A1 noun Neutral

जीरा

jeera /d͡ʒiː.ɾɑː/

Jeera refers to cumin seeds, a small dried fruit of a plant in the parsley family, extensively used as a spice in Indian cooking. It is known for its distinctive nutty, earthy aroma and is used both as whole seeds for tempering and in ground powder form.

Examples

3 of 5
1

सब्जी में थोड़ा जीरा डाल दो।

Add a little cumin to the vegetable dish.

2

जीरा भारतीय मसालों के निर्यात में महत्वपूर्ण स्थान रखता है।

Cumin holds an important place in the export of Indian spices.

3

मम्मी, क्या डब्बे में जीरा बचा है?

Mom, is there any cumin left in the container?

Word Family

Noun
जीरा
Adjective
जीरेदार
Related
जीरक
💡

Memory Tip

Think of 'Jeera' and 'Juice'. Jeera water is a very popular digestive 'juice' or drink in India.

Quick Quiz

दाल को स्वादिष्ट बनाने के लिए गरम तेल में ____ का तड़का लगाया जाता है।

Correct!

The correct answer is: जीरा

Examples

1

सब्जी में थोड़ा जीरा डाल दो।

everyday

Add a little cumin to the vegetable dish.

2

जीरा भारतीय मसालों के निर्यात में महत्वपूर्ण स्थान रखता है।

business

Cumin holds an important place in the export of Indian spices.

3

मम्मी, क्या डब्बे में जीरा बचा है?

informal

Mom, is there any cumin left in the container?

4

जीरा (Cuminum cyminum) पाचक गुणों से भरपूर होता है और पाचन में सहायता करता है।

academic

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) is rich in digestive properties and aids digestion.

5

कृपया इस व्यंजन की विधि में जीरा और धनिया का सही अनुपात बनाए रखें।

formal

Please maintain the correct ratio of cumin and coriander in this recipe.

Word Family

Noun
जीरा
Adjective
जीरेदार
Related
जीरक

Common Collocations

जीरा पाउडर Cumin powder
भुना जीरा Roasted cumin
जीरा तड़का Cumin tempering
जीरा पानी Cumin water (digestive drink)
काला जीरा Black cumin (shahi jeera)

Common Phrases

ऊँट के मुँह में जीरा

A drop in the ocean (literally: cumin in a camel's mouth)

जीरा-धनिया

Cumin and coriander (often paired together)

जीरा राइस

Cumin rice (a popular Indian dish)

Often Confused With

जीरा vs जरा

'Jara' means 'a little bit' or 'old age', while 'Jeera' is the spice cumin.

जीरा vs अजवायन

Ajwain (carom seeds) looks similar but has a much stronger, thyme-like flavor.

📝

Usage Notes

Jeera is a masculine noun. In its oblique form (when followed by a postposition), 'जीरा' changes to 'जीरे', as in 'जीरे का पाउडर'.

⚠️

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce the long 'ee' sound as a short 'i', making it sound like 'Jira' instead of 'Jeera', or confuse it with the word 'Jara' (a little).

💡

Memory Tip

Think of 'Jeera' and 'Juice'. Jeera water is a very popular digestive 'juice' or drink in India.

📖

Word Origin

Derived from the Sanskrit word 'जीरक' (jiraka), which literally means 'that which aids digestion'.

Grammar Patterns

Masculine noun Ends in -a, changes to -e in oblique cases (e.g., जीरे में) Usually used in singular to denote the spice collectively
🌍

Cultural Context

Jeera is an essential part of the 'Panch Phoron' (five-spice mix) and the 'Tadka' (tempering) which is the soul of Indian dal and curries.

Quick Quiz

दाल को स्वादिष्ट बनाने के लिए गरम तेल में ____ का तड़का लगाया जाता है।

Correct!

The correct answer is: जीरा

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मूंगफली

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तिल

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पान

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पेय

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जौ

A1

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आटा

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