ज्ञान (gyaan)
noun
A learned, Sanskrit-origin noun meaning 'knowledge' -- covers everyday intellectual knowledge as well as deeper philosophical/spiritual wisdom, with the two flavors captured as separate senses below.
Sense
1
:
knowledge, information, understanding of a subject
noun, masculine
Synonyms: जानकारी (jaankaarii), समझ (samajh, focuses more on understanding than facts), इल्म (ilm, colloquial)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will often hear मुझे ज्ञान मत दो (mujhe gyaan mat do, 'don't lecture me') from an annoyed friend or sibling -- ज्ञान (gyaan) here has taken on a sarcastic edge, almost like 'spare me the sermon.' It is a great example of how a lofty Sanskrit word can slide into very casual, even cheeky, everyday speech.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for जानकारी (jaankaarii) for everyday 'information' and save ज्ञान (gyaan) for something weightier -- calling basic facts ज्ञान (gyaan) can sound a bit grand or even sarcastic, like saying 'behold my vast wisdom' about trivia. 2) ज्ञान देना (gyaan denaa) idiomatically means 'to lecture/preach at someone unasked,' not literally 'to give knowledge' -- watch for this common, slightly mocking usage.
Sample Sentences:
उसे कंप्यूटर का बहुत ज्ञान है।
He has a lot of knowledge about computers.
(use kampyootar kaa bahut gyaan hai।)
मुझे ज्ञान मत दो, मुझे सब पता है।
Don't lecture me, I know it all already.
(mujhe gyaan mat do, mujhe sab pataa hai।)
इस किताब से मुझे इतिहास का बहुत ज्ञान मिला।
I gained a lot of knowledge about history from this book.
(is kitaab se mujhe itihaas kaa bahut gyaan milaa।)
अगर उसे कानून का ज्ञान होता, तो वह ऐसी गलती न करता।
If he had had knowledge of the law, he wouldn't have made such a mistake.
(agar use kaanoon kaa gyaan hotaa, to vah aisii galtii n kartaa।)
बस अपना ज्ञान अपने पास रखो, किसी ने पूछा नहीं है।
Just keep your knowledge to yourself, nobody asked.
(bas apnaa gyaan apne paas rakho, kisii ne poochhaa nahiin hai।)
छात्रों में विज्ञान का ज्ञान बढ़ाने के लिए यह कार्यक्रम शुरू किया गया।
This program was started to increase students' knowledge of science.
(chhaatron men vigyaan kaa gyaan badhaane ke lie yah kaaryakram shuroo kiyaa gayaa।)
क्या तुम्हें इस विषय का कोई ज्ञान है?
Do you have any knowledge of this subject?
(kyaa tumhen is vishay kaa koii gyaan hai?)
शिक्षक हमेशा अपना ज्ञान बच्चों तक पहुँचाने की कोशिश करते हैं।
Teachers always try to pass on their knowledge to children.
(shikshak hameshaa apnaa gyaan bachchon tak pahunchaane kii koshish karte hain।)
अरे यार, फिर से अपना ज्ञान बाँटने लगा!
Oh man, he's started spouting his wisdom again!
(are yaar, phir se apnaa gyaan baantne lagaa!)
इस क्षेत्र में आपका ज्ञान वाकई काबिले-तारीफ है।
Your knowledge in this field is truly admirable.
(is kshetr men aapkaa gyaan vaakaii kaabile-taariiph hai।)
शायद उसे इस मामले का ज्ञान न हो।
Perhaps he doesn't have knowledge of this matter.
(shaayad use is maamle kaa gyaan n ho।)
Sense
2
:
spiritual wisdom, enlightenment, higher realization
noun, masculine
Synonyms: बोध (bodh, literary), विवेक (vivek, leans toward discernment/judgment rather than realization)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In Hindu philosophy, ज्ञान (gyaan) is the path of wisdom/realization, distinguished from भक्ति (bhakti, devotion) and कर्म (karm, action) as one of the three classic margs to liberation -- you'll meet this contrast in the Bhagavad Gita and in everyday religious discourse alike. A person seen as spiritually wise is called ज्ञानी (gyaanii).
Sample Sentences:
ज्ञान की प्राप्ति के लिए गुरु की शरण में जाना पड़ता है।
To attain spiritual wisdom, one must seek refuge with a guru.
(gyaan kii praapti ke lie guru kii sharan men jaanaa padtaa hai।)
गीता में ज्ञान मार्ग को भक्ति और कर्म के समान ही महत्वपूर्ण बताया गया है।
In the Gita, the path of wisdom is described as just as important as devotion and action.
(giitaa men gyaan maarg ko bhakti aur karm ke samaan hii mahatvpoorn bataayaa gayaa hai।)
साधु ने कहा कि सच्चा ज्ञान अनुभव से आता है, किताबों से नहीं।
The sadhu said that true wisdom comes from experience, not from books.
(saadhu ne kahaa ki sachchaa gyaan anubhav se aataa hai, kitaabon se nahiin।)
वर्षों की तपस्या के बाद उन्हें आत्मज्ञान प्राप्त हुआ।
After years of austerity, he attained self-realization.
(varshon kii tapasyaa ke baad unhen aatmgyaan praapt huaa।)
काश मुझे भी वह ज्ञान मिल पाता जो ऋषियों को मिला था।
If only I too could attain the wisdom that the sages attained.
(kaash mujhe bhii vah gyaan mil paataa jo rishiyon ko milaa thaa।)
यदि तुम ध्यान करो तो शायद तुम्हें भी ज्ञान की झलक मिल जाए।
If you meditate, perhaps you too will get a glimpse of enlightenment.
(yadi tum dhyaan karo to shaayad tumhen bhii gyaan kii jhalak mil jaae।)
बुद्ध को बोधि वृक्ष के नीचे ज्ञान की प्राप्ति हुई थी।
The Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.
(buddh ko bodhi vriksh ke niiche gyaan kii praapti huii thii।)
हे प्रभु, मुझे ज्ञान का प्रकाश दो, अंधकार से बाहर निकालो।
O Lord, give me the light of wisdom, lead me out of darkness.
(he prabhu, mujhe gyaan kaa prakaash do, andhkaar se baahar nikaalo।)
जो व्यक्ति ज्ञान प्राप्त कर लेता है, वह जीवन-मृत्यु के चक्र से मुक्त हो जाता है।
The person who attains spiritual wisdom becomes free from the cycle of birth and death.
(jo vyakti gyaan praapt kar letaa hai, vah jiivan-mrityu ke chakr se mukt ho jaataa hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
ज्ञान
(gyaan)
(sg.m.oblique):
ज्ञान
(gyaan)
(pl.m.direct):
ज्ञान
(gyaan)
(pl.m.oblique):
ज्ञानों
(gyaanon)