Close, But No Cigar: Meaning in Hindi & English

The idiom “Close, but no cigar” means that someone was very close to achieving their goal, but ultimately fell short. The phrase originates from carnival games, where a prize of a cigar would be given to anyone who successfully completed a challenge. If someone came close but didn’t win, the expression “close, but no cigar” would be used to acknowledge their effort, but also to indicate their failure to win the prize.

इस मुहावरे का अर्थ है कि कोई व्यक्ति अपने लक्ष्य को पूरा करने में काफी करीब था, लेकिन अंततः उसे वह हासिल नहीं हो सका। यह शब्द मेले वाले खेलों से जुड़ा हुआ है, जहां पुरस्कार के रूप में सिगार दिया जाता था। अगर कोई व्यक्ति जीत से करीब था लेकिन सफल नहीं हो पाया तो “Close, but no cigar” उसके प्रयास को स्वीकार करने के साथ-साथ उसका असफलता का भी इशारा करता है।

What does “Close, but no cigar” mean?

“Close, but no cigar” is an idiomatic expression used to describe a near-success that ultimately did not succeed. It usually means that someone was very close to achieving their goal or winning something, but ultimately failed. The phrase is commonly used in both informal and formal settings.

Usage of “Close, but no cigar”

“Close, but no cigar” can be used in a variety of situations to describe any type of near-success that ultimately falls short. For example, if a student received an A- grade on a test when they were hoping for an A, someone might say “Close, but no cigar.” It could also be used to describe a team that lost a game by only one point, or a job candidate who made it to the final round of interviews but ultimately didn’t get the job.

Examples of “Close, but no cigar” in a sentence in English and Its meaning in Hindi:

  1. “You were only one number away from winning the jackpot. Close, but no cigar.” (आप जैकपॉट जीतने से केवल एक नंबर की दूरी पर थे। लगभग सही।)
  2. “I almost beat my personal record in the race, but missed it by a few seconds. Close, but no cigar.” (मैं दौड़ में अपने व्यक्तिगत रिकॉर्ड को तोड़ने के लिए लगभग तैयार था, लेकिन कुछ सेकंडों की वजह से मुझे नहीं मिला। उफ़!)
  3. “The team played a great game and only lost by one point. Close, but no cigar.” (टीम ने एक शानदार खेल खेला और केवल एक अंक से हार गई। उनके लिए फोटो-फिनिश!
  4. “I was nominated for the award, but someone else ended up winning it. Close, but no cigar.” (मैं पुरस्कार के लिए नामांकित हो गया था, लेकिन किसी और को इसे जीतने दिया गया। क्लोज बट नो सिगार।)
  5. “I got four out of five answers right on the quiz, but missed the fifth one. Close, but no cigar.” (मैं क्विज़ में पाँच सवालों में से चार सही जवाब दे चुका था, लेकिन पांचवा सही नहीं था। उफ़!)

How to respond to “Close, but no cigar”

There is no set response to the phrase “Close, but no cigar,” but it is often appropriate to acknowledge the sentiment behind it by saying something like “Thank you, I’ll try harder next time.”

Translating “Close, but no cigar” into Hindi

In Hindi, there is no exact translation for the idiomatic expression “Close, but no cigar.” However, a similar Hindi phrase that can be used to indicate a near miss is “करीब-करीब” (Karib-Karib).

हिंदी में, “Close, but no cigar” जैसे मुहावरे का कोई सीधा अनुवाद नहीं होता है। अगली बार करीब-करीब जीतने की कोशिश करें।

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