कलेजा

Hindi

Etymology

From Sanskrit कालेय (kāleya). Compare Bhojpuri 𑂍𑂩𑂵𑂔𑂰 (karejā), Magahi 𑂍𑂩𑂵𑂔 (karej), Marathi काळीज (kāḷīj), Bengali কলিজা (kolija).

Pronunciation

  • (Delhi) IPA(key): /kə.leː.d͡ʒɑː/, [kɐ.leː.d͡ʒäː]
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

कलेजा • (kalejām (feminine कलेजी, Urdu spelling کلیجا)

  1. (anatomy) liver
    Synonyms: यकृत (yakŕt), जिगर (jigar)
  2. (figuratively) heart
    उसके पास पत्थर का कलेजा है।
    uske pās patthar kā kalejā hai.
    He has a heart of stone.
    तुम मेरे कलेजे का टुकड़े हो।
    tum mere kaleje kā ṭukṛe ho.
    You are very dear to my heart.
    (literally, “You are a piece of my heart.”)

Usage notes

  • While कलेजा (kalejā) technically refers to the liver organ (see यकृत् (yakŕt)), it has various other meanings (heart, mind, courage, etc.) when commonly used.
  • कलेजा (kalejā) is usually applied to the liver of a human being; the feminine form कलेजी (kalejī) being used for the liver of an animal.

Declension

Declension of कलेजा (masc ā-stem)
singular plural
direct कलेजा
kalejā
कलेजे
kaleje
oblique कलेजे
kaleje
कलेजों
kalejõ
vocative कलेजे
kaleje
कलेजो
kalejo

Synonyms

Derived terms

  • कलेजा टूटना (kalejā ṭūṭnā, to be heartbroken)
  • कलेजा कांपना (kalejā kāmpnā, to be struck with terror)
  • कलेजा कड़ा करना (kalejā kaṛā karnā, to steel one's heart; to prepare for a shock/hardship)
  • कलेजा पत्थर का करना (kalejā patthar kā karnā, to become stone-hearted)
  • कलेजा निकाल कर रख देना (kalejā nikāl kar rakh denā, to express oneself without reservation)

Descendants

  • Burmese: ကလီစာ (ka.lica)
  • Gujarati: કલેજું (kalejũ)

References

  • Bahri, Hardev (1989) “कलेजा”, in Siksarthi Hindi-Angrejhi Sabdakosa [Learners' Hindi-English Dictionary], Delhi: Rajpal & Sons.