word for 'cotton'; it specifically means hand-spun and hand-woven cloth, not any cotton fabric (सूती कपड़ा (sootii kapdaa) is the general term for cotton cloth). 2) It is often used attributively before another noun without any postposition, as in खादी कुर्ता (khaadii kurtaa, 'khadi kurta'), which can look odd to learners expecting a linking 'का (kaa)'.
Sample Sentences:
गांधी जी खादी पहनते थे।
Gandhi ji used to wear khadi.
(gaandhii jii khaadii pahante the।)
यह कुर्ता शुद्ध खादी का बना है।
This kurta is made of pure khadi.
(yah kurtaa shuddh khaadii kaa banaa hai।)
नेता जी हमेशा खादी की धोती और कुर्ता पहनते हैं।
The politician always wears a khadi dhoti and kurta.
(netaa jii hameshaa khaadii kii dhotii aur kurtaa pahante hain।)
चरखे पर सूत कात कर उन्होंने खुद खादी बनाई।
Spinning thread on the charkha, she made khadi herself.
(charkhe par soot kaat kar unhonne khud khaadii banaaii।)
अगर तुम गर्मियों में आराम से रहना चाहते हो तो खादी पहनो।
If you want to stay comfortable in summer, wear khadi.
(agar tum garmiyon men aaraam se rahnaa chaahte ho to khaadii pahno।)
काश मेरे पास भी उस दुकान की खादी जैसी अच्छी खादी होती।
I wish I had khadi as good as that from that shop.
(kaash mere paas bhii us dukaan kii khaadii jaisii achchhii khaadii hotii।)
स्वदेशी आंदोलन के दौरान खादी विदेशी कपड़ों के बहिष्कार का प्रतीक बन गई थी।
During the Swadeshi movement, khadi became a symbol of the boycott of foreign cloth.
(svadeshii aandolan ke dauraan khaadii videshii kapdon ke bahishkaar kaa pratiik ban gaii thii।)
क्या आपके पास सफेद खादी की कोई शर्ट है?
Do you have any white khadi shirt?
(kyaa aapke paas saphed khaadii kii koii shart hai?)
सरकारी दफ़्तरों में कई अफ़सर आज भी खादी पहनकर आते हैं ताकि सादगी दिखे।
Many officers in government offices still come wearing khadi even today, so that simplicity is shown.
(sarkaarii daftron men kaii afsar aaj bhii khaadii pahankar aate hain taaki saadgii dikhe।)
इस दुकान में हाथ से बुनी हुई खादी बेची जाती है।
Hand-woven khadi is sold in this shop.
(is dukaan men haath se bunii huii khaadii bechii jaatii hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
खादी
(khaadii)
(sg.f.oblique):
खादी
(khaadii)
(pl.f.direct):
खादियाँ
(khaadiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique):
खादियों
(khaadiyon)