Desi, Deśī, Deshi, Dé shì, De shi, Dé shī, Dé shí, De shí, De shì, De shī, De shǐ: 30 definitions
Introduction:
Desi means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, Marathi, Jainism, Prakrit, Hindi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
The Sanskrit term Deśī can be transliterated into English as Desi or Deshi, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Images (photo gallery)
In Hinduism
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Deśī (देशी) refers to the twenty (or twenty-one) subdivisions of Rūpaka in ancient Indian art of dance and theater.—Puruṣottama Miśrā, while defining the terms mārga and deśī quotes the Saṅgītanārāyaṇa (Vol. II, pp.406-410) which he says has been taken from Kohala (the work of Kohala). Following mārga, the deśī forms are next listed out.
These are the sixteen types as described by Dattila:
- saṭṭaka [saṭṭakam];
- troṭaka [troṭakam];
- goṣṭhī;
- vṛndaka [vṛndakam];
- śilpaka [śilpakam];
- prekṣaka [prekṣakam];
- sañjāpaka [sañjāpakam];
- halliśa;
- rāsaka;
- ullāpyaka;
- śrīgadita [śrīgaditam];
- nāṭyarāsaka [nāṭyarāsakam];
- durmallī;
- prasthāna [prasthānam];
- kavya;
- lāsika;
This lists is followed by yet another bearing the names of another 12 forms.
- ḍomikā;
- bhaṇikā;
- prasthānaka;
- bhāṇaka;
- lāsikā;
- rāsikā;
- durmallikā;
- vidagdha [vidagdhaḥ];
- śilpinī;
- hasti / daṇḍinī;
- ulmukī / bhillulī;
- tumbikā;
The quotation does not mention any heading for this list of 12 deśī rūpakas. Perhaps they refer to some forms of nṛtta-prabandhas. The author says that many ālaṅkārikas have spoken about these and therefore he will not delve any more into it. The inclusion of established uparūpakas under the head of mārga and the reference to Dattila on the subject of deśī-rūpakas raises some doubt as to whether or not the work of Kohala used as reference in Saṅgītanārāyaṇa was an authentic one.

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing Dramatic plays (nataka), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).
In Buddhism
Chinese Buddhism
德士 [de shi]—Virtuous scholar, a term for a monk in the Tang dynasty.
[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]
德士 [de shi]—(Déshì) — [Miscellaneous Name] An alternative name for a 僧 [seng] (sēng) (monk).
釋門正統 [shi men zheng tong] (Shìmén Zhèngtǒng) (Orthodox Lineage of Buddhism) Volume 4 states: "In the first year of the 宣和 [xuan he] (Xuān Hé) era of the Tang [sic, should be Song] Dynasty, an imperial edict (詔 [zhao], zhào) commanded that 釋氏 [shi shi] (Shìshì) (Buddhists/Buddhism) be reformed into 金仙 [jin xian] (Jīnxiān) (Golden Immortals), 菩薩 [pu sa] (Púsà) (Bodhisattvas) into 大士 [da shi] (Dàshì) (Great Beings), and 僧 [seng] (sēng) (monks) into (Déshì) (virtuous scholars)."
宋費袞梁谿漫志 [song fei gun liang xi man zhi] (Sòng Fèi Gǔn Liángxī Mànzhì) (Fei Gun's Random Notes from Liangxi of the Song Dynasty) states: "In the 宣和 [xuan he] (Xuān Hé) 庚子 [geng zi] (Gēngzǐ) year, monks (僧 [seng], sēng) were renamed (Déshì). 饒德操 [rao de cao] (Ráo Décāo), who was already a monk, therefore composed the 改頌 [gai song] (Gǎi Déshì Sòng) (Ode on Changing to De-shi). The last two stanzas say:
The 衲子 [na zi] (nàzǐ) (monks) in their multitude are vexed beyond measure,
Leaning on the pine (倚松 [yi song], yǐsōng), they transmit the Dharma, bringing peace to the mind (法安心 [fa an xin], fǎ ānxīn).
Though bottles (缾 [ping], píng), plates (盤 [pan], pán), hairpins (釵 [chai], chāi), and bracelets (釧 [chuan], chuàn) may differ in form,
They return to me the pure gold (一色金 [yi se jin], yī sè jīn) I always possessed.
In my youth, I once wore a scholar's cap (書生帽 [shu sheng mao], shūshēngmào);
In old age, I should don the 冠 [guan] (Déshìguān) (De-shi's cap).
This body is without self, and without things;
The 三教 [san jiao] (sānjiào) (Three Teachings) have always found peace everywhere."
德士—【雜名】僧之異名。釋門正統四曰:「唐宣和元年,詔革釋氏為金仙,菩薩為大士,僧為德士。」宋費袞梁谿漫志曰:宣和庚子,改僧為德士。饒德操已為僧,因作改德士頌。末二首云:衲子紛紛惱不禁,倚松傳與法安心。缾盤釵釧形雖異,還我從來一色金。小年曾著書生帽,老大當簪德士冠。此身無我亦無物,三教從來處處安。
[zá míng] sēng zhī yì míng. shì mén zhèng tǒng sì yuē: “táng xuān hé yuán nián, zhào gé shì shì wèi jīn xiān, pú sà wèi dà shì, sēng wèi dé shì.” sòng fèi gǔn liáng xī màn zhì yuē: xuān hé gēng zi, gǎi sēng wèi dé shì. ráo dé cāo yǐ wèi sēng, yīn zuò gǎi dé shì sòng. mò èr shǒu yún: nà zi fēn fēn nǎo bù jìn, yǐ sōng chuán yǔ fǎ ān xīn. píng pán chāi chuàn xíng suī yì, hái wǒ cóng lái yī sè jīn. xiǎo nián céng zhe shū shēng mào, lǎo dà dāng zān dé shì guān. cǐ shēn wú wǒ yì wú wù, sān jiào cóng lái chù chù ān.
[za ming] seng zhi yi ming. shi men zheng tong si yue: "tang xuan he yuan nian, zhao ge shi shi wei jin xian, pu sa wei da shi, seng wei de shi." song fei gun liang xi man zhi yue: xuan he geng zi, gai seng wei de shi. rao de cao yi wei seng, yin zuo gai de shi song. mo er shou yun: na zi fen fen nao bu jin, yi song chuan yu fa an xin. ping pan chai chuan xing sui yi, hai wo cong lai yi se jin. xiao nian ceng zhe shu sheng mao, lao da dang zan de shi guan. ci shen wu wo yi wu wu, san jiao cong lai chu chu an.
Chinese Buddhism (漢傳佛教, hanchuan fojiao) is the form of Buddhism that developed in China, blending Mahayana teachings with Daoist and Confucian thought. Its texts are mainly in Classical Chinese, based on translations from Sanskrit. Major schools include Chan (Zen), Pure Land, Tiantai, and Huayan. Chinese Buddhism has greatly influenced East Asian religion and culture.
India history and geography
Deśī.—(EI 11), a guild of local merchants. This is also the name of Prakrit words which are neither Sanskrit (tat-sama) nor derived from Sanskrit (tad-bhava). Note: deśī is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.
Deśī (देशी) was classified into eighteen dialects, as described in the Kathās (narrative poems) such as Uddyotanasūri in his 8th-century Kuvalayamālā (a Prakrit Campū, similar to Kāvya poetry).
Page 152.24 ff.: Here we have a specimen of eighteen Deśī dialects spoken in:
- Region of Godāvarī (Nasik),
- Madhyadeśa,
- Magadha,
- Antarvedī (region between Ganges and Jumna),
- Kīra (Kullu Kangra),
- Dacca,
- Sindhu,
- Maru,
- Gujarat,
- Lāṭa,
- Mālava,
- Karṇāṭaka,
- Tāpti,
- Kosala,
- Mahārāṣṭra,
- Āndhra,
- Khasa, and
- Pārasa.
These different idioms of speech were spoken by the shop-keepers in the market place of Vijayāpurī which was thus a big cosmopolitan town where merchants from all over the country displayed their goods. This reminds us of Ujjainī where the citizens knew the languages and scripts of many countries as stated by Bāṇa in the Kādambarī.

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
ḍesi : (aor. of ḍeti) flied.
[Pali to Burmese]
desi—
(Burmese text): ပေး၏။ ဒဒါတိ,ဒေတိ-ကြည့်။
(Auto-Translation): Give it. Look, Dadati, Deti.

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
Marathi-English dictionary
dēśī (देशी).—a (dēśa) Relating to the Desh or country above the ghaṭs. 2 Relating to a country or place. In comp. as puṇēdēśī, vāīdēśī, taddēśī, ētaddēśī.
dēśī (देशी).—a Relating to a country.
--- OR ---
dēśī (देशी).—a Indigenous, made in, belonging to, relating to a country.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Deśī (देशी).—
1) The dialect of a country, one of the varieties of the Prākṛta dialect; see Kāv.1.33.
2) Name of a Rāgiṇī.
1) Deśī (देशी):—[from deśa] a f. See deśī.
2) [from deśa] b f. ([scilicet] bhāṣā) the vulgar dialect of a country (opp. to saṃskṛta), provincialism
3) [v.s. ...] -tva n., [Kāvyādarśa; Deśī-nāma-mālā; cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) [v.s. ...] a vulgar mode of singing, [Catalogue(s)]
5) [v.s. ...] dance (opp. to mārga, pantomime), [Daśarūpa]
6) [v.s. ...] (in music) Name of a Rāgiṇī.
[Sanskrit to German]
Deśī (देशी) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Desī.
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Hindi dictionary
1) Deśī (देशी):—(a) native; indigenous, local.
2) Desī (देसी):—(a) indigenous, native, country-made.
...
Prakrit-English dictionary
1) Desi (देसि) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Dveṣin.
2) Desi (देसि) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Deśin.
2) Desi has the following synonyms: Desia.
3) Desī (देसी) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Deśī.
Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.
Kannada-English dictionary
Dēśi (ದೇಶಿ):—[adjective] existing, growing or produced within a region or country; belonging (to) as a native; local; indigenous.
--- OR ---
Dēśi (ದೇಶಿ):—[noun] that which is relating to or existing, grown, produced etc. within a region or country; a local or indigenous thing.
--- OR ---
Dēśi (ದೇಶಿ):—
1) [noun] that which is particular to a region, place or country.
2) [noun] a language, though not totally different from the generality, that is spoken in a special style, manner or using special vocabulary or accent, that is particular region.
3) [noun] a musical mode in both the Karnāṭaka and Hindūstāni systems.
4) [noun] a style or manner of dancing that is particular to a region.
--- OR ---
Dēsi (ದೇಸಿ):—
1) [noun] the vernacular language of a region or country; a dialect.
2) [noun] a style in Kannaḍa language using only pure and original Kannaḍa words (without borrowing words, idioms from other languages).
3) [noun] a pure and original Kannaḍa word.
4) [noun] the custom, convention, manners, culture, etc. that is particular to a region or country.
5) [noun] beauty that is natural (as opp. to the one made up).
6) [noun] the state, quality or feeling of being superior, greater, better, etc.; superiority; excellence.
7) [noun] the act or fact or ornamenting or being ornamented.
8) [noun] a manner, mode or way in which a thing is done or to be done.
9) [noun] the quality or being proper, fitting or suitable; fitness; propriety.
10) [noun] an erstwhile organisation or federation of merchants.
11) [noun] (fig.) the quality of being ostensibly beautiful.
12) [noun] a style or manner of dancing that is particular to a region.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Deśī (देशी):—adj. 1. native; indigenous; 2. home-made;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Shi, De, Da, A, Ci, Te, Ta, Dhavala.
Starts with (+20): Deshi-mukhya, Deshicari, Deshicari, Deshiga, Deshigiti, Deshigitti, Deshikastotra, Deshikattari, Deshikosha, Deshikriya, Deshinamamala, Deshinritya, Deshipari, Deshiprakasha, Deshiraga, Deshirupaka, Deshitala, Deshitva, Deshivaradi, Desi badam.
Full-text (+755): Deshinamamala, Deshikosha, Paradeshi, Nanadeshi, Pradeshin, Deshikattari, Deshinritya, Deshitala, Deshiprakasha, Deshipari, Raktadeshi, De shi luo, Duan de, Deshivaradi, Deshitva, Ju de shi zi, Shuddhadeshi, Desisetti, Deshicari, Deshirupaka.
Relevant text
Search found 67 books and stories containing Desi, Dā-a-si, Da-a-si, Dé shì, De shi, Dé shī, Dé shí, De shí, De shì, De shī, De shǐ, Deshi, Déshì, Déshī, Déshí, Deshí, Deshì, Deshī, Deshǐ, Dēśī, Deśī, Dēsi, Desī, Dēsī, Dēśi, Ḍesi, 地势, 地勢, 地史, 地師, 得似, 得势, 得勢, 得失, 得實, 得時, 德士, 德式, 的士, 的實, 的是; (plurals include: Desis, sis, Dé shìs, De shis, Dé shīs, Dé shís, De shís, De shìs, De shīs, De shǐs, Deshis, Déshìs, Déshīs, Déshís, Deshís, Deshìs, Deshīs, Deshǐs, Dēśīs, Deśīs, Dēsis, Desīs, Dēsīs, Dēśis, Ḍesis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Tilakamanjari of Dhanapala (study) (by Shri N. M. Kansara)
1. Summary of the Paia-lacchi-nama-mala < [Chapter 2 - The works of Dhanapala]
7. Kavya-doshas (Poetic blemishes) < [Chapter 15 - The Tilakamanjari as a Prose Poetic work]
Mahapurana of Puspadanta (critical study) (by Ratna Nagesha Shriyan)
Part 4.3 - Hemachandra’s concept of Deshi < [Part 1 - Introduction]
Part 4.2 - Desi Lexicographers before Hemachandra < [Part 1 - Introduction]
Part 4.4 - Views of modern scholars about Hemachandra’s Desinamamala < [Part 1 - Introduction]
Gati in Theory and Practice (by Dr. Sujatha Mohan)
Analysis of technical terms: Mārga and Deśī < [Chapter 1 - Nāṭya]
Gati in classical forms especially Bharatanṛtya < [Chapter 4 - Practice of Gati]
Technical treatises on Nāṭya (other works) < [Chapter 1 - Nāṭya]
Taisho: Chinese Buddhist Canon
Scroll 1c - Part 3: Nagara-sutta < [Part 26 - Middle Length Discourses]
Scroll 2 - The Nirvana Sutra (volume 2) < [Part 6 - The Nirvana Sutra (unknown translator)]
Scroll 2b - Part 7: [Discourse on Sources of Worldly Merit] < [Part 26 - Middle Length Discourses]
International Ayurvedic Medical Journal
Literary review of kalamegha (andrographis panniculata)wsr indian and sri lankan literature < [2024, Issue 03. March]
Effect of ayurvedic management in tobacco addiction - a single case study < [2021, Issue 1, January]
Critical review on godugdha (cow milk) health benefits and hazards < [2020, Issue 12, December]
Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)
Appendix 3.2: new and rare words < [Appendices]
Seventeen kinds of grain < [Notes]
Appendix 5.2: new and rare words < [Appendices]
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