amah
/ˈɑːmə/noun
उच्चारण आम
आया, नौकरानी
Core word
- 1
[C] dated
in parts of Asia, a woman employed to look after children, or a maid
आया, नौकरानी
- The amah took the children to the park every evening.
- She worked as an amah for a British family in Calcutta.
- The amah put the baby to sleep every afternoon.
+ 2 more examples
- Their amah had been with the family for twenty years.
- In old photographs, an amah is seen standing behind the children.
§Structures (grammar patterns) 4
amah as a countable noun
Say 'an amah' for one person and 'amahs' for several; it is a historical or regional word.
एक व्यक्ति के लिए 'an amah' और कई के लिए 'amahs' कहा जाता है; यह ऐतिहासिक या क्षेत्रीय शब्द है।
- The family employed an amah for their two children.
- In old Singapore, many amahs lived with the families they served.
amah to + child / family
Use 'to' or 'for' to say whom she looks after.
वह किसकी देखभाल करती है, यह बताने के लिए 'to' या 'for' का प्रयोग होता है।
- She worked as an amah to a wealthy family in Hong Kong.
amah and ayah
In India the usual word is ayah; amah is more common in East and Southeast Asia and in older English writing.
भारत में सामान्य शब्द ayah है; amah पूर्वी और दक्षिण-पूर्वी एशिया तथा पुराने अंग्रेज़ी लेखन में अधिक मिलता है।
- The writer described a kind amah from Shanghai in her memoir.
amah in historical and literary writing
The word appears mostly in colonial memoirs and novels about Asia, so use it with care in modern writing.
यह शब्द मुख्यतः एशिया के बारे में औपनिवेशिक संस्मरणों और उपन्यासों में मिलता है, इसलिए आधुनिक लेखन में इसे सावधानी से प्रयोग करें।
- The memoir describes an amah who raised three generations of children.
+Collocations 5
verb + amah
employhirework asserve as
- The couple hired an amah when the baby was born.
adjective + amah
devotedelderlyfaithfulstrictyoung
- The devoted amah stayed with the family for thirty years.
amah + role
to the childrenin the householdin the houseof the family
- The amah in the house took care of the children.
amah + place
in Singaporein Hong Kongin Shanghaiin Malaya
- Amahs in colonial Malaya often wore white tunics and black trousers.
amah + duties
cookcleanwash clotheslook after children
- The amah would cook and look after the children.
“More examples 7
- The old amah sang a lullaby to the baby every night.
बूढ़ी आया हर रात बच्चे को लोरी सुनाती थी।
- In her novel, Radhika's favourite character is a loyal amah.
उपन्यास में राधिका का पसंदीदा पात्र एक वफ़ादार आया है।
- The family still remembers their amah with great affection.
परिवार आज भी अपनी आया को बहुत स्नेह से याद करता है।
- An amah would often cook, clean and look after the children.
आया अक्सर खाना पकाती, सफ़ाई करती और बच्चों की देखभाल करती थी।
- Old photographs show an amah standing beside the family on the verandah.
पुरानी तस्वीरों में आया बरामदे में परिवार के पास खड़ी दिखाई देती है।
- The amah's loyalty was remembered in the family's stories.
आया की वफ़ादारी परिवार की कहानियों में याद की जाती रही।
- Radhika read about an amah in a novel set in old Singapore.
राधिका ने पुराने सिंगापुर पर आधारित एक उपन्यास में एक आया के बारे में पढ़ा।