ऊँचे पर्वत गहरी खाई
High mountain deep valley
直訳: High mountain, deep valley
Use this to describe a high-risk, high-reward situation where there is no middle ground.
15秒でわかる
- Describes high-stakes situations with massive potential risks and rewards.
- Metaphor for 'make or break' moments in life or career.
- Uses nature imagery to show the scale of a challenge.
意味
This phrase describes a high-stakes situation where the potential for success is massive, but the risk of failure is equally deep and dangerous. It is the Hindi equivalent of 'the higher you climb, the further you fall.'
主な例文
3 / 6Discussing a risky business investment
यह नया बिज़नेस ऊँचे पर्वत और गहरी खाई जैसा है।
This new business is like a high mountain and a deep valley.
Talking about a high-pressure exam
UPSC की परीक्षा तो ऊँचे पर्वत और गहरी खाई है।
The UPSC exam is a high mountain and a deep valley.
Texting a friend about a bold romantic gesture
उसे प्रपोज़ करना ऊँचे पर्वत और गहरी खाई जैसा लग रहा है!
Proposing to her feels like a high mountain and a deep valley!
文化的背景
The phrase draws from the dramatic landscape of the Indian subcontinent, specifically the Himalayan regions. It reflects the ancient philosophical idea that extreme success and extreme failure are always closely linked. It gained popularity in Hindi literature and cinema to describe the lives of ambitious protagonists.
The 'And' Factor
In conversation, you can add `और` (and) between `पर्वत` and `गहरी` to make it flow more naturally like a sentence.
Don't be a Drama Queen
Avoid using this for small inconveniences. If you use it because the bus is late, people will think you are being sarcastic.
15秒でわかる
- Describes high-stakes situations with massive potential risks and rewards.
- Metaphor for 'make or break' moments in life or career.
- Uses nature imagery to show the scale of a challenge.
What It Means
Imagine standing on a narrow ridge. On one side, you have a majestic peak (ऊँचा पर्वत). On the other, a terrifying drop (गहरी खाई). This phrase captures that exact feeling of being in a high-stakes scenario. It is not just about danger. It is about the scale of the situation. If you win, you win big. If you lose, it is a long way down. You use it when the middle ground simply does not exist.
How To Use It
You can use ऊँचे पर्वत गहरी खाई as a metaphor for life choices or business deals. It functions like a descriptive label for a situation. You might say, 'This project is like ऊँचे पर्वत गहरी खाई.' It highlights the intensity of the moment. It tells your listener that you are aware of the risks. You are not being pessimistic. You are being a realist. Use it to show you understand the gravity of a decision.
When To Use It
Think of a startup founder pitching to a huge investor. That is a classic ऊँचे पर्वत गहरी खाई moment. Use it when discussing career pivots or moving to a new country. It works perfectly when a friend is considering a 'make or break' relationship move. In a meeting, use it to caution colleagues about a bold strategy. It adds a poetic touch to a serious conversation. It makes you sound thoughtful and culturally grounded.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this for trivial matters. Choosing between tea or coffee is not ऊँचे पर्वत गहरी खाई. It will make you sound overly dramatic. Avoid it in very low-stakes casual settings where people are just relaxing. If the 'valley' isn't actually dangerous, the phrase loses its punch. Also, do not use it if you are trying to simplify a situation. This phrase is meant to highlight complexity, not hide it.
Cultural Background
India’s geography heavily influences its idioms. The Himalayas are the ultimate ऊँचे पर्वत. For centuries, travelers and traders faced these literal heights and depths. In Indian storytelling, mountains represent ambition and spiritual goals. Valleys represent the pitfalls of ego or failure. This phrase reflects a deep-seated cultural respect for the balance of nature. It suggests that greatness and danger are two sides of the same coin.
Common Variations
You might hear people say पहाड़ और खाई (Mountain and valley) for short. Sometimes people use आसमान और पाताल (Sky and underworld) to show extreme distance. However, the 'high mountain' version is the most cinematic. It paints a vivid picture of a traveler on a precarious path. It reminds everyone that the view from the top is worth the climb, despite the risk.
使い方のコツ
The phrase is neutral to formal. It is best used when you want to emphasize that a decision has significant consequences. Avoid using it in very casual slang-heavy conversations unless you are being intentionally dramatic for humor.
The 'And' Factor
In conversation, you can add `और` (and) between `पर्वत` and `गहरी` to make it flow more naturally like a sentence.
Don't be a Drama Queen
Avoid using this for small inconveniences. If you use it because the bus is late, people will think you are being sarcastic.
The Bollywood Connection
This imagery is very common in 70s and 80s Bollywood songs to describe the 'difficult path of love' (`इश्क का रास्ता`).
例文
6यह नया बिज़नेस ऊँचे पर्वत और गहरी खाई जैसा है।
This new business is like a high mountain and a deep valley.
Highlights that the venture could lead to great wealth or total loss.
UPSC की परीक्षा तो ऊँचे पर्वत और गहरी खाई है।
The UPSC exam is a high mountain and a deep valley.
Refers to the prestige of passing versus the difficulty of the attempt.
उसे प्रपोज़ करना ऊँचे पर्वत और गहरी खाई जैसा लग रहा है!
Proposing to her feels like a high mountain and a deep valley!
Adds a sense of drama and high stakes to a personal moment.
आज का मैच ऊँचे पर्वत और गहरी खाई है, बस संभल कर खेलना।
Today's match is a high mountain and a deep valley, just play carefully.
Used to emphasize the importance of the game.
यह मिर्ची खाना ऊँचे पर्वत और गहरी खाई है—या तो मज़ा आएगा या पेट खराब!
Eating this chili is a high mountain and deep valley—either it'll be fun or a stomach ache!
Uses the grand idiom for a funny, low-stakes physical risk.
सावधान रहिये, यह प्रोजेक्ट ऊँचे पर्वत और गहरी खाई जैसा है।
Be careful, this project is like a high mountain and a deep valley.
A formal warning about professional reputation risks.
自分をテスト
Choose the word that completes the high-stakes idiom.
ज़िंदगी में कभी-कभी हमें ___ पर्वत और गहरी खाई के बीच रास्ता चुनना पड़ता है।
The idiom specifically uses `ऊँचे` (high) to contrast with the deep valley.
Which word represents the 'risk' in this phrase?
सफलता पहाड़ है, तो असफलता ___ है।
`खाई` (valley/ditch) represents the deep risk or failure in this metaphor.
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ビジュアル学習ツール
Formality of 'ऊँचे पर्वत गहरी खाई'
Used with friends to describe dramatic personal choices.
My new startup idea is like a mountain and valley.
Common in journalism and everyday serious discussion.
The stock market today is a high mountain and deep valley.
Used in literature or speeches to highlight grand risks.
The nation's path is one of high mountains and deep valleys.
When to use the Phrase
Career Change
Leaving a stable job for a passion project.
Investments
Putting savings into a volatile crypto market.
Competitive Sports
A final world cup match.
Major Life Decisions
Moving to a foreign country alone.
よくある質問
10 問Not at all! It implies that there is a 'mountain' (a great peak or success) available, but it just comes with a 'valley' (risk). It is about the scale of the situation, not just the negativity.
Yes, it is very appropriate for professional settings when discussing strategy or risk management. You could say यह डील ऊँचे पर्वत और गहरी खाई जैसी है to sound insightful.
Not exactly. 'Between a rock and a hard place' implies two bad options. ऊँचे पर्वत गहरी खाई implies one very good potential outcome and one very bad one.
It is pronounced like 'Khaa-ee'. The 'kh' is aspirated, like the sound in 'Khan'.
It has a classic feel, but it is still widely used in news, literature, and serious conversations today. It is not 'slang', but it is definitely not obsolete.
Usually, it describes situations or paths, not people's personalities. However, you could describe someone's life journey using this phrase.
There isn't a direct opposite idiom, but you might describe a safe, flat situation as समतल रास्ता (a flat/level path).
Yes, using both the mountain and the valley is important to convey the 'high stakes' meaning. Just saying 'high mountain' only implies success.
While it is a Hindi phrase, the imagery is understood across India because of the shared geography of the Himalayas and the Deccan plateaus.
Yes, ऊँचा पहाड़ और गहरी खाई is a very common and slightly more colloquial variation.
関連フレーズ
आर या पार
This side or that (All or nothing)
दोधारी तलवार
Double-edged sword
आसमान से गिरा खजूर में अटका
Falling from the sky and getting stuck in a date tree (Out of the frying pan into the fire)
जोखिम उठाना
To take a risk
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