धक्का (dhakkaa)
noun
Basic meaning is a physical push or shove (dhakkaa); extends naturally to a jolt/shock (emotional or situational setback) and appears in a few very common set phrases like धक्का लगना (dhakkaa lagnaa) and धक्का देना (dhakkaa denaa).
Sense
1
:
a physical push or shove
noun, masculine
Synonyms: ठेला (thelaa, colloquial), झटका (jhatkaa, overlaps for a jolt/jerk)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this word constantly in Delhi's crowded buses and metro stations -- धक्का मत दो (dhakkaa mat do, 'don't push') is practically a public transport catchphrase. The word also shows up in धक्का-मुक्की (dhakkaa-mukkii), the reduplicated form describing general jostling and shoving in a crowd.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often use धक्का (dhakkaa) only for deliberate shoving, but it equally covers an accidental bump or jostle, like being pushed in a crowded bus. 2) The common verb pairing is धक्का देना (dhakkaa denaa, 'to give a push') or धक्का लगना (dhakkaa lagnaa, 'to receive/experience a push'), not मारना (maarnaa) as a learner might guess from English 'to give a shove.'
Sample Sentences:
मेट्रो में इतनी भीड़ थी कि किसी ने पीछे से जोर का धक्का दे दिया।
The metro was so crowded that someone gave a hard push from behind.
(metro men itnii bhiid thii ki kisii ne piichhe se jor kaa dhakkaa de diyaa।)
धक्का मत दो, लाइन में लगे रहो!
Don't push, stay in line!
(dhakkaa mat do, laain men lage raho!)
बस में चढ़ते वक्त लोग एक-दूसरे को धक्का देते हैं।
While boarding the bus, people push each other.
(bas men chadhte vakt log ek-doosre ko dhakkaa dete hain।)
गाड़ी स्टार्ट नहीं हो रही थी, इसलिए हमें उसे धक्का देना पड़ा।
The car wouldn't start, so we had to push it.
(gaadii staart nahiin ho rahii thii, islie hamen use dhakkaa denaa padaa।)
प्लेटफॉर्म पर धक्का-मुक्की में उसका बैग कहीं गिर गया।
In the jostling on the platform, his bag fell somewhere.
(pletphorm par dhakkaa-mukkii men uskaa baig kahiin gir gayaa।)
अगर भीड़ में कोई धक्का दे भी दे, तो शांति से निकल जाना।
If someone even gives you a push in the crowd, just calmly move on.
(agar bhiid men koii dhakkaa de bhii de, to shaanti se nikal jaanaa।)
ट्रेन के रुकते ही एक जोरदार धक्का लगा और सब लड़खड़ा गए।
As soon as the train stopped, there was a sudden jolt and everyone stumbled.
(tren ke rukte hii ek jordaar dhakkaa lagaa aur sab ladakhdaa gae।)
यात्रियों से अनुरोध है कि दरवाजे पर धक्का न करें।
Passengers are requested not to push at the door.
(yaatriyon se anurodh hai ki darvaaje par dhakkaa n karen।)
अगर तुमने इतनी ज़ोर से धक्का न दिया होता, तो वह गिरता नहीं।
If you hadn't pushed so hard, he wouldn't have fallen.
(agar tumne itnii zor se dhakkaa n diyaa hotaa, to vah girtaa nahiin।)
भीड़ में उसे इतना धक्का लगा कि उसका फोन हाथ से छूट गया।
He got such a jolt in the crowd that the phone slipped from his hand.
(bhiid men use itnaa dhakkaa lagaa ki uskaa phon haath se chhoot gayaa।)
दरवाजे को धक्का देकर खोलना पड़ता है, ताला थोड़ा खराब है।
You have to push the door to open it, the lock is a bit faulty.
(darvaaje ko dhakkaa dekar kholnaa padtaa hai, taalaa thodaa kharaab hai।)
Sense
2
:
a shock, jolt, or setback (figurative)
noun, masculine Common frame: [person/thing] को धक्का लगना (ko dhakkaa lagnaa) -- 'to be shocked/dealt a blow,' using a dative-subject construction the learner has already met with लगना (lagnaa).
Synonyms: झटका (jhatkaa), आघात (aaghaat, formal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is the word people use when describing an emotional gut-punch -- a sudden death in the family, a failed relationship, or unexpected bad news all get described with धक्का लगना (dhakkaa lagnaa). It captures the same 'something hit me' framing that Hindi loves, treating the shock as an external force acting on you rather than something you actively feel.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes reach for शॉक (shok, the English loanword) when धक्का (dhakkaa) is the more natural, everyday Hindi choice for news that hits you hard, like bad exam results or a business loss. 2) The subject of the shock takes को (ko), not ने (ne) -- मुझे बहुत धक्का लगा (mujhe bahut dhakkaa lagaa, 'I was quite shocked'), following the same pattern as other लगना (lagnaa) constructions.
Sample Sentences:
उसकी मौत की खबर सुनकर मुझे बहुत धक्का लगा।
Hearing the news of his death gave me a huge shock.
(uskii maut kii khabar sunkar mujhe bahut dhakkaa lagaa।)
नौकरी छूटने का धक्का वह अभी तक नहीं भूली है।
She still hasn't forgotten the shock of losing her job.
(naukrii chhootne kaa dhakkaa vah abhii tak nahiin bhoolii hai।)
अगर वह अचानक शादी तोड़ देगा तो उसे बहुत बड़ा धक्का लगेगा।
If he suddenly breaks off the marriage, it will be a huge blow to her.
(agar vah achaanak shaadii tod degaa to use bahut badaa dhakkaa lagegaa।)
पिता के गुजर जाने से पूरे परिवार को धक्का पहुँचा।
The father's passing dealt a shock to the whole family.
(pitaa ke gujar jaane se poore parivaar ko dhakkaa pahunchaa।)
काश उसे यह धक्का न सहना पड़ता।
I wish she hadn't had to bear this blow.
(kaash use yah dhakkaa n sahnaa padtaa।)
व्यापार में हुए घाटे से उसे गहरा धक्का लगा है।
The loss in business has dealt him a deep blow.
(vyaapaar men hue ghaate se use gahraa dhakkaa lagaa hai।)
यह खबर सुनकर उसे धक्का न लगे, इसलिए धीरे से बताना।
Tell her gently, so that this news doesn't shock her.
(yah khabar sunkar use dhakkaa n lage, islie dhiire se bataanaa।)
क्या तुम्हें उस दुर्घटना की खबर से धक्का नहीं लगा?
Didn't the news of that accident shock you?
(kyaa tumhen us durghatnaa kii khabar se dhakkaa nahiin lagaa?)
तलाक की खबर से उसकी माँ को गहरा धक्का पहुँचाया गया।
Her mother was dealt a deep blow by the news of the divorce.
(talaak kii khabar se uskii maan ko gahraa dhakkaa pahunchaayaa gayaa।)
इतने सारे धक्कों के बाद भी वह हिम्मत नहीं हारी।
Even after so many setbacks, she didn't lose courage.
(itne saare dhakkon ke baad bhii vah himmat nahiin haarii।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
धक्का
(dhakkaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
धक्के
(dhakke)
(pl.m.direct):
धक्के
(dhakke)
(pl.m.oblique):
धक्कों
(dhakkon)