Taash Khel

ताश के शब्द

Card game terms

Twenty words that cover six games — with the Hindi original, because that is usually what is said at the table.

Updated 9 September 202620 terms · 6 games

Most card vocabulary is game-specific, but a few terms travel. Pure sequence means the same thing in Teen Patti and Rummy. Trick, trump and void are shared by every trick-taking game.

Taash ke patte — the words for cards themselves

Before the game vocabulary, the cards. Taash ke patte (ताश के पत्ते) means playing cards, and taash ka khel (ताश का खेल) means a card game. Both are what most people say at a table in north India, whichever game is being played.

The cards and the deck
Englishहिन्दी Roman
Playing cardsताश के पत्तेtaash ke patte
Card gameताश का खेलtaash ka khel
Spadesहुकमhukum
Heartsपानpaan
Diamondsईंटeent
Clubsचिड़ीchidi
Aceइक्काikka
Kingबादशाहbadshah
Queenबेगमbegum
Jackगुलामgulam

Hukum is worth noting twice. It means spades as a suit, and it is also the name of a Teen Patti variation — because in that version a suit is nominated as wild.

Rummy meaning in Hindi, and the other game names

Rummy has no separate Hindi name in common use — rummy ka hindi meaning is simply रम्मी, the same word transliterated. The 13-card game is also called Paplu.

The others do have names:

  • Teen Patti — तीन पत्ती, literally three cards. Searched as teenpatti kaise khele, meaning how to play.
  • Call Break — Lakadi, लकड़ी, plus Call Bridge, Ghochi and Judgement by region.
  • Andar Bahar — अंदर बाहर, inside and outside, and Katti or Mangatha further south.

The dictionary

Card game terms with their Hindi equivalents
Termहिन्दी GameMeaning
BootबूटTeen PattiThe minimum stake every player puts in before cards are dealt.
ChaalचालTeen PattiTo continue in the hand by matching or raising the current stake.
SideshowसाइडशोTeen PattiA private comparison between two seen players.
Trailट्रेलTeen PattiThree cards of the same rank — the strongest Teen Patti hand.
Pure sequenceप्योर सीक्वेंसBothConsecutive cards of one suit, with no joker. Required to declare in Rummy.
SetसेटRummyThree or four cards of the same rank in different suits.
Deadwood — Rummy scoring—RummyCards left ungrouped when the round ends. They count against you.
Dropड्रॉपRummyLeaving a round voluntarily to take a small penalty instead of a large one.
Paplu — Indian RummyपपलूRummyAnother name for 13-card Indian Rummy.
CallकॉलCall BreakThe number of tricks you commit to winning before play starts.
Trickट्रिकCall BreakOne round of four cards, one from each player.
VoidवॉयडCall BreakHolding no cards of a suit, which forces you to trump.
Lakadiलकड़ीCall BreakThe Hindi name for Call Break in north India and Nepal.
Katti—Andar BaharThe Kannada name for Andar Bahar.
Mangatha—Andar BaharThe Tamil name for Andar Bahar.
Andar / Baharअंदर / बाहरAndar BaharInside and outside — the two piles cards are dealt to.
Soft handसॉफ्टBlackjackA hand where an ace still counts eleven, so it cannot bust.
Stiff hand — Blackjack termsस्टिफBlackjackA hard 12 to 16 — too low to win, too high to draw to safely.
Upcard — Blackjack dealer rules—BlackjackThe dealer's face-up card, and the only information you have.
TieटाईDragon TigerBoth cards share a rank. 7.69% of deals.

The words that travel between games

Pure sequence is the clearest case. Three consecutive cards of one suit, no joker — identical in Teen Patti and Rummy. The consequence differs: in Teen Patti it is a strong hand, in Rummy it is compulsory.

Trump and void belong to trick-taking, so in this collection they appear only in Call Break.

Regional names are not translations

Katti, Mangatha and Ullae Veliyae are not different games from Andar Bahar. They are the same game under four names, and the rules do not change with the name.

Call Break has the most: Call Bridge across India and Bangladesh, Lakadi or Lakidi in the north and Nepal, Ghochi in parts of Nepal, and Judgement in Indian schools.

Common questions

What is a pure sequence in card games?

Consecutive cards of a single suit with no joker in them. It matters most in Rummy, where a valid declaration is impossible without one.

What does Paplu mean?

Another name for 13-card Indian Rummy, used across much of India.

What is the Hindi word for Call Break?

Lakadi, written लकड़ी, used in north India and Nepal. The game is also called Call Bridge, Ghochi and Judgement depending on region.

What do Andar and Bahar mean?

Inside and outside. They are simply the names of the two piles cards are dealt to, which is why the Tamil name Ullae Veliyae translates the same way.

Which terms mean the same thing across different card games?

Pure sequence works identically in Teen Patti and Rummy. Trump, trick and void are shared across trick-taking games. Most other vocabulary is game-specific.

What is deadwood in Rummy?

Cards still ungrouped in your hand when someone else declares. Each one counts against you at face value, with face cards and aces at ten.

What does taash ke patte mean?

Playing cards in Hindi. ताश के पत्ते is what most people say for a deck of cards in north India, whichever game is being played.

What is the difference between taash ke patte and taash ka khel?

Taash ke patte means the playing cards themselves; taash ka khel means the card game being played with them. Both are everyday Hindi rather than terms belonging to any one game.

What is the rummy meaning in Hindi?

There is no separate Hindi word in common use. Rummy is written रम्मी, the same word transliterated. The 13-card version is also called Paplu.

What are the Hindi names for the four suits?

Hukum for spades, paan for hearts, eent for diamonds and chidi for clubs. Hukum is also the name of a Teen Patti variation, which causes some confusion.

Keep reading

Teen Patti glossary — boot, blind, seen, chaal Rummy glossary — sequence, set, joker, declare Call Break glossary — call, trick, trump, void Blackjack terms — every word at the table

References