Samas in Hindi: Types and Examples
Samas (संस्कृत: समास) is a grammatical construct in Hindi and Sanskrit where two or more words are combined to form a single word with a new meaning. These combinations are formed by specific rules and convey a particular relationship between the constituent words.
Here's a breakdown of the major types of Samas in Hindi, along with examples:
1. AvyaYiBhaava Samas (अव्ययीभाव समास):
* Characteristics: The first word is the main element, and the second word acts as a modifier, typically an adverb or preposition.
* Structure: Modifier + Main Word
* Examples:
* घर-घर (ghar-ghar): Every house (lit. house-house)
* दिन-रात (din-raat): Day and night (lit. day-night)
* अंदर-बाहर (andar-bahar): Inside and outside (lit. inside-outside)
2. Tathapurusha Samas (तत्पुरुष समास):
* Characteristics: The second word is the main element, and the first word modifies it, acting like an adjective or a qualifier.
* Structure: Modifier + Main Word
* Examples:
* पुस्तक-वाला (pustak-wala): A person who sells books (lit. book-one who has)
* पानी-वाला (paani-wala): A person who sells water (lit. water-one who has)
* सोना-चांदी (sona-chandi): Gold and silver (lit. gold-silver)
3. Karmadharaya Samas (कर्मधारय समास):
* Characteristics: The first word describes the second word, usually indicating a quality, feature, or similarity.
* Structure: Modifier + Main Word
* Examples:
* नीला-आसमान (nila-aasaan): The blue sky (lit. blue-sky)
* मीठा-फल (mitha-phal): A sweet fruit (lit. sweet-fruit)
* काला-घोड़ा (kala-ghora): A black horse (lit. black-horse)
4. Dwandva Samas (द्वंद्व समास):
* Characteristics: Both words are equally important, and the compound word refers to a combination or union of them.
* Structure: Word1 + Word2
* Examples:
* दिन-रात (din-raat): Day and night (lit. day-night)
* पानी-दूध (paani-doodh): Water and milk (lit. water-milk)
* चाय-कॉफ़ी (chai-kafi): Tea and coffee (lit. tea-coffee)
5. Bahuvrihi Samas (बहुव्रीहि समास):
* Characteristics: The compound word doesn't directly refer to either of the constituent words but describes a person, object, or entity possessing the attribute implied by the combination.
* Structure: Modifier + Main Word
* Examples:
* चौधरी (chaudhri): One who has four sons (lit. four-one who has)
* सप्तर्षि (saptrishi): The seven sages (lit. seven-sage)
* तीन-चक्का (teen-chakka): A three-wheeled vehicle (lit. three-wheel)
Important Notes:
* Yojan (योजना): This refers to the method of combining the words, which can be either Samuchchya (meaning both words are used together) or Pratyaya (meaning only one word's meaning is used in the compound).
* Meaning Shift: The meaning of the compound word is often different from the individual words combined.
* Context: The meaning of a Samas can be ambiguous without context.
Understanding these different types of Samas helps you grasp the nuanced meaning and construction of complex Hindi words.