ज़िंदगी
zindagī
/zɪnd̪.ɡiː/
Definition
The state of being alive; the experience of living one's life. It often carries emotional warmth in everyday speech.
Example
ज़िंदगी में छोटी खुशियाँ बहुत ज़रूरी हैं।
Show translation
Small joys are very important in life.
Etymology
Borrowed from Persian زندگی (zendagī), derived from زنده (zenda, "alive") + the abstract suffix ـگی (-gī). Persian itself inherited the root from Old Iranian *jīvant- (living), cognate with Sanskrit जीव (jīva, "life, soul"). The word entered Hindi via centuries of Persian's role as the literary and administrative language of the Indian subcontinent under Mughal rule.
Cultural note
ज़िंदगी is the go-to word for "life" in colloquial Hindi and Urdu, far more emotionally resonant than its Sanskrit-rooted synonym जीवन (jīvan), which sounds more formal or philosophical. Bollywood has cemented ज़िंदगी as deeply poetic — countless film titles and song lyrics use it. A common toast-like expression is "ज़िंदगी जीते रहो!" ("Keep on living life!"). Note for English speakers: it is NOT a false friend with any English word, but beginners sometimes confuse it with "zindabad" (long live!), which shares the Persian root zinda.