छोटा

Hindi

Etymology

Inherited from Ashokan Prakrit *𑀙𑁄𑀝𑁆𑀝 (*choṭṭa). Compare Nepali छोटो (choṭo, “small”), Gujarati છોટું (choṭũ), Punjabi ਛੋਟਾ (choṭā, “small”), Odia ଛୋଟ (choṭô, “small, lesser”), Assamese ছোট (süto, “junior, low grade”), Sinhalese චූටි (cūṭi, “small”).

Pronunciation

• (Delhi Hindi) IPA^(key): /t͡ʃʰoː.ʈɑː/,

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: छो‧टा

Adjective

छोटा • (choṭā) (Urdu spelling چھوٹا)

1. little, small

   Antonym: बड़ा (baṛā)

   बाहर एक छोटा बच्चा खड़ा है।

   bāhar ek choṭā baccā khaṛā hai.

   There's a small child standing outside.

   छोटी सी दुकान ― choṭī sī dukān ― a small shop

2. younger, junior, minor, lesser

   छोटा भाई ― choṭā bhāī ― younger brother

   छोटी बहन ― choṭī bahan ― younger sister

3. subordinate, inferior, common
4. trivial, trifling, unimportant, of no consequence

   छोटी बात ― choṭī bāt ― trivial matter

5. low, mean, insignificant, contemptible; common

   अगर छोटे आदमी को आवाज़ मिलती है तो वह छोटा नहीं रहता है।

   agar choṭe ādmī ko āvāz miltī hai to vah choṭā nahī̃ rahtā hai.

   If an insignificant man is given a voice he does not stay insignificant.

   छोटे लोग ― choṭe log ― insignificant people, powerless people

Declension

Descendants

• → Kashmiri: ژھۆٹ (ċhoṭ)
• → Marathi: छोटे (choṭe)

References

• McGregor, Ronald Stuart (1993) “छोटा”, in The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, London: Oxford University Press
• Platts, John T. (1884) “छोटा”, in A dictionary of Urdu, classical Hindi, and English, London: W. H. Allen & Co.
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “chōṭṭa”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press