At the A1 level, 'बिखरना' (bikharnā) is used to describe simple physical actions involving everyday objects. It means things falling or being spread out in a messy way. For example, if your toys are all over the floor, you can say they are 'bikhare' (scattered). You will mostly see it in the past tense like 'bikhara' (for masculine things) or 'bikhari' (for feminine things). Think of it as the word for 'a mess of things.' It helps you describe your room, your bag, or your desk when it is not tidy. You might use it with words like 'toy' (khilaunā), 'book' (kitāb), or 'hair' (bāl). It is a very useful word for beginners to explain why they need to clean up!
At the A2 level, you start using 'बिखरना' (bikharnā) to describe more natural phenomena and slightly more complex situations. You can use it for things like 'seeds' (beej) falling on the ground or 'leaves' (patte) scattering in the wind. You will also learn to use the helping verb 'gayā' with it, as in 'bikhara gayā' (it got scattered). This level introduces the idea that the scattering is often accidental or caused by nature. You can also use it to describe a person's hair being messy in a more descriptive way. It's about moving from just 'messy' to 'the action of becoming messy or spread out.'
At the B1 level, 'बिखरना' (bikharnā) takes on more abstract and metaphorical meanings. This is the level where you use it to describe emotions and people. For example, if someone is very sad or their life is in chaos, you can say they are 'bikhar gaye' (they fell apart). You also use it for groups of people, like a crowd dispersing after a movie or a meeting. You should understand the difference between 'bikharnā' (intransitive) and 'bikhairnā' (transitive). At this stage, you are expected to use it in various tenses and understand its emotional weight in songs and stories. It becomes a word about losing unity or structure.
At the B2 level, you use 'बिखरना' (bikharnā) to discuss more complex social and political topics. You might describe a political party 'bikharnā' (disintegrating) after an election loss or an economy 'bikharnā' (collapsing). You will also use it in more sophisticated grammatical structures, such as using it as an adjective ('bikhari hui yādein' - scattered memories). Your understanding of the word should include its nuances in literature, where it might represent the decay of society or the loss of tradition. You can distinguish it clearly from synonyms like 'titar-bitar honā' or 'phailnā' and choose the most appropriate one for the context.
At the C1 level, 'बिखरना' (bikharnā) is a tool for poetic and high-level analytical expression. You can use it to describe the 'scattering' of light in a scientific sense or the 'fragmentation' of an identity in a psychological sense. You understand its use in classical Hindi literature and can appreciate the subtle difference between a soul that is 'broken' (tūtā huā) and a soul that is 'scattered' (bikhara huā). You can use the word to describe the ephemeral nature of beauty—how colors 'bikhar' in the sky at sunset. Your usage is precise, and you can employ it to create vivid, sensory-rich imagery in your writing and speaking.
At the C2 level, you have a complete mastery of 'बिखरना' (bikharnā) and its various connotations. You can use it to discuss philosophical concepts like the entropy of the universe or the disintegration of historical empires. You are comfortable with all its idiomatic uses and can even use it ironically or in wordplay. You understand the historical etymology and how it relates to other Indo-Aryan languages. In your speech, 'bikharnā' is used with perfect grammatical precision, capturing the exact degree of chaos or dispersal you intend to convey. You can analyze its use in the works of great Hindi poets and explain why it was chosen over other verbs.

बिखरना in 30 Seconds

  • Bikharnā means to scatter or fall apart naturally.
  • It is intransitive, so the subject itself is what scatters.
  • Commonly used for messy hair, broken things, and emotions.
  • Essential for describing chaos, dispersal, or emotional heartbreak.

The Hindi verb बिखरना (bikharnā) is a versatile and evocative term that translates primarily as 'to scatter,' 'to be strewn,' or 'to fall apart.' Unlike its transitive counterpart, bikhairnā (to scatter something), bikharnā is intransitive. It describes a state where objects, people, or even abstract concepts like dreams and emotions undergo a process of dispersal or fragmentation. Imagine a necklace breaking and the beads rolling in every direction—that action of the beads moving away from each other is exactly what bikharnā captures. In everyday conversation, you might hear it when someone's hair is messy, when papers fall off a desk, or when a crowd disperses after an event.

Physical Dispersal
Used when physical objects lose their cohesion and spread out over an area.
Example: 'The seeds scattered on the ground' (बीज ज़मीन पर बिखर गए).
Light and Nature
Used to describe the way sunlight filters through trees or how clouds break apart in the sky. It carries a poetic nuance here.

मेज पर सारी किताबें बिखर गई हैं। (All the books have scattered on the table.)

Beyond the physical, bikharnā is deeply embedded in Hindi literature and Bollywood songs to represent emotional devastation. When a person feels 'broken' or 'shattered' by grief or failure, they are said to be 'bikharnā.' It implies a loss of internal structure or strength. For instance, 'He fell apart after the loss' (वह नुकसान के बाद बिखर गया). This metaphorical usage is what elevates the word from a simple physical description to a profound expression of human experience. It suggests a lack of control; things are not just moved, they are rendered chaotic.

हवा चली और सूखे पत्ते बिखर गए। (The wind blew and the dry leaves scattered.)

In social contexts, the word describes groups. When a meeting ends and people leave in different directions, they 'bikharnā.' When a political party loses its unity and members leave, the party 'bikharnā.' It conveys a sense of lost unity and the onset of entropy. Whether it is a pile of salt on a kitchen counter or a broken heart in a poem, this word is the go-to verb for describing the transition from order to a scattered state. It is essential for B1 learners to master this to describe both domestic accidents and deep feelings.

Using बिखरना (bikharnā) correctly requires understanding its conjugation as an intransitive verb. Because it is intransitive, it does not take an object, and in the perfective tense (past tense), it agrees with the subject, not an object. It follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in '-nā'. For example, 'The toys scattered' becomes 'Khilaune bikhair gaye' (खिलौने बिखर गए). Note the use of the auxiliary verb 'gayā/gaye/gayī' to indicate a completed action or a change of state, which is very common with this verb.

Past Tense (Completed Action)
Subject + bikhara/bikhari/bikhare + gayā/gayi/gaye.
'The glass shattered and scattered.' (काँच टूटकर बिखर गया।)
Continuous Tense
Subject + bikhara rahā hai.
'The crowd is dispersing.' (भीड़ बिखर रही है।)

उसके बाल कंधों पर बिखरे हुए थे। (Her hair was scattered/spread over her shoulders.)

One interesting grammatical feature is the use of 'bikharnā' in the perfective participle form as an adjective: bikhara huā (scattered). You can use this to describe a room: 'A scattered room' (बिखरा हुआ कमरा). In this case, the verb describes the state of the room. It is also used frequently with the 'kar' construction to show a sequence: 'Breaking, it scattered' (टूटकर बिखर गया). This is a hallmark of native-level Hindi fluency.

धूप आँगन में बिखर गई। (The sunlight scattered in the courtyard.)

When talking about emotions, the subject is usually the person or their heart/dreams. 'My dreams scattered' (मेरे सपने बिखर गए). This implies the dreams were destroyed or became unachievable. In more advanced usage, you might see it in the passive-causative sense, though that is rare. Most often, you will see it paired with 'gayā' to emphasize the suddenness or finality of the scattering. Mastering these patterns allows you to move from basic descriptions to complex narrative storytelling in Hindi.

You will encounter बिखरना (bikharnā) in a wide variety of settings, ranging from the mundane to the highly artistic. In a typical Indian household, a mother might scold her child by saying, 'Why is the whole house scattered?' (पूरा घर क्यों बिखरा पड़ा है?). Here, it refers to toys, clothes, and mess. It is a very common word in the context of household chores and organization. If you are shopping for grain or spices and a bag rips, the shopkeeper will exclaim that the goods have 'bikhara' on the floor.

In News and Media
News reports use it to describe the aftermath of accidents or disasters. 'Debris was scattered for miles' (मलबा मीलों तक बिखरा हुआ था).
In Bollywood Lyrics
Songs often feature 'bikharnā' to describe hair (zulfen) or hearts (dil). 'Teri zulfon ka bikharnā' refers to the romantic sight of hair falling loose.

भीड़ देखते ही देखते बिखर गई। (The crowd scattered in no time.)

In literary Hindi, authors use bikharnā to describe the disintegration of traditional values or the scattering of a family after the death of a patriarch. It carries a heavy weight of loss. In scientific or technical contexts, it might describe light scattering (though prakirnan is more formal). However, in a classroom, a teacher might tell students not to let their thoughts 'bikharnā' (wander/scatter) and to stay focused. This breadth of usage—from a messy room to a broken heart to a dispersing crowd—makes it one of the most functional verbs in the Hindi language.

तूफान के बाद पेड़ के फल बिखर गए। (The fruits of the tree scattered after the storm.)

If you are watching a Hindi drama, listen for the word during emotional climaxes. Characters often talk about their lives 'bikharnā' when facing a crisis. This emotional resonance is key to understanding the 'soul' of the word. It isn't just about position; it's about the loss of a whole. When you see a beautiful sunset and the colors spread across the sky, that too is 'bikharnā.' It’s a word that covers the spectrum from the tragic to the sublime.

The most frequent mistake learners make is confusing बिखरना (bikharnā) with its transitive pair बिखेरना (bikhairnā). This is a common pattern in Hindi (the intranstive-transitive pair). Bikharnā is something that happens on its own or describes the state of the subject. Bikhairnā is an action performed by an agent on an object. For example, if you say 'Maine kachra bikhara,' it sounds like 'I scattered (as in, I myself was scattered),' which is nonsensical. You should say 'Maine kachra bikhairā' (I scattered the trash).

Transitive vs. Intransitive
Wrong: उसने मोती बिखरे। (He scattered pearls - Incorrect verb form).
Right: मोती बिखर गए। (Pearls scattered) OR उसने मोती बिखेरे। (He scattered pearls).
Using 'ne' with Past Tense
Wrong: मैंने बिखरा। (I scattered - Incorrect).
Right: मैं बिखर गया। (I fell apart/scattered).

सावधान! बिखरना एक अकर्मक क्रिया (intransitive verb) है।

Another mistake is using bikharnā when phailnā (to spread) is more appropriate. While they are similar, bikharnā usually implies many small pieces or a messy dispersal. Phailnā is used for liquids, odors, or news spreading smoothly. You wouldn't say news 'bikhara' unless you specifically mean it became fragmented and chaotic; usually, news 'phailtā' (spreads). Similarly, water 'phailtā' on the floor, but pearls 'bikhartē' on the floor.

कागज़ फर्श पर बिखरे हैं, फैले नहीं। (Papers are scattered on the floor, not spread like a liquid.)

Lastly, watch out for the gender and number agreement. Since it's intransitive, the verb ending must match the subject. 'Chūriyān bikhari' (Bangles scattered - feminine plural) vs. 'Dāne bikhare' (Grains scattered - masculine plural). Many learners default to the masculine singular 'bikhara,' which makes the sentence sound ungrammatical. Always identify the subject first to ensure the correct verb ending.

To enrich your Hindi vocabulary, it's helpful to compare बिखरना (bikharnā) with its synonyms and related terms. While bikharnā is the most common word for scattering, other words offer specific nuances. For example, फैलना (phailnā) is often used interchangeably but usually refers to spreading out in a more continuous or organized fashion, such as a carpet or a rumor. Understanding these subtle differences will help you sound more like a native speaker.

बिखरना (Bikharnā) vs. फैलना (Phailnā)
Bikharnā implies fragmentation and disorder (like shattered glass). Phailnā implies expansion or coverage (like a disease or oil on water).
तितर-बितर होना (Titar-bitar honā)
This is a more formal or emphatic way to say 'to disperse.' It is frequently used for crowds or armies fleeing in different directions.

सेना तितर-बितर हो गई। (The army was scattered/dispersed.)

Another related word is छितराना (chhitrānā), which is more common in rural dialects or specific regional Hindi. It also means to scatter or strew. In a more abstract sense, you might use टूट जाना (tūt jānā) (to break) when talking about emotions, but bikharnā adds the specific image of the pieces flying apart. If someone says 'Main toot gayā,' they are broken. If they say 'Main bikhar gayā,' they are so broken that they have lost their form entirely.

बादल आसमान में फैल गए। (The clouds spread across the sky - smoother than bikharnā.)

Finally, consider विभाजित होना (vibhājit honā), which means 'to be divided.' While bikharnā is chaotic, vibhājit honā is often planned or structural. If a company splits into two, it is vibhājit. If it collapses into a hundred tiny struggling pieces, it has bikhara. Using the right word choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the resulting mess (bikharnā) or the resulting distribution (phailnā/vibhājit).

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The word is related to 'Kiran' (sunbeam), as light is seen as something that 'scatters' from the sun.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /bɪ.kʰəɾ.nɑː/
US /bɪ.kʰəɾ.nɑː/
The primary stress is on the second syllable 'khar'.
Rhymes With
निखरना (nikharnā) सुधरना (sudharnā) गुज़रना (guzarnā) उतरना (utarnā) संवरना (sanvarnā) उभरना (ubharnā) ठहरना (ṭhaharnā) लहरना (laharnā)
Common Errors
  • Pronouncing 'kh' as a simple 'k' (it must be aspirated).
  • Confusing the 'r' with a retroflex 'ṛ'. It is a dental/alveolar tap.
  • Over-emphasizing the final 'na'.
  • Pronouncing 'bi' as 'bee'. It is short.
  • Merging 'kh' and 'r' too quickly.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 3/5

Easy to recognize in texts but has many abstract meanings.

Writing 4/5

Requires correct gender/number agreement as an intransitive verb.

Speaking 3/5

Common in daily life; easy to practice.

Listening 3/5

Clearly pronounced, but often used in fast-paced songs.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

गिरना टूटना फैलना बाल घर

Learn Next

बिखेरना समेटना तितर-बितर संगठित

Advanced

विखंडन प्रकीर्णन विघटन अराजकता

Grammar to Know

Intransitive Verb Agreement

The verb agrees with the subject: 'Chāval (m) bikhara', 'Dāl (f) bikhari'.

Compound Verbs with 'Jānā'

Bikharnā often pairs with jānā to show completion: 'Bikhara gayā'.

Absence of 'ne' in Past Tense

Never say 'Maine bikhara'; use 'Main bikhara' or 'Sāmān bikhara'.

Participial Adjectives

'Bikhara huā' functions as an adjective meaning 'scattered'.

Causal Forms

Bikharnā (Intransitive) -> Bikhairnā (Transitive) -> Bikharvānā (Double Causal).

Examples by Level

1

खिलौने फर्श पर बिखर गए।

The toys scattered on the floor.

Past tense, masculine plural subject.

2

मेरे बाल बिखर गए हैं।

My hair is messy/scattered.

Present perfect tense.

3

किताबें मेज पर बिखरी हैं।

Books are scattered on the table.

Feminine plural subject agreement.

4

चीनी ज़मीन पर बिखर गई।

The sugar scattered on the floor.

Feminine singular subject.

5

पेंसिलें बिखर गईं।

The pencils scattered.

Feminine plural.

6

दूध नहीं बिखरा, दाने बिखरे।

Milk didn't scatter, grains scattered.

Contrast between liquid (phailna) and solid (bikharna).

7

सब कुछ बिखर गया।

Everything scattered.

Masculine singular default.

8

क्या तुम्हारे कपड़े बिखरे हैं?

Are your clothes scattered?

Interrogative sentence.

1

हवा से सूखे पत्ते बिखर गए।

Dry leaves scattered due to the wind.

Causal 'se' (by/from) phrase.

2

थैला फटा और फल बिखर गए।

The bag tore and the fruits scattered.

Sequential action.

3

फूलों की पंखुड़ियाँ ज़मीन पर बिखरी थीं।

Flower petals were scattered on the ground.

Past continuous state.

4

काँच के टुकड़े हर तरफ बिखर गए।

Glass pieces scattered everywhere.

Adverbial phrase 'har taraf'.

5

बीज खेत में बिखर गए।

The seeds scattered in the field.

Locative 'mein'.

6

उसके हाथ से मोती बिखर गए।

Pearls scattered from her hand.

Ablative 'se' (from).

7

धूप आँगन में बिखर रही है।

Sunlight is scattering in the courtyard.

Present continuous tense.

8

सारे कागज़ हवा में बिखर गए।

All the papers scattered in the air.

Masculine plural subject.

1

फिल्म के बाद भीड़ बिखर गई।

The crowd scattered after the movie.

Metaphorical use for people.

2

मुश्किल समय में वह बिखर गया।

He fell apart during difficult times.

Emotional/Abstract usage.

3

उसके सारे सपने बिखर गए।

All his dreams shattered/scattered.

Abstract subject 'sapne'.

4

पार्टी के सदस्य अब बिखर चुके हैं।

The party members have now scattered/dispersed.

Perfective with 'chukā'.

5

उसका परिवार बिखर गया।

His family fell apart/scattered.

Social unit as subject.

6

रंगों का बिखरना बहुत सुंदर है।

The scattering of colors is very beautiful.

Gerundial use of the verb.

7

तुम्हारी बातें सुनकर वह बिखर गई।

She fell apart after hearing your words.

Emotional reaction.

8

शहर में दंगे के बाद शांति बिखर गई।

Peace shattered in the city after the riots.

Abstract concept as subject.

1

आर्थिक संकट के कारण बाज़ार बिखर गया।

The market collapsed/scattered due to the economic crisis.

Economic context.

2

पुरानी यादें ज़हन में बिखरी हुई हैं।

Old memories are scattered in the mind.

Participial adjective 'bikhari hui'.

3

उसके विचार लेख में बिखरे हुए थे।

His thoughts were scattered throughout the article.

Describing lack of structure.

4

विस्फोट के बाद मलबा दूर-दूर तक बिखर गया।

After the explosion, debris scattered far and wide.

Adverbial 'dur-dur tak'.

5

संगठन में एकता नहीं रही, सब बिखर गए।

Unity didn't remain in the organization; everyone scattered.

Consequence of lack of unity.

6

बादलों के बिखरते ही चाँद दिखने लगा।

As soon as the clouds scattered, the moon became visible.

Oblique infinitive with 'hi'.

7

उसकी आवाज़ में एक बिखराव था।

There was a 'scatteredness' (fragility) in his voice.

Noun form 'bikhrav'.

8

इतिहास के पन्नों में यह कहानी कहीं बिखर गई।

This story got scattered/lost somewhere in the pages of history.

Literary metaphor.

1

प्रकाश के बिखरने से इंद्रधनुष बनता है।

A rainbow is formed by the scattering of light.

Scientific/Technical context.

2

उसकी कविताओं में वेदना बिखरी पड़ी है।

Pain lies scattered throughout her poems.

Compound verb 'bikhari padī'.

3

साम्राज्य धीरे-धीरे आंतरिक संघर्षों से बिखर गया।

The empire gradually fell apart due to internal conflicts.

Historical analysis.

4

शाम की लाली आसमान में बिखरने लगी।

The evening's redness began to scatter across the sky.

Poetic description.

5

सूचनाओं के इस युग में ध्यान बिखर जाता है।

In this age of information, attention gets scattered.

Psychological/Social observation.

6

उसकी मुस्कान जैसे पूरे कमरे में बिखर गई।

It was as if her smile scattered throughout the whole room.

Simile with 'jaise'.

7

परंपराओं का बिखरना समाज के लिए एक चुनौती है।

The disintegration of traditions is a challenge for society.

Sociological context.

8

अस्तित्व के टुकड़े-टुकड़े होकर बिखर गए।

The pieces of existence shattered and scattered.

Philosophical usage.

1

शून्य में बिखरते हुए तारों की कल्पना करो।

Imagine stars scattering into the void.

Cosmological context.

2

उसका व्यक्तित्व अंतर्विरोधों के कारण बिखर चुका था।

His personality had disintegrated due to internal contradictions.

Deep psychological analysis.

3

सभ्यता के अवशेष मरुस्थल की रेत में बिखर गए।

The remains of civilization scattered in the desert sands.

Archaeological/Poetic register.

4

शब्दों का अर्थ संदर्भ के बिना बिखर जाता है।

The meaning of words scatters without context.

Linguistic philosophy.

5

राजनीतिक परिदृश्य के बिखरने से अराजकता फैल गई।

Anarchy spread due to the fragmentation of the political landscape.

Complex political sentence.

6

उसकी आत्मा की राख गंगा में बिखर गई।

The ashes of his soul scattered in the Ganges.

Spiritual/Ritualistic context.

7

समय की धारा में सब कुछ बिखर जाना निश्चित है।

Everything is destined to scatter in the flow of time.

Existential statement.

8

चेतना के बिखरने की प्रक्रिया को समझना कठिन है।

It is difficult to understand the process of consciousness fragmenting.

Neuroscience/Philosophy.

Common Collocations

बाल बिखरना
सपने बिखरना
भीड़ बिखरना
धूप बिखरना
मोती बिखरना
परिवार बिखरना
काँच बिखरना
यादें बिखरना
रंग बिखरना
अस्तित्व बिखरना

Common Phrases

बिखरा हुआ कमरा

— A messy or untidy room.

मुझे बिखरा हुआ कमरा पसंद नहीं है।

बिखरे बाल

— Uncombed or messy hair.

वह बिखरे बालों में भी सुंदर लगती है।

टूटकर बिखर जाना

— To shatter completely (physically or emotionally).

धोखा मिलने पर वह टूटकर बिखर गया।

इधर-उधर बिखरना

— To scatter here and there.

कागज़ इधर-उधर बिखर गए हैं।

बिखरने से बचाना

— To prevent from falling apart.

उसने अपने परिवार को बिखरने से बचाया।

धूप का बिखरना

— The spreading of sunlight.

पहाड़ों पर धूप का बिखरना अद्भुत है।

बिखरी हुई यादें

— Scattered/fragmented memories.

पुरानी डायरी में बिखरी हुई यादें मिलीं।

भीड़ का बिखरना

— The dispersal of a crowd.

पुलिस ने भीड़ के बिखरने का इंतज़ार किया।

ताश के पत्तों की तरह बिखरना

— To collapse like a house of cards.

उसकी योजना ताश के पत्तों की तरह बिखर गई।

बिखराव आना

— To experience fragmentation/disunity.

समाज में अब बिखराव आ रहा है।

Often Confused With

बिखरना vs बिखेरना (bikhairnā)

This is transitive. You scatter something. Bikharnā is things scattering on their own.

बिखरना vs फैलना (phailnā)

Phailnā is for liquids or spreading over an area smoothly. Bikharnā is for pieces/chaos.

बिखरना vs गिरना (girnā)

Girnā means to fall. Bikharnā means to fall AND spread out in pieces.

Idioms & Expressions

"रायता फैलना/बिखरना"

— When a situation becomes messy and out of control.

अब तो रायता बिखर गया है, इसे कौन समेटेगा?

Slang/Informal
"शीशे की तरह बिखरना"

— To break easily and completely.

उसका भरोसा शीशे की तरह बिखर गया।

Poetic
"तिनके-तिनके होकर बिखरना"

— To scatter bit by bit; total destruction.

तूफान में उसका घर तिनके-तिनके होकर बिखर गया।

Literary
"बिखरे मोती"

— Valuable things or people that are no longer together.

इस देश के विद्वान बिखरे मोती की तरह हैं।

Literary
"हवा में बिखरना"

— To vanish or become ineffective.

उसके सारे वादे हवा में बिखर गए।

Neutral
"धूल में बिखरना"

— To be reduced to nothing; to be humiliated.

उसका घमंड धूल में बिखर गया।

Neutral
"बिखरी ज़ुल्फ़ें"

— A romanticized image of messy hair.

तुम्हारी बिखरी ज़ुल्फ़ें बहुत अच्छी लगती हैं।

Romantic
"कण-कण बिखरना"

— To scatter into every single atom/particle.

विस्फोट से सब कुछ कण-कण बिखर गया।

Technical/Literary
"सपनों का महल बिखरना"

— The collapse of high hopes/dreams.

नौकरी जाते ही उसके सपनों का महल बिखर गया।

Neutral
"यादों का बिखरना"

— The loss of coherent memory or nostalgia.

बुढ़ापे में यादों का बिखरना स्वाभाविक है।

Philosophical

Easily Confused

बिखरना vs निखरना (nikharnā)

Sounds very similar.

Nikharnā means to glow, to be refined, or to look better. Bikharnā is the opposite—to fall apart.

Bikharnē ke bād vah nikhara (He glowed after falling apart).

बिखरना vs उतरना (utarnā)

Similar ending.

Utarnā means to descend or get off.

Vah sīṛhī se utarā.

बिखरना vs सुधरना (sudharnā)

Similar ending.

Sudharnā means to improve.

Vah ab sudhar gayā hai.

बिखरना vs गुज़रना (guzarnā)

Similar rhythm.

Guzarnā means to pass by or pass away.

Vaqt guzar gayā.

बिखरना vs उभरना (ubharnā)

Similar rhythm.

Ubharnā means to emerge or rise.

Nayā netā ubhara.

Sentence Patterns

A1

[Subject] [Place] par bikhar gayā.

Khilaunā farsh par bikhar gayā.

A2

[Subject] [Cause] se bikhar gayā.

Patte havā se bikhar gaye.

B1

[Abstract Subject] bikhar gayā hai.

Mera vishvās bikhar gayā hai.

B2

[Subject] bikhara huā [Noun] hai.

Yah ek bikhara huā parivār hai.

C1

[Subject] kā bikharnā [Effect] hai.

Prakāsh kā bikharnā indradhanush banātā hai.

C2

[Subject] ke bikhartē hi [Action].

Bādalon ke bikhartē hi chānd dikhnē lagā.

B1

Tūtkar [Verb].

Sapne tūtkar bikhar gaye.

A2

Kyūn [Subject] bikhara hai?

Kyūn sāmān bikhara hai?

Word Family

Nouns

बिखराव (bikhrav) - scattering/fragmentation
बिखेरा (bikhera) - mess

Verbs

बिखेरना (bikhairnā) - to scatter (transitive)
बिखरवाना (bikharvānā) - to cause to be scattered

Adjectives

बिखरा (bikhara) - scattered
बिखरी (bikhari) - scattered (fem.)

Related

फैलना
टूटना
गिरना
छितराना
उजड़ना

How to Use It

frequency

Very high in both spoken and written Hindi.

Common Mistakes
  • Maine khilaune bikhara. Maine khilaune bikhairē.

    You need the transitive verb 'bikhairnā' because you are the one doing the action.

  • Dūdh farsh par bikhara. Dūdh farsh par phailā.

    Liquids 'spread' (phailnā), they don't 'scatter' (bikharnā).

  • Vah bikhara gayā (for a female). Vah bikhar gayī.

    The verb must match the feminine subject.

  • Sāmān ne bikhar gayā. Sāmān bikhar gayā.

    Intransitive verbs do not take the 'ne' particle.

  • Khabar shahar mein bikhar gayī. Khabar shahar mein phail gayī.

    News spreads (phailnā), it doesn't scatter like physical pieces.

Tips

Check the Subject

Always match the verb ending to the subject's gender. 'Kitāb (f) bikhari', 'Kāgaz (m) bikhare'.

Transitive Pair

Learn 'bikhairnā' alongside 'bikharnā' to understand when you are the agent versus when it just happens.

Poetic Use

Don't be afraid to use it for hair or light; it sounds very sophisticated in Hindi.

The 'Gayā' Helper

Almost always use 'gayā' after 'bikhara' to sound more natural when describing a completed event.

Avoid for News

Use 'phailnā' for news or rumors, not 'bikharnā', unless the news is fragmented.

Imagine Grains

Think of rice falling on a floor—that movement is 'bikharnā'.

Adjective Form

Use 'bikhara huā' as an adjective to describe a state (e.g., a messy desk).

Song Lyrics

Listen for 'bikhre bikhre' in songs to understand the emotional nuance of 'feeling scattered'.

B-K-R Root

The B-K-R sound in Hindi often relates to dispersal or breaking.

No 'ne'!

Never use the 'ne' particle with this verb in the past tense.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'BEE' (Bi-) carrying a 'CAR' (-khar-) that crashes and scatters parts everywhere (-na).

Visual Association

Visualize a broken string of pearls hitting a marble floor and rolling away.

Word Web

Scatter Messy Shatter Disperse Hair Dreams Glass Crowd

Challenge

Try to describe your room right now using 'bikhara huā' if it is messy, or 'simatā huā' if it is tidy.

Word Origin

Derived from the Sanskrit root 'विकीर्य' (vikīrya), which means 'to scatter' or 'to strew.'

Original meaning: The action of casting things in different directions.

Indo-Aryan

Cultural Context

Be careful when using it for people; saying someone is 'bikhara huā' implies they are mentally or emotionally unstable.

English speakers often use 'messy' or 'untidy,' but Hindi speakers prefer the verb 'bikhara huā' to describe the physical state of objects.

The song 'Bikhre Bikhre Se' from the movie 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam'. Poetic references to 'zulfon ka bikharna' in Ghalib's poetry. News headlines during the partition of India used 'bikharnā' for families.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

At Home

  • खिलौने बिखर गए
  • कमरा बिखरा है
  • सामान मत बिखेरो
  • कपड़े बिखरे पड़े हैं

Describing Appearance

  • बिखरे बाल
  • बिखरा हुआ चेहरा
  • बिखरी हुई मुस्कान
  • बिखरा काजल

Natural Events

  • धूप का बिखरना
  • पत्तों का बिखरना
  • बादलों का बिखरना
  • तारों का बिखरना

Emotional States

  • सपनों का बिखरना
  • दिल का बिखरना
  • अंदर से बिखरना
  • हिम्मत बिखरना

Accidents

  • काँच बिखर गया
  • अनाज बिखर गया
  • मलबा बिखर गया
  • मोती बिखर गए

Conversation Starters

"क्या आपका कमरा हमेशा बिखरा रहता है या आप उसे साफ रखते हैं?"

"जब आपके सपने बिखर जाते हैं, तो आप क्या करते हैं?"

"क्या आपने कभी सुबह-सुबह पहाड़ों पर धूप बिखरते देखी है?"

"अगर बाज़ार में बैग फट जाए और सामान बिखर जाए, तो आपको कैसा लगेगा?"

"क्या आपको बिखरे हुए बाल पसंद हैं या सलीके से बने हुए?"

Journal Prompts

आज मेरे जीवन में क्या-क्या बिखरा हुआ महसूस हो रहा है?

एक ऐसी घटना के बारे में लिखें जब कुछ टूटकर बिखर गया था।

बिखरी हुई यादों को समेटना क्यों ज़रूरी है?

क्या बिखराव हमेशा बुरा होता है, या यह नई शुरुआत का संकेत है?

प्रकृति में 'बिखरने' की सुंदरता पर एक अनुच्छेद लिखें।

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Usually no. For liquids like water or milk, use 'phailnā'. Use 'bikharnā' for solids that break into pieces or grains.

It is 'bikhara' (masculine singular), 'bikhari' (feminine singular), or 'bikhare' (plural).

No, because it is an intransitive verb. You never say 'Maine bikhara'.

You say 'bikhara huā kamra'.

It is usually negative (chaos, mess, heartbreak), but can be poetic (sunlight, colors, hair).

The best opposite is 'simatnā' (to shrink/gather) or 'judnā' (to join).

Yes, 'bhīṛ bikhar gayī' means the crowd dispersed.

It means your dreams have been shattered or failed.

Yes. 'Ṭūṭnā' is to break. 'Bikharnā' is to break AND have the pieces go everywhere.

You say 'bikhare hue beej'.

Test Yourself 185 questions

writing

Write a sentence about a messy room using 'बिखरा हुआ'.

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writing

Translate: 'The pearls scattered on the floor.'

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writing

Use 'बिखरना' in a sentence about dreams.

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writing

Write a sentence about sunlight using 'बिखरना'.

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writing

Explain the difference between 'बिखरना' and 'बिखेरना' in Hindi.

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writing

Translate: 'The crowd dispersed after the speech.'

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writing

Describe a person's messy hair using the word.

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writing

Write a poetic sentence about colors.

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writing

Translate: 'The glass broke and scattered everywhere.'

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writing

Use 'बिखराव' (noun) in a sentence.

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writing

Translate: 'My thoughts are scattered.'

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writing

Write a sentence about dry leaves.

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writing

Translate: 'Don't let the family fall apart.'

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writing

Describe an explosion aftermath.

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writing

Translate: 'Everything is scattered here and there.'

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writing

Write a sentence using 'बिखरते हुए'.

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writing

Translate: 'Her smile spread through the room.'

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writing

Use the idiom 'रायता बिखरना'.

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writing

Translate: 'The party disintegrated after the loss.'

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writing

Write a sentence about seeds in a field.

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speaking

Pronounce: बिखरना

Read this aloud:

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speaking

Say: 'The toys are scattered.'

Read this aloud:

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speaking

Say: 'My hair is messy.'

Read this aloud:

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speaking

Say: 'The glass shattered.'

Read this aloud:

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speaking

Say: 'The crowd dispersed.'

Read this aloud:

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
speaking

Say: 'Dreams fell apart.'

Read this aloud:

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
speaking

Say: 'Sunlight is spreading.'

Read this aloud:

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
speaking

Say: 'Don't make a mess.'

Read this aloud:

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
speaking

Say: 'Everything is scattered.'

Read this aloud:

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speaking

Say: 'The beads scattered.'

Read this aloud:

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speaking

Say: 'He fell apart.'

Read this aloud:

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speaking

Say: 'Leaves scattered in the wind.'

Read this aloud:

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speaking

Say: 'The family scattered.'

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speaking

Say: 'Scattered memories.'

Read this aloud:

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speaking

Say: 'The party is disintegrating.'

Read this aloud:

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
speaking

Say: 'Colors are scattering.'

Read this aloud:

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
speaking

Say: 'The army dispersed.'

Read this aloud:

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speaking

Say: 'His thoughts are scattered.'

Read this aloud:

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
speaking

Say: 'The bag ripped.'

Read this aloud:

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speaking

Say: 'Peace shattered.'

Read this aloud:

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
listening

Identify the verb: 'Sāmān kyon bikhara hai?'

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
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listening

What is scattered in: 'Moti farsh par bikhar gaye'?

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
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listening

Is the action completed: 'Sapne bikhar gaye'?

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listening

Who scattered in 'Bhīṛ bikhar gayī'?

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listening

Translate the verb: 'Bikhari hui zulfein'.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
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listening

Subject gender in 'Chīni bikhar gayī'?

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
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listening

What happened to the glass: 'Kānch bikhar gayā'?

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
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listening

Identify the cause: 'Havā se patte bikhar gaye'.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
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listening

Meaning of 'Bikhara huā parivār'?

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listening

State of the room: 'Kamra bikhara paṛā hai'.

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listening

What is spreading: 'Dhūp bikhar rahī hai'?

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listening

Identify the adjective: 'Bikhare hue beej'.

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listening

What shattered: 'Vishvās bikhar gayā'?

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listening

Action in 'Ranga bikhar gaye'?

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listening

What happened to the party: 'Party bikhar gayī'?

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/ 185 correct

Perfect score!

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