चौका

Hindi

Etymology

Inherited from Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀘𑀤𑀼𑀓𑁆𑀓 (cadukka) + Middle Indo-Aryan -𑀓- (-ka-), from Sanskrit चतुष्क (catuṣka). Cognate with Nepali चौको (cauko), Bhojpuri 𑂒𑂸𑂍𑂰 (caukā), Gujarati ચોકો (coko), Marathi चौका (caukā), Odia ଚୌକା (caukā), Assamese চৌকা (souka). Equivalent to चौक (cauk) +‎ -आ (-ā).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Hindi) IPA^(key): /t͡ʃɔː.kɑː/, [t͡ʃɔː.käː]

Noun

चौका • (caukā) m (Urdu spelling چوکا)

1. set of four
   1. (cricket) a four
   2. (card games) a four
2. square slab (of some stone)
3. square, courtyard (central area in a house for certain activities)

Declension

Declension of चौका (masc ā-stem)

	singular	plural
direct	चौका caukā	चौके cauke
oblique	चौके cauke	चौकों caukõ
vocative	चौके cauke	चौको cauko

Coordinate terms

Playing cards in Hindi · ताश (tāś) (layout · text)
इक्का (ikkā)	दुक्की (dukkī)	तिक्की (tikkī)	चौका (caukā)	पंजा (pañjā)	छक्का (chakkā)	सत्ता (sattā)
अट्ठा (aṭṭhā)	नहला (nahlā)	दहला (dahlā)	ग़ुलाम (ġulām)	रानी (rānī) बेगम (begam)	राजा (rājā) बादशाह (bādśāh)	जोकर (jokar)

References

• McGregor, Ronald Stuart (1993), “चौका”, in The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, London: Oxford University Press

Nepali

Etymology

Borrowed from Hindi चौका (caukā). Doublet of चौको (cauko).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [t͡sʌu̯kä]

• Phonetic Devanagari: चौका

Noun

चौका • (caukā)

1. set of four
   1. (card games) a four
   2. (cricket) a four

Coordinate terms

Playing cards in Nepali · तास (tās) (layout · text)
एक्का (ekkā)	दुक्का (dukkā)	तिक्का (tikkā)	चौका (caukā)	पन्जा (panjā), पंजा (pañjā)	छक्का (chakkā)	सत्ता (sattā)
अट्ठा (aṭṭhā)	नहल (nahal)	दहल (dahal)	गुलाम (gulām)	मिस्सी (missī), रानी (rānī)	बादशाह (bādśāha)	जोकर (jokar)

Further reading

• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1931), “चौका”, in A comparative and etymological dictionary of the Nepali language, London: K. Paul, Trench, Trubner, page 186