खून बहना

You usually pair this with a body part and the preposition से (from). For example, if your nose is bleeding, you say नाक से खून बह रहा है. Notice how बहना changes to बह रहा है for ongoing action. It is a simple verb-noun collocation. You don't need complex grammar to make this work. Just identify the body part and add the phrase.

Use it whenever there is a physical injury involved. It is perfect for medical situations or reporting an accident. You might use it at a pharmacy when asking for a bandage. It is also common when talking about kids falling while playing. If you see someone with a cut, this is your go-to phrase. It is clear, direct, and understood by everyone across India.

Avoid using this for very minor, non-flowing blood. In those cases, खून निकलना (blood coming out) is more common. Don't use it for metaphorical 'bleeding' like 'bleeding money' in a casual conversation. Hindi has different idioms for financial loss. Also, don't use it for emotional pain unless you are writing poetry. In a normal chat, it refers strictly to the red stuff.

In Indian culture, blood is often associated with sacrifice and hard work. You will hear phrases about 'blood and sweat' in movies. However, खून बहना itself is quite clinical and literal. In many households, seeing blood is considered a sign to stop and pray or help. There is a strong sense of community care when someone is hurt. You will likely see strangers rushing to help if they see खून बह रहा है.

The most common variation is खून निकलना. This is slightly more casual and used for tiny pricks. You might also hear रक्तस्राव (raktsraav) in very formal medical reports. But honestly, stick to खून बहना for 99% of your needs. It sounds natural and fluent. If you want to be dramatic, you can say खून की नदियां बहना (rivers of blood flowing). But maybe save that for your Bollywood screenplay audition!