साधु

See also: साधू, सुधा, सुध, सीधा, संधि, and सीधे

Hindi

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit साधु (sādhú).

Pronunciation

• (Delhi) IPA^(key): /sɑː.d̪ʱuː/, [säː.d̪ʱuː]

Noun

साधु • (sādhu) m

1. (Hinduism) a sadhu; monk

Declension

Declension of साधु (masc u-stem)

	singular	plural
direct	साधु sādhu	साधु sādhu
oblique	साधु sādhu	साधुओं sādhuõ
vocative	साधु sādhu	साधुओ sādhuo

References

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

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

• sādhu (Latin script)
• 𑀲𑀸𑀥𑀼 (Brahmi script)
• সাধু (Bengali script)
• සාධු (Sinhalese script)
• သာဓု or သႃꩪု (Burmese script)
• สาธุ (Thai script)
• ᩈᩣᨵᩩ (Tai Tham script)
• ສາຘຸ (Lao script)
• សាធុ (Khmer script)
• 𑄥𑄂𑄙𑄪 (Chakma script)

Adjective

साधु

1. Devanagari script form of sādhu

Sanskrit

Alternative scripts

Alternative scripts

• সাধু (Assamese script)
• ᬲᬵᬥᬸ (Balinese script)
• সাধু (Bengali script)
• 𑰭𑰯𑰠𑰲 (Bhaiksuki script)
• 𑀲𑀸𑀥𑀼 (Brahmi script)
• သာဓု (Burmese script)
• સાધુ (Gujarati script)
• ਸਾਧੁ (Gurmukhi script)
• 𑌸𑌾𑌧𑍁 (Grantha script)
• ꦱꦴꦣꦸ (Javanese script)
• 𑂮𑂰𑂡𑂳 (Kaithi script)
• ಸಾಧು (Kannada script)
• សាធុ (Khmer script)
• ສາຘຸ (Lao script)
• സാധു (Malayalam script)
• ᠰᠠ᠎᠊ᠠᢡᡠ (Manchu script)
• 𑘭𑘰𑘠𑘳 (Modi script)
• ᠰᠠᢗᢑᠾᠤ (Mongolian script)
• 𑧍𑧑𑧀𑧔 (Nandinagari script)
• 𑐳𑐵𑐢𑐸 (Newa script)
• ସାଧୁ (Odia script)
• ꢱꢵꢤꢸ (Saurashtra script)
• 𑆱𑆳𑆣𑆶 (Sharada script)
• 𑖭𑖯𑖠𑖲 (Siddham script)
• සාධු (Sinhalese script)
• 𑪁𑩛𑩮𑩒 (Soyombo script)
• 𑚨𑚭𑚜𑚰 (Takri script)
• ஸாது⁴ (Tamil script)
• సాధు (Telugu script)
• สาธุ (Thai script)
• སཱ་དྷུ (Tibetan script)
• 𑒮𑒰𑒡𑒳 (Tirhuta script)
• 𑨰𑨊𑨜𑨃 (Zanabazar Square script)

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-Iranian *sáHdʰuš.

Pronunciation

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /sɑː.dʱú/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /s̪ɑː.d̪ʱu/

Adjective

साधु • (sādhú) stem

1. straight, right
2. leading straight to a goal, hitting the mark, unerring (as an arrow or thunderbolt)
3. straightened, not entangled (as threads)
4. well-disposed, kind, willing, obedient
5. successful, effective, efficient (as a hymn or prayer)
6. ready, prepared (as soma)
7. peaceful, secure
8. powerful, excellent, good for (locative) or towards (locative, genitive, dative, accusative, with प्रति (prati), अनु (anu), अभि (abhi), परि (pari), or compound)
9. fit, proper, right
10. good, virtuous, honourable, righteous
11. well-born, noble, of honourable or respectable descent
12. correct, pure
13. classical (as language)

Declension

Masculine u-stem declension of साधु

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	साधुः (sādhúḥ)	साधू (sādhū́)	साधवः (sādhávaḥ)
vocative	साधो (sā́dho)	साधू (sā́dhū)	साधवः (sā́dhavaḥ)
accusative	साधुम् (sādhúm)	साधू (sādhū́)	साधून् (sādhū́n)
instrumental	साधुना (sādhúnā) साध्वा¹ (sādhvā́¹)	साधुभ्याम् (sādhúbhyām)	साधुभिः (sādhúbhiḥ)
dative	साधवे (sādháve) साध्वे¹ (sādhvé¹)	साधुभ्याम् (sādhúbhyām)	साधुभ्यः (sādhúbhyaḥ)
ablative	साधोः (sādhóḥ) साध्वः¹ (sādhváḥ¹)	साधुभ्याम् (sādhúbhyām)	साधुभ्यः (sādhúbhyaḥ)
genitive	साधोः (sādhóḥ) साध्वः¹ (sādhváḥ¹)	साध्वोः (sādhvóḥ)	साधूनाम् (sādhūnā́m)
locative	साधौ (sādhaú)	साध्वोः (sādhvóḥ)	साधुषु (sādhúṣu)

• ¹Vedic

Feminine ī-stem declension of साध्वी

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	साध्वी (sādhvī́)	साध्व्यौ (sādhvyaù) साध्वी¹ (sādhvī́¹)	साध्व्यः (sādhvyàḥ) साध्वीः¹ (sādhvī́ḥ¹)
vocative	साध्वि (sā́dhvi)	साध्व्यौ (sā́dhvyau) साध्वी¹ (sā́dhvī¹)	साध्व्यः (sā́dhvyaḥ) साध्वीः¹ (sā́dhvīḥ¹)
accusative	साध्वीम् (sādhvī́m)	साध्व्यौ (sādhvyaù) साध्वी¹ (sādhvī́¹)	साध्वीः (sādhvī́ḥ)
instrumental	साध्व्या (sādhvyā́)	साध्वीभ्याम् (sādhvī́bhyām)	साध्वीभिः (sādhvī́bhiḥ)
dative	साध्व्यै (sādhvyaí)	साध्वीभ्याम् (sādhvī́bhyām)	साध्वीभ्यः (sādhvī́bhyaḥ)
ablative	साध्व्याः (sādhvyā́ḥ) साध्व्यै² (sādhvyaí²)	साध्वीभ्याम् (sādhvī́bhyām)	साध्वीभ्यः (sādhvī́bhyaḥ)
genitive	साध्व्याः (sādhvyā́ḥ) साध्व्यै² (sādhvyaí²)	साध्व्योः (sādhvyóḥ)	साध्वीनाम् (sādhvī́nām)
locative	साध्व्याम् (sādhvyā́m)	साध्व्योः (sādhvyóḥ)	साध्वीषु (sādhvī́ṣu)

• ¹Vedic
• ²Brāhmaṇas

Neuter u-stem declension of साधु

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	साधु (sādhú)	साधुनी (sādhúnī)	साधूनि (sādhū́ni) साधु¹ (sādhú¹) साधू¹ (sādhū́¹)
vocative	साधु (sā́dhu) साधो (sā́dho)	साधुनी (sā́dhunī)	साधूनि (sā́dhūni) साधु¹ (sā́dhu¹) साधू¹ (sā́dhū¹)
accusative	साधु (sādhú)	साधुनी (sādhúnī)	साधूनि (sādhū́ni) साधु¹ (sādhú¹) साधू¹ (sādhū́¹)
instrumental	साधुना (sādhúnā) साध्वा¹ (sādhvā́¹)	साधुभ्याम् (sādhúbhyām)	साधुभिः (sādhúbhiḥ)
dative	साधुने (sādhúne) साधवे¹ (sādháve¹) साध्वे¹ (sādhvé¹)	साधुभ्याम् (sādhúbhyām)	साधुभ्यः (sādhúbhyaḥ)
ablative	साधुनः (sādhúnaḥ) साधोः¹ (sādhóḥ¹) साध्वः¹ (sādhváḥ¹)	साधुभ्याम् (sādhúbhyām)	साधुभ्यः (sādhúbhyaḥ)
genitive	साधुनः (sādhúnaḥ) साधोः¹ (sādhóḥ¹) साध्वः¹ (sādhváḥ¹)	साधुनोः (sādhúnoḥ)	साधूनाम् (sādhūnā́m)
locative	साधुनि (sādhúni) साधौ¹ (sādhaú¹)	साधुनोः (sādhúnoḥ)	साधुषु (sādhúṣu)

• ¹Vedic

Adverb

साधु • (sādhú)

1. straight, aright, regularly
2. well, rightly, skilfully, properly, agreeably

   sādhú √vṛt (+ locative) — to behave well towards

   sādhú √kṛ — to set eight

   sādhú √ās — to be well or at ease

3. well, greatly, in a high degree
4. assuredly, indeed

Interjection

साधु • (sādhú)

1. good! well done! bravo!
2. well, enough of, away with (+instrumental)!
3. well come on! (+imperative or 1. pr.)

Noun

साधु • (sādhú) stem, m

1. a good or virtuous or honest man
2. a holy man, saint, sage, seer; a sadhu
3. (Jainism) a जिन (jina) or deified saint
4. a jeweller
5. a merchant, money-lender, usurer
6. (grammar) a derivative or inflected noun
7. a saintly woman
8. a kind of root (= मेदा (medā))

Declension

Masculine u-stem declension of साधु

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	साधुः (sādhúḥ)	साधू (sādhū́)	साधवः (sādhávaḥ)
vocative	साधो (sā́dho)	साधू (sā́dhū)	साधवः (sā́dhavaḥ)
accusative	साधुम् (sādhúm)	साधू (sādhū́)	साधून् (sādhū́n)
instrumental	साधुना (sādhúnā) साध्वा¹ (sādhvā́¹)	साधुभ्याम् (sādhúbhyām)	साधुभिः (sādhúbhiḥ)
dative	साधवे (sādháve) साध्वे¹ (sādhvé¹)	साधुभ्याम् (sādhúbhyām)	साधुभ्यः (sādhúbhyaḥ)
ablative	साधोः (sādhóḥ) साध्वः¹ (sādhváḥ¹)	साधुभ्याम् (sādhúbhyām)	साधुभ्यः (sādhúbhyaḥ)
genitive	साधोः (sādhóḥ) साध्वः¹ (sādhváḥ¹)	साध्वोः (sādhvóḥ)	साधूनाम् (sādhūnā́m)
locative	साधौ (sādhaú)	साध्वोः (sādhvóḥ)	साधुषु (sādhúṣu)

• ¹Vedic

Noun

साधु • (sādhú) stem, n

1. the good or right or honest, a good etc. thing or act

   साध्व् अस्ति (sādhv asti) (+dative) — it is well with

   sādhu-√man (+ accusative) — to consider a thing good, approve

2. gentleness, kindness, benevolence

Declension

Neuter u-stem declension of साधु

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	साधु (sādhú)	साधुनी (sādhúnī)	साधूनि (sādhū́ni) साधु¹ (sādhú¹) साधू¹ (sādhū́¹)
vocative	साधु (sā́dhu) साधो (sā́dho)	साधुनी (sā́dhunī)	साधूनि (sā́dhūni) साधु¹ (sā́dhu¹) साधू¹ (sā́dhū¹)
accusative	साधु (sādhú)	साधुनी (sādhúnī)	साधूनि (sādhū́ni) साधु¹ (sādhú¹) साधू¹ (sādhū́¹)
instrumental	साधुना (sādhúnā) साध्वा¹ (sādhvā́¹)	साधुभ्याम् (sādhúbhyām)	साधुभिः (sādhúbhiḥ)
dative	साधुने (sādhúne) साधवे¹ (sādháve¹) साध्वे¹ (sādhvé¹)	साधुभ्याम् (sādhúbhyām)	साधुभ्यः (sādhúbhyaḥ)
ablative	साधुनः (sādhúnaḥ) साधोः¹ (sādhóḥ¹) साध्वः¹ (sādhváḥ¹)	साधुभ्याम् (sādhúbhyām)	साधुभ्यः (sādhúbhyaḥ)
genitive	साधुनः (sādhúnaḥ) साधोः¹ (sādhóḥ¹) साध्वः¹ (sādhváḥ¹)	साधुनोः (sādhúnoḥ)	साधूनाम् (sādhūnā́m)
locative	साधुनि (sādhúni) साधौ¹ (sādhaú¹)	साधुनोः (sādhúnoḥ)	साधुषु (sādhúṣu)

• ¹Vedic

Descendants

• Ashokan Prakrit: 𑀲𑀸𑀥𑀼 (sādhu)
  • Ardhamagadhi Prakrit: 𑀲𑀸𑀳𑀼 (sāhu)
  • Magadhi Prakrit: 𑀰𑀸𑀳𑀼 (śāhu)
    • Assamese: সাউ (xau)
    • Bengali: সাউ (śau), সাহা (śaha)
  • Maharastri Prakrit: 𑀲𑀸𑀳𑀼 (sāhu)
    • Hindustani: sāh, sāhū

      Hindi: साह, साहू

      Urdu: صاح (sāh), ساہُو (sāhū)

    • Marathi: साव (sāv)
    • Nepali: साहू (sāhū)
    • Punjabi:

      Gurmukhi script: ਸਾਊ (sāū)

      Shahmukhi script: ساؤُ (sāū)

    • Sindhi:

      Arabic script: سَائُو

      Devanagari script: साऊ

  • Sauraseni Prakrit: 𑀲𑀸𑀳𑀼 (sāhu)
    • Hindustani: sāh, sāhū

      Hindi: साह, साहू

      Urdu: صاح (sāh), ساہُو (sāhū)

    • Marathi: साव (sāv)
    • Nepali: साहू (sāhū)
    • Punjabi:

      Gurmukhi script: ਸਾਊ (sāū)

      Shahmukhi script: ساؤُ (sāū)

    • Sindhi:

      Arabic script: سَائُو

      Devanagari script: साऊ

• Pali: sādhu
  • → Burmese: သာဓု (sadhu.)
  • → Shan: သႃႇထူႉ (sàa thṵ̂u)
  • → Thai: สาธุ (sǎa-tú)
  • → Chinese: 善哉 (shànzāi) (calque)
• → English: sadhu
• → Gujarati: સાધુ (sādhu)
• → Hindi: साधु (sādhu)
• → Kannada: ಸಾಧು (sādhu)
• → Marathi: साधू (sādhū)
• → Malay: sadu
  • Indonesian: sadu (“best”)
• → Old Javanese: sādhu (“good, virtuous; sadhu”)
  • Javanese: ꦱꦢꦸ (sadu)
  • → Balinese: ᬲᬵᬥᬸ (sadu)
  • → Indonesian: sadu (“sadhu”) (semantic loan)
• → Tamil: சாது (cātu)

References

• “साधु॑” in Carl Cappeller, A Sanskrit–English Dictionary: Based upon the St. Petersburg Lexicons, Strasbourg: Karl J. Trübner, 1891, →OCLC, page 612, column 2.
• Arthur Anthony Macdonell (1893) “साधु”, in A practical Sanskrit dictionary with transliteration, accentuation, and etymological analysis throughout, London: Oxford University Press, page 346
• Monier Williams (1899) “Sādhú”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 1201, column 2.