भात (bhaat)
noun
A regional/everyday word for cooked rice, distinct from the more common चावल (chaaval) which usually refers to uncooked rice grains; भात (bhaat) is the cooked staple served at a meal.
Sense
1
:
cooked rice (as a food/meal staple)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: चावल (chaaval, usually means uncooked rice but also used for the cooked dish), उबले चावल (uble chaaval)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In many North and East Indian homes, दाल-भात (daal-bhaat, 'lentils and rice') is the classic comfort-food combination, similar to how 'rice and dal' functions as an everyday staple in Nepali and Bihari/Bengali households alike. The word carries a homely, unpretentious warmth that चावल (chaaval) alone doesn't quite capture.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use चावल (chaaval) for everything rice-related; भात (bhaat) specifically evokes the plain boiled/steamed rice as served on a plate, especially in eastern and northern regional households, and sounds more homely than चावल (chaaval) in a restaurant-menu sense.
Sample Sentences:
माँ ने गरमागरम भात बनाया है।
Mother has made hot, fresh rice.
(maan ne garmaagram bhaat banaayaa hai।)
हमारे घर में रोज़ दाल-भात बनता है।
In our house, dal-rice is made every day.
(hamaare ghar men roz daal-bhaat bantaa hai।)
बचपन में हम दादी के हाथ का भात खाते थे।
In childhood, we used to eat rice made by grandmother's hand.
(bachpan men ham daadii ke haath kaa bhaat khaate the।)
भात थोड़ा कम पकाना, वरना चिपचिपा हो जाएगा।
Cook the rice a little less, or else it will get sticky.
(bhaat thodaa kam pakaanaa, varnaa chipchipaa ho jaaegaa।)
अगर घर में दाल-भात मिल जाए तो और कुछ नहीं चाहिए।
If we get dal-rice at home, nothing else is needed.
(agar ghar men daal-bhaat mil jaae to aur kuchh nahiin chaahie।)
अगर वो थोड़ा भात और बना देती तो सबका पेट भर जाता।
If she had made a little more rice, everyone would have had enough to eat.
(agar vo thodaa bhaat aur banaa detii to sabkaa pet bhar jaataa।)
थाली में भात परोसा जा रहा है।
Rice is being served on the plate.
(thaalii men bhaat parosaa jaa rahaa hai।)
मज़दूरों को दिन में दो बार दाल-भात दिया जाता है।
The laborers are given dal-rice twice a day.
(mazdooron ko din men do baar daal-bhaat diyaa jaataa hai।)
थकान के बाद बस एक कटोरी भात ही याद आता है।
After tiredness, all I remember longing for is just a bowl of rice.
(thakaan ke baad bas ek katorii bhaat hii yaad aataa hai।)
क्या आप शाम के खाने में भात लेना पसंद करेंगे?
Would you like to have rice for dinner?
(kyaa aap shaam ke khaane men bhaat lenaa pasand karenge?)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
भात
(bhaat)
(sg.m.oblique):
भात
(bhaat)
(pl.m.direct):
भात
(bhaat)
(pl.m.oblique):
भातों
(bhaaton)