तना (tanaa)
noun/adjective
Mainly a noun meaning the stem/trunk of a plant; also functions as a past-participle-derived adjective meaning 'stretched, taut' from the verb तनना (tannaa).
Sense
1
:
stem, stalk, trunk (of a plant or tree)
noun, masculine
Synonyms: तनु (tanu, literary), डंठल (danthal, used more for thinner stalks)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In everyday Hindi, तना (tanaa) comes up in school biology lessons and gardening talk -- think of a teacher pointing at a plant diagram and saying जड़, तना, पत्ती (jad, tanaa, pattii, 'root, stem, leaf').
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes confuse तना (tanaa, 'stem/trunk') with टहनी (tahnii, 'branch/twig') -- तना (tanaa) is the main upright stem, not a side branch.
Sample Sentences:
पेड़ का तना बहुत मोटा है।
The trunk of the tree is very thick.
(ped kaa tanaa bahut motaa hai।)
जड़, तना, पत्ती -- यह पौधे के तीन मुख्य भाग हैं।
Root, stem, leaf -- these are the three main parts of a plant.
(jad, tanaa, pattii -- yah paudhe ke tiin mukhy bhaag hain।)
टीचर ने बोर्ड पर तना और जड़ का चित्र बनाया।
The teacher drew a diagram of the stem and root on the board.
(tiichar ne bord par tanaa aur jad kaa chitr banaayaa।)
इस पौधे का तना हर हफ्ते थोड़ा बढ़ता है।
This plant's stem grows a little every week.
(is paudhe kaa tanaa har haphte thodaa badhtaa hai।)
माली तने को सहारा देने के लिए एक डंडा लगा रहा है।
The gardener is putting up a stick to support the stem.
(maalii tane ko sahaaraa dene ke lie ek dandaa lagaa rahaa hai।)
तने पर कीड़ों ने घाव बना दिए हैं।
Insects have made wounds on the stem.
(tane par kiidon ne ghaav banaa die hain।)
तने को काटो मत, वरना पौधा मर जाएगा।
Don't cut the stem, or the plant will die.
(tane ko kaato mat, varnaa paudhaa mar jaaegaa।)
अगर तना मजबूत होता, तो यह पेड़ तूफान में नहीं गिरता।
If the trunk were strong, this tree wouldn't have fallen in the storm.
(agar tanaa majboot hotaa, to yah ped toophaan men nahiin girtaa।)
पौधे का तना काटकर उसकी उम्र का पता लगाया जाता है।
By cutting the plant's trunk, its age is determined.
(paudhe kaa tanaa kaatkar uskii umr kaa pataa lagaayaa jaataa hai।)
वैज्ञानिक चाहते हैं कि तने की मोटाई सही तरीके से मापी जाए।
The scientists want the thickness of the stem to be measured correctly.
(vaigyaanik chaahte hain ki tane kii motaaii sahii tariike se maapii jaae।)
Sense
2
:
stretched, taut, tense (of a rope, muscle, or figuratively a face/mood)
adjective This is the perfective participle of तनना (tannaa, 'to stretch, become taut'), used adjectivally -- it inflects like a regular -आ adjective.
Synonyms: खिंचा हुआ (khinchaa huaa), कसा हुआ (kasaa huaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This sense often pairs with हुआ (huaa) as तना हुआ (tanaa huaa) -- you'll hear it for a tight rope (रस्सी तनी हुई है, rassii tanii huii hai, 'the rope is taut') or a tense atmosphere between people who are not on speaking terms.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often only learn तना (tanaa) as 'stem' and miss this adjectival use, e.g. उसका चेहरा तना हुआ था (uskaa chehraa tanaa huaa thaa, 'his face was tense/strained') -- here it describes mood, not a plant part.
Sample Sentences:
रस्सी तनी हुई है, इसे मत छेड़ो।
The rope is taut, don't touch it.
(rassii tanii huii hai, ise mat chhedo।)
उसके चेहरे की नसें तनी हुई थीं जब उसने खबर सुनी।
The veins in his face were taut when he heard the news.
(uske chehre kii nasen tanii huii thiin jab usne khabar sunii।)
दोनों भाइयों के बीच माहौल तना हुआ है, वे महीनों से बात नहीं कर रहे।
The atmosphere between the two brothers is tense, they haven't spoken in months.
(donon bhaaiyon ke biich maahaul tanaa huaa hai, ve mahiinon se baat nahiin kar rahe।)
पतंग की डोर इतनी तनी हुई थी कि लगा अभी टूट जाएगी।
The kite string was so taut that it seemed it would snap any moment.
(patang kii dor itnii tanii huii thii ki lagaa abhii toot jaaegii।)
अगर तार को इतना तना हुआ रखा जाए तो वह टूट सकता है।
If the wire is kept this taut, it could snap.
(agar taar ko itnaa tanaa huaa rakhaa jaae to vah toot saktaa hai।)
जब वह गुस्से में होता है तो उसके कंधे तने हुए रहते हैं।
When he's angry, his shoulders stay tense.
(jab vah gusse men hotaa hai to uske kandhe tane hue rahte hain।)
तनी हुई मांसपेशियों को थोड़ा ढीला छोड़िए, वरना दर्द बढ़ जाएगा।
Let your tense muscles relax a little, or the pain will increase.
(tanii huii maanspeshiyon ko thodaa dhiilaa chhodie, varnaa dard badh jaaegaa।)
अगर उनके बीच रिश्ते इतने तने हुए न होते तो बातचीत आसान होती।
If relations between them weren't so tense, the conversation would be easier.
(agar unke biich rishte itne tane hue n hote to baatchiit aasaan hotii।)
प्रधानमंत्री की तनी हुई भौहों से साफ था कि बातचीत ठीक नहीं चल रही।
From the prime minister's tense brows it was clear the talks weren't going well.
(pradhaanmantrii kii tanii huii bhauhon se saaph thaa ki baatchiit thiik nahiin chal rahii।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
तना
(tanaa)
(sg.m.oblique):
तने
(tane)
(pl.m.direct):
तने
(tane)
(pl.m.oblique):
तनों
(tanon)
Adjective (variable)
(sg.m):
तना
(tanaa)
(pl.m):
तने
(tane)
(sg.f):
तनी
(tanii)
(pl.f):
तनी
(tanii)