चौकन्ना

Hindi

Etymology

Inherited from Prakrit 𑀘𑀉𑀓𑁆𑀓𑀡𑁆𑀡 (caükkaṇṇa) + Middle Indo-Aryan -𑀓- (-ka-), from Sanskrit चतुष्कर्ण (catuṣkarṇa, “four-eared; having four ears”).[1][2][3]

Pronunciation

(Delhi Hindi) IPA^(key): /t͡ʃɔː.kən.nɑː/, [t͡ʃɔː.kə̃n̪.n̪äː]

Adjective

चौकन्ना • (caukannā) (Urdu spelling چَوکَنّا‎)

alert, vigilant, watchful, on guard
Synonyms: चौकस (caukas), होशियार (hośiyār), सावधान (sāvdhān), सचेत (sacet), सतर्क (satark), सजग (sajag)
- 1980, Krishna Baldev Vaid, दर्द ला दवा [Pain without cure]‎, Sambhavna Prakashan, page 36:
  चेतना जब चौकन्नी हो जाती है तो उसे चारों तरफ़ मामूलियत की फीकी चमक के सिवा कुछ नज़र नहीं आता।
  cetnā jab caukannī ho jātī hai to use cārõ taraf māmūliyat kī phīkī camak ke sivā kuch nazar nahī̃ ātā.
  When the consciousness becomes alert, it sees nothing but a faint glow of modesty all around.
- 2008, Ramesh Bedi, इंसान का वफ़ादार दोस्त : कुत्ता [Human's loyal friend : Dog], Alekh Prakashan, →ISBN, page 64:
  इसकी दृष्टि तेज़ और चौकन्नी होती है।
  iskī dŕṣṭi tez aur caukannī hotī hai.
  Its sight is sharp and alert.
- 2011, अमर क्रांतिवीर : चंद्रशेखर आज़ाद [Immortal brave revolutionary : Chandrashekhar Azad], Prabhat Prakashan, →ISBN, page 107:
  तीनों पुलिसवालों ने कांस्टेबलों को साथ ले जाना उचित न समझा। सोचा कि पुलिया पर अधिक आदमी छिप न पाएँगे। अधिक आदमी देखकर आज़ाद चौकन्ने हो जाएँगे।
  tīnõ pulisvālõ ne kānsṭeblõ ko sāth le jānā ucit na samjhā. socā ki puliyā par adhik ādmī chip na pāeṅge. adhik ādmī dekhkar āzād caukanne ho jāeṅge.
  The three policemen did not consider it right to take the constables along. They thought that more men would not be able to hide on the small bridge. On seeing more men, Azad would become on guard.

Declension

Declension of चौकन्ना (ā-stem)

	masculine		feminine
	singular	plural	singular	plural
direct	चौकन्ना caukannā	चौकन्ने caukanne	चौकन्नी caukannī	चौकन्नी caukannī
oblique	चौकन्ने caukanne	चौकन्ने caukanne	चौकन्नी caukannī	चौकन्नी caukannī
vocative	चौकन्ने caukanne	चौकन्ने caukanne	चौकन्नी caukannī	चौकन्नी caukannī

References

Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985), “catuṣkarṇa”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 251
“चौकन्ना”, in हिन्दी-व्युत्पत्ति-कोश: हिन्दी भाषा का तुलनात्मक एवं व्युत्पत्तिमूलक कोश [Hindi etymological dictionary: Comparative and etymology-based dictionary of Hindi language], Indo Vision, 1985, page 90
“चउक्कण्ण”, in Bhāshā - Volume 41, 2001, page 45

Dāsa, Śyāmasundara (1965–1975), “चौकन्ना”, in Hindī Śabdasāgara [lit. Sea of Hindi words] (in Hindi), Kashi [Varanasi]: Nagari Pracarini Sabha, page 1592
Platts, John T. (1884), “चौकन्ना”, in A dictionary of Urdu, classical Hindi, and English, London: W. H. Allen & Co., page 452
McGregor, Ronald Stuart (1993), “चौकन्ना”, in The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, London: Oxford University Press, page 332
Bahri, Hardev (1989), “चौकन्ना”, in Siksarthi Hindi-Angrejhi Sabdakosa [Learners' Hindi-English Dictionary], Delhi: Rajpal & Sons, page 205.
Caturvedi, Mahendra; Bhola Nath Tiwari (1970), “चौकन्ना”, in A practical Hindi-English dictionary, Delhi: National Publishing House, page 219
“चौकन्ना”, in Rekhta Dictionary [Urdu dictionary with meanings in Hindi & English], Noida, India: Rekhta Foundation, 2023.

[1] Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985), “catuṣkarṇa”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 251

[2] “चौकन्ना”, in हिन्दी-व्युत्पत्ति-कोश: हिन्दी भाषा का तुलनात्मक एवं व्युत्पत्तिमूलक कोश [Hindi etymological dictionary: Comparative and etymology-based dictionary of Hindi language], Indo Vision, 1985, page 90

[3] “चउक्कण्ण”, in Bhāshā - Volume 41, 2001, page 45