किरण (kiran)

noun A single concrete sense: a ray or beam of light, most often sunlight; also lives on as a common girl's given name.
Sense 1 : ray, beam (of light)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: रश्मि (rashmi, literary), प्रकाश-रेखा (prakaash-rekhaa, rare)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will meet किरण (kiran) constantly in the poetic-but-everyday phrase सूरज की किरणें (sooraj kii kirnen, 'the sun's rays') or उम्मीद की किरण (ummiid kii kiran, 'a ray of hope') -- that second, figurative use is extremely common in ordinary speech and news headlines, not just literature. It is also a widely used women's first name in North India, so do not be surprised to hear it as someone's name in conversation.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes treat किरण (kiran) as masculine because of its sound pattern -- it is feminine, so सूरज की एक किरण (sooraj kii ek kiran, 'a ray of the sun') takes feminine agreement throughout.
Sample Sentences:
सुबह की पहली किरण खिड़की से आ रही थी। The first ray of morning was coming in through the window.
(subah kii pahlii kiran khidkii se aa rahii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
सूरज की किरणें पेड़ों के बीच से छन कर आती हैं। The sun's rays filter through between the trees.
(sooraj kii kirnen pedon ke biich se chhan kar aatii hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
इस अंधेरे में मुझे उम्मीद की एक किरण दिखी। In this darkness, I saw a ray of hope.
(is andhere men mujhe ummiid kii ek kiran dikhii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
डॉक्टरों ने कहा कि यह दवा मरीज़ के लिए उम्मीद की किरण बन सकती है। The doctors said this medicine could become a ray of hope for the patient.
(doktron ne kahaa ki yah davaa mariiz ke lie ummiid kii kiran ban saktii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर बादल न होते तो किरणें सीधे ज़मीन पर पड़ती। If there were no clouds, the rays would fall straight on the ground.
(agar baadal n hote to kirnen siidhe zamiin par padtii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
पर्दा हटाओ, थोड़ी किरणें कमरे में आने दो। Move the curtain aside, let some rays into the room.
(pardaa hataao, thodii kirnen kamre men aane do।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
वैज्ञानिकों ने पता लगाया है कि ये किरणें त्वचा के लिए हानिकारक होती हैं। Scientists have found that these rays are harmful to the skin.
(vaigyaanikon ne pataa lagaayaa hai ki ye kirnen tvachaa ke lie haanikaarak hotii hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सूखे से जूझते किसानों को सरकार की नई योजना उम्मीद की किरण लगी। To the farmers struggling with drought, the government's new scheme felt like a ray of hope.
(sookhe se joojhte kisaanon ko sarkaar kii naii yojnaa ummiid kii kiran lagii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
शीशे से टकरा कर किरण कई रंगों में बँट गई। Striking the glass, the ray split into many colors.
(shiishe se takraa kar kiran kaii rangon men bant gaii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अंधकार में एक किरण भी राह दिखा देती है। Even a single ray shows the way in the darkness.
(andhkaar men ek kiran bhii raah dikhaa detii hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या तुमने कभी सूरज की किरणों को पानी पर नाचते देखा है? Have you ever seen the sun's rays dancing on the water?
(kyaa tumne kabhii sooraj kii kirnon ko paanii par naachte dekhaa hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): किरण (kiran)
(sg.f.oblique): किरण (kiran)
(pl.f.direct): किरणें (kirnen)
(pl.f.oblique): किरणों (kirnon)