चाँदनी रात (chaandnii raat)

noun A fixed noun phrase meaning 'moonlit night' -- चाँदनी (chaandnii, moonlight) modifying रात (raat, night). Mostly used literally, with a secondary poetic/romantic association.
Sense 1 : a night lit by moonlight
noun, feminine
Synonyms: चंद्रमा की रात (chandrmaa kii raat, descriptive, less common as a fixed phrase)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: चाँदनी रात (chaandnii raat, 'moonlit night') is one of those phrases that carries an automatic romantic and peaceful charge in Hindi, much like 'moonlight' does in English poetry and song -- think of people sitting on a rooftop or courtyard on a clear night, chatting over chai in the cool air. It pairs naturally with words like ठंडी हवा (thandii havaa, 'cool breeze') in descriptions of a pleasant evening.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to make चाँदनी agree like an adjective ending in -ी, but here it functions as a noun-modifier borrowed whole into the compound phrase, not an inflecting adjective -- it stays चाँदनी (chaandnii) regardless of the gender/number of what follows.
Sample Sentences:
कल रात बड़ी सुंदर चाँदनी रात थी। Last night was a beautifully moonlit night.
(kal raat badii sundar chaandnii raat thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
चाँदनी रात में छत पर बैठकर चाय पीने का अपना ही मज़ा है। There's a special joy in sitting on the roof and having tea on a moonlit night.
(chaandnii raat men chhat par baithkar chaay piine kaa apnaa hii mazaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
ठंडी हवा और चाँदनी रात, बस यही तो चाहिए था। Cool breeze and a moonlit night, that's all we needed.
(thandii havaa aur chaandnii raat, bas yahii to chaahie thaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
काश आज भी वैसी ही चाँदनी रात होती। I wish today were also a moonlit night like that.
(kaash aaj bhii vaisii hii chaandnii raat hotii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
अगर मौसम साफ़ रहा तो आज चाँदनी रात होगी। If the weather stays clear, tonight will be a moonlit night.
(agar mausam saaf rahaa to aaj chaandnii raat hogii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
गाँव में चाँदनी रात का नज़ारा शहर से बिल्कुल अलग होता है। The view of a moonlit night in the village is completely different from the city.
(gaanv men chaandnii raat kaa nazaaraa shahar se bilkul alag hotaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
आज चाँदनी रात है, चलो छत पर चलते हैं। Tonight is a moonlit night, come on, let's go up to the roof.
(aaj chaandnii raat hai, chalo chhat par chalte hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उस चाँदनी रात में उसने अपने प्यार का इज़हार किया था। On that moonlit night, he had confessed his love.
(us chaandnii raat men usne apne pyaar kaa izahaar kiyaa thaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
चाँदनी रात की खामोशी में सिर्फ झींगुरों की आवाज़ सुनाई देती थी। In the silence of the moonlit night, only the sound of crickets could be heard.
(chaandnii raat kii khaamoshii men sirph jhiinguron kii aavaaz sunaaii detii thii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): चाँदनी रात (chaandnii raat)
(sg.f.oblique): चाँदनी रात (chaandnii raat)
(pl.f.direct): चाँदनी रातें (chaandnii raaten)
(pl.f.oblique): चाँदनी रातों (chaandnii raaton)