मक्खन (makkhan)

noun Primarily the dairy product 'butter' (makkhan); also lives in a very common idiom for flattery -- 'applying butter' to someone means buttering them up.

Sense 1 : butter (dairy product)

noun, masculine

Frequency: high

Cultural Note: In North Indian kitchens मक्खन (makkhan) usually means the fresh, home-churned white butter (as opposed to salted table butter, which is often called 'butter' in English or amul butter by brand), the kind associated with Krishna as makhan-chor, the 'butter thief', in childhood stories and bhajans.

Sample Sentences:

माँ रोज़ सुबह ताज़ा मक्खन निकालती है। Mom takes out fresh butter every morning.

(maan roz subah taazaa makkhan nikaaltii hai।)

कृष्ण बचपन में मटकी से मक्खन चुराकर खाते थे। As a child, Krishna used to steal butter from the pot and eat it.

(krishn bachpan men matkii se makkhan churaakar khaate the।)

परांठे पर थोड़ा मक्खन लगा दो। Put a little butter on the paratha.

(paraanthe par thodaa makkhan lagaa do।)

दही से मक्खन निकाला जाता है और फिर उसे गर्म करके घी बनाया जाता है। Butter is extracted from curd and then it is heated to make ghee.

(dahii se makkhan nikaalaa jaataa hai aur phir use garm karke ghii banaayaa jaataa hai।)

अगर घर में मक्खन होता तो मैं मक्खन-रोटी बना लेती। If there were butter at home, I would have made buttered roti.

(agar ghar men makkhan hotaa to main makkhan-rotii banaa letii।)

उसने डबल रोटी पर मक्खन लगाकर खाई। He spread butter on the bread and ate it.

(usne dabal rotii par makkhan lagaakar khaaii।)

क्या तुम बाज़ार से आधा किलो मक्खन ले आओगे? Will you bring half a kilo of butter from the market?

(kyaa tum baazaar se aadhaa kilo makkhan le aaoge?)

यह मक्खन इतना मुलायम है कि रोटी में तुरंत घुल जाता है। This butter is so soft that it melts into the roti instantly.

(yah makkhan itnaa mulaayam hai ki rotii men turant ghul jaataa hai।)

नानी चाहती हैं कि हम हफ्ते में एक बार घर का मक्खन ज़रूर खाएँ। Grandma wants us to eat homemade butter at least once a week.

(naanii chaahtii hain ki ham haphte men ek baar ghar kaa makkhan zaroor khaaen।)

मंदिर में भोग के लिए सफ़ेद मक्खन चढ़ाया गया। White butter was offered as prasad at the temple.

(mandir men bhog ke lie safed makkhan chadhaayaa gayaa।)

फ्रिज में मक्खन रखा है, तुम निकाल लो। Butter is kept in the fridge, you can take it out.

(phrij men makkhan rakhaa hai, tum nikaal lo।)

Sense 2 : flattery (idiomatic, 'buttering up')

noun, masculine Almost always appears inside the fixed expression मक्खन लगाना (makkhan lagaanaa, 'to apply butter') meaning to flatter someone, often to get a favor.

Synonyms: चापलूसी (chaaploosii), चिकनी-चुपड़ी बातें (chiknii-chupdii baaten, flattering talk)

Frequency: medium

Cultural Note: Calling someone a मक्खनबाज़ (makkhanbaaz, a smooth flatterer) or saying मत मक्खन लगा (mat makkhan lagaa, 'don't butter me up') is everyday, slightly teasing office and college banter in Delhi-NCR -- it pokes fun at someone being obviously sweet-talky to get something out of you.

Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to use मक्खन (makkhan) alone to mean 'flattery' -- the idiomatic sense really only exists inside the verb phrase मक्खन लगाना (makkhan lagaanaa), not as a standalone noun for the concept.

Sample Sentences:

मत मक्खन लगा, मुझे पता है तुझे क्या चाहिए। Don't butter me up, I know what you want.

(mat makkhan lagaa, mujhe pataa hai tujhe kyaa chaahie।)

वो बॉस के सामने इतना मक्खन लगाता है कि देखा नहीं जाता। He butters up the boss so much that it's hard to watch.

(vo bos ke saamne itnaa makkhan lagaataa hai ki dekhaa nahiin jaataa।)

उसने इतना मक्खन लगाया कि टीचर ने उसे आगे की सीट दे दी। He flattered her so much that the teacher gave him the front seat.

(usne itnaa makkhan lagaayaa ki tiichar ne use aage kii siit de dii।)

यार, इतना मक्खन मत लगा, अपनी बात सीधे बता। Dude, stop with so much flattery, just say your point directly.

(yaar, itnaa makkhan mat lagaa, apnii baat siidhe bataa।)

उसका मक्खन काम कर गया और उसे प्रोजेक्ट मिल गया। His flattery worked and he got the project.

(uskaa makkhan kaam kar gayaa aur use projekt mil gayaa।)

अगर तू सच में मक्खन नहीं लगा रहा होता, तो मैं तेरी बात मान लेता। If you really weren't flattering me, I would have believed you.

(agar too sach men makkhan nahiin lagaa rahaa hotaa, to main terii baat maan letaa।)

क्या वो सच में मेरी तारीफ कर रहा है या बस मक्खन लगा रहा है? Is he really praising me, or just buttering me up?

(kyaa vo sach men merii taariiph kar rahaa hai yaa bas makkhan lagaa rahaa hai?)

दफ्तर में सबको पता है कि वो मक्खनबाज़ी में माहिर है। Everyone in the office knows he's an expert at buttering people up.

(daphtar men sabko pataa hai ki vo makkhanbaazii men maahir hai।)

इंटरव्यू में थोड़ा मक्खन लगाना पड़ता है, वरना नौकरी नहीं मिलती। You have to do a bit of flattering in interviews, otherwise you don't get the job.

(intravyoo men thodaa makkhan lagaanaa padtaa hai, varnaa naukrii nahiin miltii।)

उसकी बातों में इतना मक्खन था कि मैनेजर पिघल गया। There was so much flattery in his words that the manager melted.

(uskii baaton men itnaa makkhan thaa ki mainejar pighal gayaa।)

Morphology

Noun

(sg.m.direct): मक्खन (makkhan)

(sg.m.oblique): मक्खन (makkhan)

(pl.m.direct): मक्खन (makkhan)

(pl.m.oblique): मक्खनों (makkhnon)