ধান

What does ধান mean?

ধান (dhan) is a Bangla noun that means paddy, rice plant in English.

ধান (dhan) refers specifically to the unhusked rice plant or paddy crop growing in the field. Bengali distinguishes rice strictly by its state: ধান (dhan) in the field, চাল (chal) for raw uncooked grains, and ভাত (bhat) once cooked and ready to eat. English speakers frequently make the error of using a single term for all three, so remembering that ধান (dhan) only applies to paddy crops is vital.

How do you say “paddy” in Bangla?

Say ধান, pronounced dhan. Press play to hear a native Bangladeshi voice say it.

Pronunciation tips

• It has a breathy consonant (bh, chh, dh, kh, th): say it with a small puff of air, as if a soft h follows.

These sounds have no exact English match. Practise them letter by letter in the Bengali alphabet guide.