भानजी (bhaanjii)

noun A kinship term meaning 'sister's daughter, niece' (bhaanjii) -- the female counterpart of भानजा (bhaanjaa, 'sister's son, nephew').
Sense 1 : niece (sister's daughter)
noun, feminine
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: Hindi kinship terms are much more precise than English ones -- there's no single catch-all word for 'niece,' because which sibling the child belongs to (and on which side) genuinely matters in how families are organized and addressed. Compare भानजा (bhaanjaa) for the male version, and note the parallel pair भतीजा/भतीजी (bhatiijaa/bhatiijii) on the brother's side.
Common Mistakes: 1) English 'niece' covers both a brother's and a sister's daughter, but Hindi distinguishes them: भानजी (bhaanjii) is specifically the sister's daughter, while भतीजी (bhatiijii) is the brother's daughter. Learners often use one term for both without realizing native speakers always specify which side of the family.
Sample Sentences:
यह मेरी भानजी है। This is my niece.
(yah merii bhaanjii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मेरी भानजी दिल्ली में रहती है। My niece lives in Delhi.
(merii bhaanjii dillii men rahtii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मेरी बहन की बेटी यानी मेरी भानजी अगले महीने शादी कर रही है। My sister's daughter, that is, my niece, is getting married next month.
(merii bahan kii betii yaanii merii bhaanjii agle mahiine shaadii kar rahii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पिछले साल मेरी भानजी हमारे घर आई थी। Last year my niece came to our house.
(pichhle saal merii bhaanjii hamaare ghar aaii thii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर मेरी भानजी यहाँ होती, तो वह भी इस पार्टी में शामिल होती। If my niece were here, she would have joined this party too.
(agar merii bhaanjii yahaan hotii, to vah bhii is paartii men shaamil hotii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
काश मेरी भानजी इस साल दिवाली पर आ पाती। I wish my niece could have come this Diwali.
(kaash merii bhaanjii is saal divaalii par aa paatii।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
मैंने अपनी भानजी को जन्मदिन पर एक किताब दी। I gave my niece a book for her birthday.
(mainne apnii bhaanjii ko janmdin par ek kitaab dii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हारी भानजी भी इस स्कूल में पढ़ती है? Does your niece also study at this school?
(kyaa tumhaarii bhaanjii bhii is skool men padhtii hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
श्रीमती वर्मा ने अपनी भानजी को घर आने का निमंत्रण दिया। Mrs. Verma invited her niece to come home.
(shriimtii varmaa ne apnii bhaanjii ko ghar aane kaa nimantran diyaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
उसकी भानजी द्वारा भेजा गया उपहार सबको बहुत पसंद आया। The gift sent by her niece was very much liked by everyone.
(uskii bhaanjii dvaaraa bhejaa gayaa upahaar sabko bahut pasand aayaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): भानजी (bhaanjii)
(sg.f.oblique): भानजी (bhaanjii)
(pl.f.direct): भानजियाँ (bhaanjiyaan)
(pl.f.oblique): भानजियों (bhaanjiyon)