बाल

See also: बालू

Hindi

Pronunciation

• (Standard Hindi) IPA^(key): /bɑːl/, [bäːl]

• Audio (Delhi):

  (file)

Etymology 1

Inherited from Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀯𑀸𑀮 (vāla), from Sanskrit वाल (vāla). Cognate with Assamese বাল (bal, “pubic hair”).

Noun

बाल • (bāl) m (Urdu spelling بال)

1. hair

   Synonym: केश (keś)

   इस लड़की के पास बहुत लंबे-लंबे बाल हैं।

   is laṛkī ke pās bahut lambe-lambe bāl ha͠i.

   This girl has very long hair.

   बालों की ज़ुल्फ़ें ― bālõ kī zulfẽ ― tresses of the hair

Declension

Declension of बाल (masc cons-stem)

	singular	plural
direct	बाल bāl	बाल bāl
oblique	बाल bāl	बालों bālõ
vocative	बाल bāl	बालो bālo

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Sanskrit बाल (bāla).

Noun

बाल • (bāl) m (Urdu spelling بال)

1. (chiefly in compounds) child, boy

   Synonym: बच्चा (baccā)

Declension

Declension of बाल (masc cons-stem)

	singular	plural
direct	बाल bāl	बाल bāl
oblique	बाल bāl	बालों bālõ
vocative	बाल bāl	बालो bālo

Derived terms

• बाल-बच्चे (bāl-bacce, “children”)
• बाल-बुद्धि (bāl-buddhi, “childishness, puerility”)
• बाल-वध (bāl-vadh, “infanticide”)
• बाल-विधवा (bāl-vidhvā, “child widow”)
• बाल-विवाह (bāl-vivāh, “child marriage”)
• बालकेलि (bālkeli, “infantile fun, childish frolic”)

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Classical Persian بال (bāl), from Middle Persian b’lk’ (bālag, “wing”).

Noun

बाल • (bāl) m (Urdu spelling بال)

1. wing

References

• McGregor, Ronald Stuart (1993), “बाल”, in The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, London: Oxford University Press
• Bahri, Hardev (1989), “बाल”, in Siksarthi Hindi-Angrejhi Sabdakosa [Learners' Hindi-English Dictionary], Delhi: Rajpal & Sons.
• Caturvedi, Mahendra; Bhola Nath Tiwari (1970), “बाल”, in A practical Hindi-English dictionary, Delhi: National Publishing House

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

• bāla (Latin script)
• 𑀩𑀸𑀮 (Brahmi script)
• বাল (Bengali script)
• බාල (Sinhalese script)
• ဗာလ or ၿႃလ (Burmese script)
• พาล or พาละ (Thai script)
• ᨻᩣᩃ (Tai Tham script)
• ພາລ or ພາລະ (Lao script)
• ពាល (Khmer script)
• 𑄝𑄂𑄣 (Chakma script)

Noun

बाल m

1. Devanagari script form of bāla (“child, fool”)
2. Devanagari script form of bāla (“hair”)

Declension

Declension table of "बाल" (masculine)

Case / Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	बालो (bālo)	बाला (bālā)
Accusative (second)	बालं (bālaṃ)	बाले (bāle)
Instrumental (third)	बालेन (bālena)	बालेहि (bālehi) or बालेभि (bālebhi)
Dative (fourth)	बालस्स (bālassa) or बालाय (bālāya) or बालत्थं (bālatthaṃ)	बालानं (bālānaṃ)
Ablative (fifth)	बालस्मा (bālasmā) or बालम्हा (bālamhā) or बाला (bālā)	बालेहि (bālehi) or बालेभि (bālebhi)
Genitive (sixth)	बालस्स (bālassa)	बालानं (bālānaṃ)
Locative (seventh)	बालस्मिं (bālasmiṃ) or बालम्हि (bālamhi) or बाले (bāle)	बालेसु (bālesu)
Vocative (calling)	बाल (bāla)	बाला (bālā)

Adjective

बाल

1. Devanagari script form of bāla (“young”)

Declension

Declension table of "बाल" (masculine)

Case / Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	बालो (bālo)	बाला (bālā)
Accusative (second)	बालं (bālaṃ)	बाले (bāle)
Instrumental (third)	बालेन (bālena)	बालेहि (bālehi) or बालेभि (bālebhi)
Dative (fourth)	बालस्स (bālassa) or बालाय (bālāya) or बालत्थं (bālatthaṃ)	बालानं (bālānaṃ)
Ablative (fifth)	बालस्मा (bālasmā) or बालम्हा (bālamhā) or बाला (bālā)	बालेहि (bālehi) or बालेभि (bālebhi)
Genitive (sixth)	बालस्स (bālassa)	बालानं (bālānaṃ)
Locative (seventh)	बालस्मिं (bālasmiṃ) or बालम्हि (bālamhi) or बाले (bāle)	बालेसु (bālesu)
Vocative (calling)	बाल (bāla)	बाला (bālā)

Declension table of "बाला" (feminine)

Case / Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	बाला (bālā)	बालायो (bālāyo) or बाला (bālā)
Accusative (second)	बालं (bālaṃ)	बालायो (bālāyo) or बाला (bālā)
Instrumental (third)	बालाय (bālāya)	बालाहि (bālāhi) or बालाभि (bālābhi)
Dative (fourth)	बालाय (bālāya)	बालानं (bālānaṃ)
Ablative (fifth)	बालाय (bālāya)	बालाहि (bālāhi) or बालाभि (bālābhi)
Genitive (sixth)	बालाय (bālāya)	बालानं (bālānaṃ)
Locative (seventh)	बालाय (bālāya) or बालायं (bālāyaṃ)	बालासु (bālāsu)
Vocative (calling)	बाले (bāle)	बालायो (bālāyo) or बाला (bālā)

Declension table of "बाल" (neuter)

Case / Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	बालं (bālaṃ)	बालानि (bālāni)
Accusative (second)	बालं (bālaṃ)	बालानि (bālāni)
Instrumental (third)	बालेन (bālena)	बालेहि (bālehi) or बालेभि (bālebhi)
Dative (fourth)	बालस्स (bālassa) or बालाय (bālāya) or बालत्थं (bālatthaṃ)	बालानं (bālānaṃ)
Ablative (fifth)	बालस्मा (bālasmā) or बालम्हा (bālamhā) or बाला (bālā)	बालेहि (bālehi) or बालेभि (bālebhi)
Genitive (sixth)	बालस्स (bālassa)	बालानं (bālānaṃ)
Locative (seventh)	बालस्मिं (bālasmiṃ) or बालम्हि (bālamhi) or बाले (bāle)	बालेसु (bālesu)
Vocative (calling)	बाल (bāla)	बालानि (bālāni)

Sanskrit

Alternative scripts

Alternative scripts

• বাল (Assamese script)
• ᬩᬵᬮ (Balinese script)
• বাল (Bengali script)
• 𑰤𑰯𑰩 (Bhaiksuki script)
• 𑀩𑀸𑀮 (Brahmi script)
• ဗာလ (Burmese script)
• બાલ (Gujarati script)
• ਬਾਲ (Gurmukhi script)
• 𑌬𑌾𑌲 (Grantha script)
• ꦧꦴꦭ (Javanese script)
• 𑂥𑂰𑂪 (Kaithi script)
• ಬಾಲ (Kannada script)
• ពាល (Khmer script)
• ພາລ (Lao script)
• ബാല (Malayalam script)
• ᠪᠠ᠎᠊ᠠᠯᠠ (Manchu script)
• 𑘤𑘰𑘩 (Modi script)
• ᠪᠠᢗᠯᠠ᠋ (Mongolian script)
• 𑧄𑧑𑧉 (Nandinagari script)
• 𑐧𑐵𑐮 (Newa script)
• ବାଲ (Odia script)
• ꢨꢵꢭ (Saurashtra script)
• 𑆧𑆳𑆬 (Sharada script)
• 𑖤𑖯𑖩 (Siddham script)
• බාල (Sinhalese script)
• 𑩲𑩛𑩽 (Soyombo script)
• 𑚠𑚭𑚥 (Takri script)
• ப³ால (Tamil script)
• బాల (Telugu script)
• พาล (Thai script)
• བཱ་ལ (Tibetan script)
• 𑒥𑒰𑒪 (Tirhuta script)
• 𑨠𑨊𑨬 (Zanabazar Square script)

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. Various theories have been proposed:

• Per Turner, perhaps from a "defective word family" including बण्ड (baṇḍa, “mained, defective”). Said word family is the source for various words for children, i.e. "poor simple little beings", in various Indic languages.
• A vṛddhi derivative of बल (bala, “strength”), denoting the potential and eventual power of youth; compare Lithuanian viekà (“power”) and vaikas (“child”) for an etymologically related pair (with each other, not to बाल (bāla)) with similar semantic connection; see also शिशु (śíśu, “child”). This, along with Turner's "defective word" theory, is tentatively favored by Mayrhofer.
• Imitative of the babbling of little children; compare बल्बला (balbalā, “to stammer”).
• Borrowed from Munda; compare Santali bale (“fresh, tender”) and Ho bāle (“young”), ultimately from Proto-Munda *bāle. Though this comparison is phonetically and semantically sound, it is unlikely for a Vedic word of such basic significance to be a loanword. In this case, the Munda words are more likely from Sanskrit, possibly via a Prakrit.

It is possible that the first three theories have contributed to the word's development.

Pronunciation

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /bɑː.lɐ́/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /bɑː.l̪ɐ/

Noun

बा॒ल • (bālá) stem, m

1. boy; child

   न बालः अस्मि।

   na bālaḥ asmi.

   I am not a boy.

2. fool, simpleton

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of बा॒ल

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	बा॒लः (bāláḥ)	बा॒लौ (bāláu) बा॒ला¹ (bālā́¹)	बा॒लाः (bālā́ḥ) बा॒लासः॑¹ (bālā́saḥ¹)
accusative	बा॒लम् (bālám)	बा॒लौ (bāláu) बा॒ला¹ (bālā́¹)	बा॒लान् (bālā́n)
instrumental	बा॒लेन॑ (bāléna)	बा॒लाभ्या॑म् (bālā́bhyām)	बा॒लैः (bāláiḥ) बा॒लेभिः॑¹ (bālébhiḥ¹)
dative	बा॒लाय॑ (bālā́ya)	बा॒लाभ्या॑म् (bālā́bhyām)	बा॒लेभ्यः॑ (bālébhyaḥ)
ablative	बा॒लात् (bālā́t)	बा॒लाभ्या॑म् (bālā́bhyām)	बा॒लेभ्यः॑ (bālébhyaḥ)
genitive	बा॒लस्य॑ (bālásya)	बा॒लयोः॑ (bāláyoḥ)	बा॒लाना॑म् (bālā́nām)
locative	बा॒ले (bālé)	बा॒लयोः॑ (bāláyoḥ)	बा॒लेषु॑ (bāléṣu)
vocative	बाल॑ (bā́la)	बालौ॑ (bā́lau) बाला॑¹ (bā́lā¹)	बालाः॑ (bā́lāḥ) बाला॑सः¹ (bā́lāsaḥ¹)

• ¹Vedic

Derived terms

• बालक (bālaka)
• बालकेलि (bālakeli)

Descendants

• Pali: bāla
  • → Khmer: ពាល (piəl)
  • → Thai: พาล (paan)
• → Assamese: বাল (bal)
• → Bengali: বাল (bal)
• → Gujarati: બાળ (bāḷ)
• → Hindi: बाल (bāl)
• → Marathi: बाळ (bāḷ)
• → Old Javanese: wāla, bāla
  • > Javanese: ꦮꦭ (wala) (inherited)
• Saraiki: ٻال (ḇāl)
• → Tamil: பாலன் (pālaṉ)
• ⇒ Telugu: బాలుండు (bāluṇḍu)

Adjective

बाल • (bāla) stem

1. childish, immature
2. newly-risen (of the sun)
3. (astronomy) waxing (of the moon)
4. simple, foolish

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of बाल

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	बालः (bālaḥ)	बालौ (bālau) बाला¹ (bālā¹)	बालाः (bālāḥ) बालासः¹ (bālāsaḥ¹)
accusative	बालम् (bālam)	बालौ (bālau) बाला¹ (bālā¹)	बालान् (bālān)
instrumental	बालेन (bālena)	बालाभ्याम् (bālābhyām)	बालैः (bālaiḥ) बालेभिः¹ (bālebhiḥ¹)
dative	बालाय (bālāya)	बालाभ्याम् (bālābhyām)	बालेभ्यः (bālebhyaḥ)
ablative	बालात् (bālāt)	बालाभ्याम् (bālābhyām)	बालेभ्यः (bālebhyaḥ)
genitive	बालस्य (bālasya)	बालयोः (bālayoḥ)	बालानाम् (bālānām)
locative	बाले (bāle)	बालयोः (bālayoḥ)	बालेषु (bāleṣu)
vocative	बाल (bāla)	बालौ (bālau) बाला¹ (bālā¹)	बालाः (bālāḥ) बालासः¹ (bālāsaḥ¹)

• ¹Vedic

Feminine ā-stem declension of बाला

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	बाला (bālā)	बाले (bāle)	बालाः (bālāḥ)
accusative	बालाम् (bālām)	बाले (bāle)	बालाः (bālāḥ)
instrumental	बालया (bālayā) बाला¹ (bālā¹)	बालाभ्याम् (bālābhyām)	बालाभिः (bālābhiḥ)
dative	बालायै (bālāyai)	बालाभ्याम् (bālābhyām)	बालाभ्यः (bālābhyaḥ)
ablative	बालायाः (bālāyāḥ) बालायै² (bālāyai²)	बालाभ्याम् (bālābhyām)	बालाभ्यः (bālābhyaḥ)
genitive	बालायाः (bālāyāḥ) बालायै² (bālāyai²)	बालयोः (bālayoḥ)	बालानाम् (bālānām)
locative	बालायाम् (bālāyām)	बालयोः (bālayoḥ)	बालासु (bālāsu)
vocative	बाले (bāle)	बाले (bāle)	बालाः (bālāḥ)

• ¹Vedic
• ²Brāhmaṇas

Neuter a-stem declension of बाल

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	बालम् (bālam)	बाले (bāle)	बालानि (bālāni) बाला¹ (bālā¹)
accusative	बालम् (bālam)	बाले (bāle)	बालानि (bālāni) बाला¹ (bālā¹)
instrumental	बालेन (bālena)	बालाभ्याम् (bālābhyām)	बालैः (bālaiḥ) बालेभिः¹ (bālebhiḥ¹)
dative	बालाय (bālāya)	बालाभ्याम् (bālābhyām)	बालेभ्यः (bālebhyaḥ)
ablative	बालात् (bālāt)	बालाभ्याम् (bālābhyām)	बालेभ्यः (bālebhyaḥ)
genitive	बालस्य (bālasya)	बालयोः (bālayoḥ)	बालानाम् (bālānām)
locative	बाले (bāle)	बालयोः (bālayoḥ)	बालेषु (bāleṣu)
vocative	बाल (bāla)	बाले (bāle)	बालानि (bālāni) बाला¹ (bālā¹)

• ¹Vedic

Further reading

• Monier Williams (1899), “बाल”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 728, column 3.