Paryayvachi (पर्यायवाची) — Synonyms in Hindi

Overview

Paryayvachi (पर्यायवाची) or synonyms are words that have the same or nearly the same meaning as another word in Hindi. In SSC GD Constable exam, you will encounter direct questions asking you to identify the synonym of a given Hindi word from multiple options. This topic typically carries 2–3 questions worth 2–3 marks in the Hindi Language section.

Mastering paryayvachi is essential because it tests your vocabulary depth and your ability to understand contextual meaning. The exam focuses on commonly used Hindi words from literature, newspapers, and everyday communication. You must memorize synonym groups for high-frequency words rather than trying to guess during the exam. Strong performance in this section also helps in comprehension passages and error-spotting questions where word choice matters.

The key to success is systematic memorization of synonym clusters, understanding subtle differences in usage, and regular practice with previous year question patterns. Focus on nouns (especially nature, body parts, emotions), adjectives (qualities, colors), and verbs (actions, states).

Key Concepts

• **Paryayvachi definition**: Words that convey identical or very similar meanings are called paryayvachi shabd. For example, जल (jal), नीर (neer), पानी (paani) all mean water.

• **Single word, multiple synonyms**: Most important Hindi words have 4–8 common synonyms. You must know at least 3–4 for each high-frequency word to handle any exam variant.

• **Context sensitivity**: Some synonyms are interchangeable in all contexts, while others have specific literary or regional usage. Exam questions usually test commonly acceptable synonyms rather than rare poetic variants.

• **Sanskrit-origin dominance**: Many Hindi synonyms come from Sanskrit (tatsam words), so recognizing root patterns helps. Words like सूर्य, रवि, भानु, दिनकर all relate to sun and share Sanskrit roots.

• **Repetition in literature**: Classical Hindi poetry and prose use multiple synonyms for the same concept for stylistic variation. Familiarity with basic Hindi literature helps recognize these patterns.

• **Regional variations**: Some synonyms are more common in specific Hindi-speaking regions, but SSC GD tests standard Hindi vocabulary accepted across all regions.

Formulas / Key Facts

**Must-memorize synonym groups** (learn all words in each group):

1. **सूर्य (sun)**: रवि, भानु, दिनकर, दिवाकर, भास्कर, प्रभाकर, आदित्य, मार्तण्ड 2. **चन्द्रमा (moon)**: चाँद, शशि, राकेश, निशाकर, हिमांशु, इन्दु, सोम, विधु 3. **जल (water)**: पानी, नीर, अंबु, तोय, सलिल, उदक, वारि 4. **पृथ्वी (earth)**: धरती, धरा, भूमि, वसुधा, वसुंधरा, धरित्री, अवनि, मही 5. **आकाश (sky)**: आसमान, गगन, नभ, अंबर, व्योम, अनंत 6. **वृक्ष (tree)**: पेड़, तरु, विटप, पादप, द्रुम, रूख 7. **फूल (flower)**: पुष्प, सुमन, कुसुम, प्रसून, मंजरी 8. **हाथी (elephant)**: गज, हस्ती, मतंग, करी, कुंजर, द्विप, नाग 9. **सिंह (lion)**: शेर, केसरी, मृगराज, शार्दूल, मृगेन्द्र, नाहर 10. **सर्प (snake)**: साँप, नाग, फणी, भुजंग, अहि, पन्नग, उरग, व्याल 11. **माता (mother)**: माँ, जननी, अम्बा, जनयित्री, धात्री, प्रसू 12. **पिता (father)**: बाप, जनक, तात, पितृ, जन्मदाता 13. **रात (night)**: रात्रि, रजनी, निशा, यामिनी, तमी, शर्वरी, विभावरी 14. **दिन (day)**: दिवस, वार, वासर, अहन 15. **घर (house)**: गृह, निकेतन, सदन, धाम, आलय, भवन, निवास, आवास

**Common adjective synonyms**:

• **सुंदर (beautiful)**: सुन्दर, मनोहर, रमणीय, खूबसूरत, रुचिर, मनोरम
• **बड़ा (big)**: विशाल, वृहद, महान, भारी, प्रचंड, विराट
• **छोटा (small)**: लघु, क्षुद्र, अल्प, नन्हा, ननहा
• **काला (black)**: श्याम, कृष्ण, काजल, मेघवर्ण

**Common verb synonyms**:

• **जाना (to go)**: गमन करना, प्रस्थान करना, रवाना होना
• **आना (to come)**: आगमन, पधारना, तशरीफ़ लाना
• **कहना (to say)**: बोलना, वर्णन करना, उच्चारण करना, कथन करना

Worked Examples

**Example 1**: "अंबर" का पर्यायवाची शब्द क्या है? Options: (A) पृथ्वी (B) आकाश (C) जल (D) वायु

**Solution**: Step 1: Recall the meaning of अंबर (ambar) — it means sky. Step 2: Check each option:

• पृथ्वी = earth (not sky)
• आकाश = sky (matches)
• जल = water (not sky)
• वायु = air/wind (not sky, though related)

Step 3: आकाश is the direct synonym. **Answer: (B) आकाश**

---

**Example 2**: "जलधि" किसका पर्यायवाची है? Options: (A) नदी (B) समुद्र (C) तालाब (D) झरना

**Solution**: Step 1: Break down जलधि = जल (water) + धि (holder/container). Step 2: The word means "holder of water," which refers to ocean/sea. Step 3: Check options:

• नदी = river (flows, doesn't hold)
• समुद्र = ocean/sea (holds vast water)
• तालाब = pond (small water body)
• झरना = waterfall (flowing water)

**Answer: (B) समुद्र**

---

**Example 3**: निम्नलिखित में से "दिनकर" का पर्यायवाची नहीं है: Options: (A) सूर्य (B) रवि (C) चंद्रमा (D) भानु

**Solution**: Step 1: Recall that दिनकर means "maker of day" = sun. Step 2: Check each:

• सूर्य = sun ✓
• रवि = sun ✓
• चंद्रमा = moon ✗ (moon is opposite of sun)
• भानु = sun ✓

Step 3: चंद्रमा is not a synonym of sun. **Answer: (C) चंद्रमा**

Common Mistakes

**Mistake 1**: Confusing related but different concepts → **Fix**: Water (जल) and ocean (सागर) are related but not synonyms. सागर is समुद्र's synonym, not जल's. Always verify the exact meaning, not just the category.

**Mistake 2**: Mixing Sanskrit and common Hindi without understanding → **Fix**: While रवि and सूर्य both mean sun, mixing moon words like चंद्र or शशि with sun synonyms in memory. Keep celestial body groups strictly separate.

**Mistake 3**: Assuming all poetic words are interchangeable → **Fix**: नीर and तोय both mean water, but exam will test commonly used pairs. Focus on mainstream vocabulary (पानी, जल, नीर) before rare literary words (सलिल, अंबु).

**Mistake 4**: Ignoring context in "NOT a synonym" questions → **Fix**: When asked "which is NOT a synonym," students rush and mark any word they recognize. Read carefully — these reverse questions test your precision.

**Mistake 5**: Translating directly from English → **Fix**: English "house" maps to both घर and मकान, but their synonyms differ. घर is more emotional (home), मकान is physical (building). Learn Hindi synonym groups independently, not through English.

Quick Reference

• Master the top 15 synonym groups covering nature, celestial bodies, and family terms — they form 70% of exam questions.
• सूर्य group has 8+ synonyms; remember at least 5: रवि, भानु, दिनकर, दिवाकर, भास्कर.
• Moon = चंद्रमा (चाँद, शशि, राकेश, निशाकर); water = जल (पानी, नीर, तोय, सलिल).
• Always verify the exact question type: "synonym of X" vs. "which is NOT a synonym of X."
• Review one synonym group daily for 15 days rather than cramming all at once — spaced repetition locks them in memory.
• Practice identifying synonyms in Hindi newspaper headlines to see contextual usage beyond rote lists.