Hindi Vyakaran (Grammar) | Class 8 hindi — School Syllabus

What you'll learn

Common Hindi idioms (muhavare) and proverbs (lokoktiyan) with meanings
The nine Rasas (emotional essences) in Hindi literature
The three main metres (chhand) used in Hindi poetry

Key concepts

1. मुहावरे — Muhavare (Idioms)

A Muhavara is a fixed phrase whose meaning is different from the literal meaning of its words. Idioms make language vivid and expressive. They always end in a verb form and are used within a sentence.

10 Essential Muhavare:

Muhavara	Transliteration	Literal meaning	Actual meaning	Example sentence
आँखें चुराना	Aankhen churana	To steal eyes	To avoid someone	वह मुझसे आँखें चुराता रहता है।
हाथ-पाँव फूलना	Haath-paon phoolna	Hands and feet to swell	To be terrified	परीक्षा देखकर उसके हाथ-पाँव फूल गए।
नाक में दम करना	Naak mein dam karna	To breathe into the nose	To trouble/harass	बच्चों ने माँ की नाक में दम कर दिया।
दाँत खट्टे करना	Daant khatte karna	To make teeth sour	To defeat an opponent	हमारी टीम ने दुश्मन के दाँत खट्टे किए।
आसमान सिर पर उठाना	Aasmaan sir par uthana	To lift the sky on one's head	To make a lot of noise	बच्चों ने आसमान सिर पर उठा लिया।
कान भरना	Kaan bharna	To fill the ears	To instigate/backbite	उसने मालिक के कान भर दिए।
पानी-पानी होना	Paani-paani hona	To become water	To feel deeply ashamed	झूठ पकड़े जाने पर वह पानी-पानी हो गया।
मुँह में पानी आना	Munh mein paani aana	Water to come in the mouth	To feel hungry/tempted	मिठाई देखकर मुँह में पानी आ गया।
सिर पर सवार होना	Sir par savaar hona	To ride on someone's head	To pester constantly	वह हर वक्त मेरे सिर पर सवार रहता है।
लोहे के चने चबाना	Lohe ke chane chabana	To chew iron chickpeas	To do a very difficult task	यह परीक्षा पास करना लोहे के चने चबाना है।

Remember: A Muhavara must be used in a sentence — it cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.

2. लोकोक्तियाँ — Lokoktiyan (Proverbs)

A Lokokti (proverb) is a complete sentence on its own that expresses a universal truth or wisdom. Unlike idioms, proverbs can stand alone.

10 Essential Lokoktiyan:

Proverb	Transliteration	Meaning
अकेला चना भाड़ नहीं फोड़ता	Akela chana bhaad nahin phod'ta	One person alone cannot accomplish a big task
आम के आम गुठलियों के दाम	Aam ke aam guthaliyon ke daam	Double benefit from one effort
ऊँची दुकान फीका पकवान	Oonchi dukaan phika pakwaan	Great reputation but poor quality
घर का भेदी लंका ढाए	Ghar ka bhedi Lanka dhaaye	An insider can cause the greatest harm
जैसा बोओगे वैसा काटोगे	Jaisa booge vaisa kaatoge	As you sow, so shall you reap
दूर के ढोल सुहावने लगते हैं	Door ke dhol suhavne lagte hain	Things look better from a distance
नाच न जाने आँगन टेढ़ा	Naach na jaane aangan tedha	Blaming circumstances for one's own incompetence
बिन माँगे मोती मिले, माँगे मिले न भीख	Bin maange moti mile…	You may get great things without asking, but nothing if you beg
होनहार बिरवान के होत चिकने पात	Honhaar birwaan ke hot chikne paat	A talented person shows promise from an early age
चोर की दाढ़ी में तिनका	Chor ki daadhi mein tinka	A guilty person always fears exposure

Muhavara vs. Lokokti — quick comparison:

Feature	Muhavara	Lokokti
Is it a complete sentence?	No	Yes
Can it stand alone?	No	Yes
Ends with	Verb form	Complete statement
Example	हाथ-पाँव फूलना	जैसा बोओगे वैसा काटोगे

3. रस — Ras (Emotional Essence)

In Hindi literature, Ras is the aesthetic flavor or emotional essence that a reader or audience experiences. There are 9 Rasas (Navaras), each linked to a specific emotion (Sthayi Bhav).

#	Ras	Sthayi Bhav (Core emotion)	Deity/Color	Example context
1	शृंगार (Shringar)	Love (Rati)	Vishnu / Green	Romantic poetry, descriptions of beauty
2	हास्य (Haasya)	Laughter (Haas)	Pramatha / White	Comedy, humorous situations
3	करुण (Karun)	Sorrow (Shoka)	Yama / Grey/Dove	Grief, separation, mourning
4	रौद्र (Raudra)	Anger (Krodha)	Rudra / Red	Fury, revenge, battle
5	वीर (Veer)	Heroism (Utsaaha)	Indra / Pale yellow	Bravery, patriotism, valor
6	भयानक (Bhayanak)	Fear (Bhaya)	Yama / Black	Horror, suspense, danger
7	बीभत्स (Bibhatsa)	Disgust (Jugupsa)	Shiva / Blue	Revolting scenes, loathing
8	अद्भुत (Adbhuta)	Wonder (Vismaya)	Brahma / Yellow	Marvel, astonishment
9	शांत (Shaanta)	Tranquility (Sama)	Vishnu / White	Peace, detachment, renunciation

Mnemonic for 9 Rasas: श हा क रौ वी भया बी अद् शां — take the first letter of each ras.

Example — Shringar Ras in poetry:

"कहत, नटत, रीझत, खीझत, मिलत, खिलत, लजियात।
भरे भौन में करत हैं नैनन ही सब बात।।"
(Bihari — lovers communicating through glances in a crowded room)

Example — Veer Ras in poetry:

"सिंहासन हिल उठे, राजवंशों ने भृकुटी तानी थी,
बूढ़े भारत में भी आई, फिर से नई जवानी थी।"
(Subhadra Kumari Chauhan — depicting patriotic heroism)

4. छंद — Chhand (Metre)

Chhand is the rhythmic pattern in poetry, defined by the number and arrangement of syllables (matras) in each line.

Three main chhand types:

Doha (दोहा)

A couplet with two lines
First line: 13 + 11 = 24 matras; Second line: 11 + 13 = 24 matras
The pause (yati) comes after the 13th matra in line 1, and after the 11th matra in line 2

Famous Doha example (Kabir):

"काल करे सो आज कर, आज करे सो अब।
पल में प्रलय होएगी, बहुरि करेगा कब।।"

(Do tomorrow's work today, do today's work now. In a moment everything may end — when will you do it then?)

Chaupai (चौपाई)

A quatrain — four lines, each with 16 matras
No rhyme scheme requirement; end with a pause (yati)
Used extensively in Ramcharitmanas by Tulsidas

Famous Chaupai example (Tulsidas):

"जय हनुमान ज्ञान गुन सागर।
जय कपीस तिहुँ लोक उजागर।।"

(Glory to Hanuman, ocean of wisdom and virtue. Glory to the lord of monkeys who illuminates all three worlds.)

Savaiya (सवैया)

More complex metre with 22–26 matras per line
Four lines, each with the same matra count
Used for heroic and romantic descriptions

Matra count comparison:

Chhand	Lines	Matras per line	Yati position
Doha	2	13 + 11	After 13th matra
Chaupai	4	16	After 16th matra
Savaiya	4	22–26 (varies)	At mid-point

Quick check

What is the difference between a Muhavara and a Lokokti? Give one example of each.
Identify the Muhavara being used in this sentence and explain its meaning: "परीक्षा में फेल होने की बात सुनकर माँ का मुँह उतर गया।"
Name the Ras associated with the emotion of Heroism (Utsaaha). Which deity and colour represent this Ras?
A poem line has 13 matras followed by 11 matras. Which Chhand does this belong to?
Name all 9 Rasas in Hindi. Which Ras would be dominant in a poem describing a mother's grief at losing her child?

Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Hindi Vyakaran (Grammar).