बुद्धि (buddhi)
noun
Refers to the intellect or mind's capacity for reasoning, judgment, and understanding -- a feminine noun with one core sense, though it appears in several fixed idioms about thinking clearly (or not).
Sense
1
:
intellect, intelligence, reasoning faculty
noun, feminine
Synonyms: अक्ल (akl), समझ (samajh), मेधा (medhaa, literary), प्रज्ञा (pragyaa, literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: बुद्धि (buddhi) carries a slightly more elevated, almost classical flavor than अक्ल (akl) -- it's the word you'll hear in a school context ('बुद्धि का विकास', buddhi kaa vikaas, 'development of intelligence') or in a proverb, whereas अक्ल shows up more in everyday scolding like 'तेरी अक्ल कहाँ गई' (terii akl kahaan gaii, 'where has your sense gone'). Ganesh is traditionally called 'बुद्धि के देवता' (buddhi ke devtaa, 'the god of intellect'), which gives a sense of how the word is tied to wisdom and auspicious beginnings in Hindu culture.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for अक्ल (akl) in every context since it is more common in casual speech; बुद्धि (buddhi) is the word to use when talking about intellect in a more formal, philosophical, or educational register -- for example describing a child's cognitive development or a person's analytical mind, rather than street-smart cleverness. 2) बुद्धि (buddhi) is grammatically feminine even though it refers to an abstract mental faculty -- don't default to masculine agreement just because the concept feels abstract.
Sample Sentences:
बच्चों में बुद्धि का विकास खेल-खेल में भी होता है।
Children's intelligence also develops through play.
(bachchon men buddhi kaa vikaas khel-khel men bhii hotaa hai।)
गणेश जी को बुद्धि के देवता कहा जाता है।
Lord Ganesh is called the god of intellect.
(ganesh jii ko buddhi ke devtaa kahaa jaataa hai।)
उसकी बुद्धि इतनी तेज़ है कि हर समस्या का हल तुरंत निकाल लेता है।
His intellect is so sharp that he finds the solution to every problem instantly.
(uskii buddhi itnii tez hai ki har samasyaa kaa hal turant nikaal letaa hai।)
परीक्षा में सफलता केवल बुद्धि से नहीं, मेहनत से भी मिलती है।
Success in exams comes not just from intelligence, but from hard work too.
(pariikshaa men saphaltaa keval buddhi se nahiin, mehnat se bhii miltii hai।)
गुरुजी ने कहा कि सच्ची शिक्षा बुद्धि को निखारती है।
The teacher said that true education refines the intellect.
(gurujii ne kahaa ki sachchii shikshaa buddhi ko nikhaartii hai।)
यदि उसकी बुद्धि थोड़ी और परिपक्व होती, तो वह ऐसा फैसला न लेता।
If his intellect had been a bit more mature, he wouldn't have made such a decision.
(yadi uskii buddhi thodii aur paripakv hotii, to vah aisaa phaislaa n letaa।)
प्रभु, मुझे ऐसी बुद्धि दो कि मैं सही मार्ग चुन सकूँ।
Lord, grant me such intellect that I may choose the right path.
(prabhu, mujhe aisii buddhi do ki main sahii maarg chun sakoon।)
प्राचीन ग्रंथों में बुद्धि को आत्मा और शरीर के बीच का सेतु माना गया है।
In ancient texts, the intellect is considered a bridge between the soul and the body.
(praachiin granthon men buddhi ko aatmaa aur shariir ke biich kaa setu maanaa gayaa hai।)
शायद उसकी बुद्धि अभी इस विषय को समझने के लिए पर्याप्त न हो।
Perhaps his intellect is not yet sufficient to understand this subject.
(shaayad uskii buddhi abhii is vishay ko samajhne ke lie paryaapt n ho।)
उम्र के साथ उसकी बुद्धि और भी प्रखर होती जा रही है।
With age, his intellect is becoming even sharper.
(umr ke saath uskii buddhi aur bhii prakhar hotii jaa rahii hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
बुद्धि
(buddhi)
(sg.f.oblique):
बुद्धि
(buddhi)
(pl.f.direct):
बुद्धिएँ
(buddhien)
(pl.f.oblique):
बुद्धिओं
(buddhion)