काँच (kaanch)

noun A concrete noun meaning 'glass' (the material), as in glass panes, bottles, or shards -- not to be confused with the drinking vessel गिलास (gilaas).
Sense 1 : glass (the material)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: शीशा (shiishaa)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Think of a shopkeeper warning a child near a shelf of bangles or bottles: काँच से खेलो मत, टूट जाएगा (kaanch se khelo mat, toot jaaegaa, 'don't play with the glass, it'll break') -- काँच (kaanch) is the everyday word for the fragile, transparent material itself, whether it's a windowpane, a broken bottle, or bangles (चूड़ियाँ). Its close cousin शीशा (shiishaa) can mean both 'glass' and 'mirror,' so काँच (kaanch) is the safer, more specific choice when you mean the raw material.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for गिलास (gilaas) when they mean this word -- गिलास (gilaas) is the drinking glass (an object), while काँच (kaanch) is the raw material glass is made of, as in खिड़की का काँच (khidkii kaa kaanch, 'the window's glass'). 2) Some learners write it without the chandrabindu as कांच (kaanch); both are seen, but काँच (kaanch) with the nasalization is the standard spelling.
Sample Sentences:
काँच से खेलो मत, टूट जाएगा। Don't play with the glass, it'll break.
(kaanch se khelo mat, toot jaaegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
यह चूड़ी काँच की बनी है। This bangle is made of glass.
(yah choodii kaanch kii banii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
बच्चे ने खिड़की का काँच तोड़ दिया। The child broke the window's glass.
(bachche ne khidkii kaa kaanch tod diyaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
फर्श पर काँच के टुकड़े बिखरे पड़े हैं, संभलकर चलना। Pieces of glass are scattered on the floor, walk carefully.
(pharsh par kaanch ke tukde bikhre pade hain, sambhalkar chalnaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
काँच को रिसाइकल करना पर्यावरण के लिए अच्छा है। Recycling glass is good for the environment.
(kaanch ko risaaikal karnaa paryaavran ke lie achchhaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मजदूर रोज़ाना काँच की भट्टी में काम करते हैं। The workers work daily in the glass furnace.
(majdoor rozaanaa kaanch kii bhattii men kaam karte hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर यह काँच का होता, तो अब तक टूट चुका होता। If this were made of glass, it would have broken by now.
(agar yah kaanch kaa hotaa, to ab tak toot chukaa hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
कारीगर काँच को पिघलाकर तरह-तरह की आकृतियाँ बना रहा है। The craftsman is melting the glass and shaping it into various forms.
(kaariigar kaanch ko pighlaakar tarah-tarah kii aakritiyaan banaa rahaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस मेज़ का ऊपरी हिस्सा मोटे काँच से बना है। The top part of this table is made from thick glass.
(is mez kaa ooprii hissaa mote kaanch se banaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
कृपया काँच के सामान को संभालकर पैक करें। Please pack the glass items carefully.
(kripyaa kaanch ke saamaan ko sambhaalkar paik karen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
उस पुरानी हवेली की खिड़कियों में रंगीन काँच लगा हुआ था। Colored glass was fitted in the windows of that old mansion.
(us puraanii havelii kii khidkiyon men rangiin kaanch lagaa huaa thaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): काँच (kaanch)
(sg.m.oblique): काँच (kaanch)
(pl.m.direct): काँच (kaanch)
(pl.m.oblique): काँचों (kaanchon)