चौक (chauk)
noun
Mainly a noun meaning a town square, crossroads, or open junction area in a city or market; also used as the name-element in intersection names (e.g. Connaught Place area landmarks). Has a secondary decorative-pattern sense (a checkered or diamond-grid design, and the ritual floor-drawing sense) related by the idea of a marked-off square shape.
Sense
1
:
town square / crossroads / market junction
noun, masculine
Synonyms: चौराहा (chauraahaa), चौबारा (chaubaaraa, rare)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Old Delhi is full of these -- चांदनी चौक (chaandnii chauk, 'Chandni Chowk') is the most famous चौक (chauk) in the country, a bustling market square that has given its name to the whole neighborhood. When a Delhi-ite says 'चौक पर मिलते हैं' (chauk par milte hain, 'let's meet at the chowk'), they mean a well-known local landmark junction, not just any crossing.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often confuse चौक (chauk) with चौराहा (chauraahaa) -- चौक (chauk) is the wider notion of a market square or named city junction (often part of a proper place name, like सदर बाज़ार चौक (sadar baazaar chauk, 'Sadar Bazaar Chowk')), while चौराहा (chauraahaa) is specifically a four-way road crossing.
Sample Sentences:
चौक पर मिलते हैं।
Let's meet at the chowk.
(chauk par milte hain।)
चांदनी चौक में हर शाम भीड़ लगी रहती है।
There is a crowd at Chandni Chowk every evening.
(chaandnii chauk men har shaam bhiid lagii rahtii hai।)
चौक के पास वाली दुकान से मिठाई ले आना।
Bring some sweets from the shop near the chowk.
(chauk ke paas vaalii dukaan se mithaaii le aanaa।)
पुरानी दिल्ली का यह चौक सदियों से व्यापार का केंद्र रहा है।
This chowk in Old Delhi has been a center of trade for centuries.
(puraanii dillii kaa yah chauk sadiyon se vyaapaar kaa kendr rahaa hai।)
अगर हम चौक की तरफ से जाते तो जल्दी पहुँच जाते।
If we had gone via the chowk, we would have arrived sooner.
(agar ham chauk kii taraph se jaate to jaldii pahunch jaate।)
चौक पर रिक्शे वाले हमेशा खड़े रहते हैं।
The rickshaw pullers are always standing at the chowk.
(chauk par rikshe vaale hameshaa khade rahte hain।)
शहर के मुख्य चौक को नए सिरे से सजाया गया है।
The city's main square has been freshly decorated.
(shahar ke mukhy chauk ko nae sire se sajaayaa gayaa hai।)
क्या तुम्हें पता है कि यह चौक कब बना था?
Do you know when this square was built?
(kyaa tumhen pataa hai ki yah chauk kab banaa thaa?)
शायद वह चौक पर तुमसे मिल जाए।
Maybe he'll run into you at the chowk.
(shaayad vah chauk par tumse mil jaae।)
जब मैं छोटा था, हम चौक में पतंग उड़ाने जाते थे।
When I was a child, we used to go fly kites in the chowk.
(jab main chhotaa thaa, ham chauk men patang udaane jaate the।)
चौक के चारों तरफ पुरानी हवेलियाँ खड़ी हैं।
Old mansions stand all around the chowk.
(chauk ke chaaron taraph puraanii haveliyaan khadii hain।)
Sense
2
:
checkered/diamond pattern; ritual square design
noun, masculine
Synonyms: रंगोली (rangolii, related ritual-art term, not exact synonym)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This sense shows up in everyday phrases like चौक भरना (chauk bharnaa, 'to fill in a decorative square') for the auspicious floor patterns drawn during festivals and weddings, and in the checkered pattern seen on some traditional textiles and games boards -- the same root idea of a marked-off square shape as the town-square sense.
Sample Sentences:
दिवाली पर आँगन में चौक भरा जाता है।
On Diwali, a decorative square pattern is filled in the courtyard.
(divaalii par aangan men chauk bharaa jaataa hai।)
दादी ने द्वार के सामने सुंदर चौक बनाया।
Grandmother made a beautiful checkered design in front of the door.
(daadii ne dvaar ke saamne sundar chauk banaayaa।)
शादी से पहले आँगन में चौक भरना ज़रूरी माना जाता है।
Filling in the ritual square in the courtyard before a wedding is considered essential.
(shaadii se pahle aangan men chauk bharnaa zaroorii maanaa jaataa hai।)
इस साड़ी पर चौक जैसा बुना हुआ डिज़ाइन है।
This sari has a woven design like a checkered pattern.
(is saadii par chauk jaisaa bunaa huaa dizaain hai।)
बेटी, आज पूजा के लिए चौक भर दो।
Daughter, fill in the ritual square for today's worship.
(betii, aaj poojaa ke lie chauk bhar do।)
अगर समय होता तो मैं आँगन में पूरा चौक बना देती।
If I had had the time, I would have made the whole decorative square in the courtyard.
(agar samay hotaa to main aangan men pooraa chauk banaa detii।)
बोर्ड पर काले और सफेद चौक बने होते हैं।
There are black and white checkered squares made on the board.
(bord par kaale aur saphed chauk bane hote hain।)
पुजारी जी ने कहा कि हवन से पहले चौक ज़रूर भरा जाए।
The priest said that the ritual square must definitely be filled in before the fire ceremony.
(pujaarii jii ne kahaa ki havan se pahle chauk zaroor bharaa jaae।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
चौक
(chauk)
(sg.m.oblique):
चौक
(chauk)
(pl.m.direct):
चौक
(chauk)
(pl.m.oblique):
चौकों
(chaukon)