भई
See also: भाई
Hindi edit
Etymology edit
McGregor suggests Sanskrit भगिन् (bhagin, “good, prosperous”).
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
भई • (bhaī) m or f by sense (Urdu spelling بھئی)
Usage notes edit
Calling someone भई does not necessarily mean that they are your friend, and can be seen as patronizing in some contexts. It is also used as a general-purpose interjection meaning "hey!".
Declension edit
NOTE: This term is declined masculine or feminine according to the gender of the referent.
Declension of भई (masc ind ī-stem)
Declension of भई (fem ind ī-stem)
References edit
- McGregor, Ronald Stuart (1993) “भई”, in The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, London: Oxford University Press