बंदी (bandii)
noun
Two distinct senses live under this spelling: a noun meaning 'prisoner/captive,' and a related noun meaning 'imprisonment/captivity' -- plus a separate feminine noun meaning 'closure/shutdown' (as in a strike or lockdown), which is a different word by origin though it looks identical in Devanagari.
Sense
1
:
prisoner, captive
noun, masculine/feminine
Synonyms: कैदी (kaidii), क़ैदी (qaidii, variant spelling)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You'll hear this word often in news reports about युद्धबंदी (yuddhbandii, 'prisoner of war') or राजनीतिक बंदी (raajniitik bandii, 'political prisoner') -- it carries a slightly more official or weighty tone than the everyday क़ैदी (qaidii).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for क़ैदी (qaidii) by default since it's more common in casual speech; बंदी (bandii) is used interchangeably but leans slightly more formal or is favored in news/legal contexts, e.g. referring to prisoners of war or political prisoners.
Sample Sentences:
सेना ने कई बंदियों को रिहा कर दिया।
The army released several prisoners.
(senaa ne kaii bandiyon ko rihaa kar diyaa।)
वह एक राजनीतिक बंदी के रूप में दस साल जेल में रहा।
He remained in prison for ten years as a political prisoner.
(vah ek raajniitik bandii ke roop men das saal jel men rahaa।)
युद्धबंदियों के साथ अच्छा व्यवहार किया जाना चाहिए।
Prisoners of war should be treated well.
(yuddhbandiyon ke saath achchhaa vyavahaar kiyaa jaanaa chaahie।)
बंदी को अदालत में पेश किया गया।
The prisoner was produced before the court.
(bandii ko adaalat men pesh kiyaa gayaa।)
अगर वह बंदी होता तो उसे भी यही सज़ा मिलती।
If he had been a prisoner, he would have received the same punishment too.
(agar vah bandii hotaa to use bhii yahii sazaa miltii।)
जेल में बंदी रोज़ सुबह व्यायाम करते हैं।
The prisoners exercise every morning in the jail.
(jel men bandii roz subah vyaayaam karte hain।)
दो देशों के बीच बंदियों की अदला-बदली पर बातचीत चल रही है।
Talks are underway between the two countries on the exchange of prisoners.
(do deshon ke biich bandiyon kii adlaa-badlii par baatchiit chal rahii hai।)
बंदियों को तुरंत मुक्त करो!
Free the prisoners immediately!
(bandiyon ko turant mukt karo!)
सरकार जल्द ही सभी राजनीतिक बंदियों को छोड़ेगी।
The government will release all political prisoners soon.
(sarkaar jald hii sabhii raajniitik bandiyon ko chhodegii।)
उस बंदी ने भागने की कोशिश की थी।
That prisoner had tried to escape.
(us bandii ne bhaagne kii koshish kii thii।)
Sense
2
:
imprisonment, captivity
noun, feminine
Synonyms: कारावास (kaaraavaas, formal), क़ैद (qaid)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This abstract sense shares its root with the 'prisoner' sense above -- think of बंदी (bandii) as both the state of being bound and the person who is bound, much like English 'captive' can (informally) shade toward 'captivity' in old-fashioned usage.
Sample Sentences:
राजा ने उसे कई वर्षों तक बंदी में रखा।
The king kept him in captivity for many years.
(raajaa ne use kaii varshon tak bandii men rakhaa।)
वह वर्षों की बंदी के बाद आज़ाद हुआ।
He was freed after years of captivity.
(vah varshon kii bandii ke baad aazaad huaa।)
बंदी में रहते हुए भी उसने अपना धैर्य नहीं खोया।
Even while in captivity, he did not lose his patience.
(bandii men rahte hue bhii usne apnaa dhairy nahiin khoyaa।)
कवि ने बंदी की पीड़ा को अपनी रचना में बड़ी मार्मिकता से चित्रित किया है।
The poet has portrayed the anguish of captivity very poignantly in his work.
(kavi ne bandii kii piidaa ko apnii rachnaa men badii maarmiktaa se chitrit kiyaa hai।)
यदि वह पकड़ा जाता, तो उसे लंबी बंदी झेलनी पड़ती।
If he had been caught, he would have had to endure a long captivity.
(yadi vah pakdaa jaataa, to use lambii bandii jhelnii padtii।)
इतिहास में ऐसे कई राजा हुए जिन्होंने अपने अंतिम दिन बंदी में बिताए।
There have been many kings in history who spent their final days in captivity.
(itihaas men aise kaii raajaa hue jinhonne apne antim din bandii men bitaae।)
बंदी से मुक्ति की आस में वह हर दिन प्रार्थना करता था।
Hoping for release from captivity, he used to pray every day.
(bandii se mukti kii aas men vah har din praarthnaa kartaa thaa।)
क्या मनुष्य कभी सच्चे अर्थों में बंदी से पूरी तरह मुक्त हो सकता है?
Can a human being ever be truly and completely free from captivity, in the real sense?
(kyaa manushy kabhii sachche arthon men bandii se poorii tarah mukt ho saktaa hai?)
Sense
3
:
shutdown, closure (of shops/business, as in a strike)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: हड़ताल (hadtaal, strike, related but not identical), बंद (band, noun form, more common)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: You'll see this in headlines like कारखाना बंदी (kaarkhaanaa bandii, 'factory shutdown') -- it's the noun-with-ी feminine form paired with the everyday बंद (band) that people actually shout about in the street.
Common Mistakes: 1) Don't confuse this with बंद (band) the more common masculine noun for a general strike/shutdown (as in 'भारत बंद' bhaarat band) -- बंदी (bandii) in this sense appears more in formal or written contexts, such as referring to the closure of a factory or business.
Sample Sentences:
हड़ताल की वजह से कारखाना बंदी हो गई।
Due to the strike, there was a factory shutdown.
(hadtaal kii vajah se kaarkhaanaa bandii ho gaii।)
अखबार में मिल बंदी की खबर छपी है।
The news of the mill shutdown has been printed in the newspaper.
(akhbaar men mil bandii kii khabar chhapii hai।)
अगर मज़दूर यूनियन नहीं मानी तो कंपनी बंदी की घोषणा कर सकती है।
If the workers' union does not agree, the company might announce a shutdown.
(agar mazdoor yooniyan nahiin maanii to kampnii bandii kii ghoshnaa kar saktii hai।)
पिछले साल इस इलाके में कई कारखानों की बंदी हुई थी।
Last year, there was a shutdown of many factories in this area.
(pichhle saal is ilaake men kaii kaarkhaanon kii bandii huii thii।)
काश यह बंदी इतनी लंबी न होती।
If only this shutdown had not been so long.
(kaash yah bandii itnii lambii n hotii।)
सरकार की नई नीति से कई छोटी फैक्ट्रियों में बंदी होती रहती है।
Because of the government's new policy, shutdowns keep happening in many small factories.
(sarkaar kii naii niiti se kaii chhotii phaiktriyon men bandii hotii rahtii hai।)
अगर मांगें पूरी नहीं हुईं तो कल से पूरी बंदी रहेगी।
If the demands are not met, there will be a complete shutdown starting tomorrow.
(agar maangen poorii nahiin huiin to kal se poorii bandii rahegii।)
बंदी के दौरान हज़ारों मज़दूर बेरोज़गार हो गए।
During the shutdown, thousands of workers became unemployed.
(bandii ke dauraan hazaaron mazdoor berozgaar ho gae।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m/f.direct):
बंदी
(bandii)
(sg.m/f.oblique):
बंदी
(bandii)
(pl.m/f.direct):
बंदियाँ
(bandiyaan)
(pl.m/f.oblique):
बंदियों
(bandiyon)