Muhavre-Lokoktiyan Questions for IBPS RRB CLERK

Muhavre vs Lokoktiyan — The Basic Difference

A Muhavra (idiom) is a short phrase that uses words in a non-literal way to express a special meaning. On its own, a Muhavra is not a complete sentence — it always needs to be plugged into a sentence to make sense. For example, 'Aankhen dikhana' literally means to show eyes, but the real meaning is to threaten or intimidate someone. A Lokokti (proverb) is a complete sentence by itself. It expresses a general truth or folk wisdom passed down through generations. For example, 'Aam ke aam, guthliyon ke daam' is a full sentence meaning getting double benefit from one thing. Think of Muhavra as a spice — it needs a dish (sentence). Lokokti is the full dish on its own.

• Muhavra — incomplete phrase, needs a sentence, expresses one specific meaning
• Lokokti — complete sentence, expresses general life wisdom or truth
• Both use figurative language — the literal meaning is almost never the correct answer
• IBPS RRB tests both types together under the same question set
• The correct meaning option in MCQ is always the figurative meaning, not the word-by-word translation
• Lokoktiyan often come in pairs of similar-sounding options to confuse — read carefully

High-Frequency Muhavre — Must Know List

These idioms appear repeatedly in IBPS RRB and similar banking exams. The exam usually gives a sentence with a blank or an underlined phrase and asks you to match the meaning. Focus on the core meaning of each idiom and one context sentence in your mind.

• Aankhen churaana — to avoid someone, to dodge (Aankhein = eyes, not literally hiding them)
• Naak mein dum karna — to trouble someone constantly, to make life miserable
• Haath pair maarna — to make efforts, to try hard (not literally hitting someone)
• Taal mataol karna — to delay, to avoid doing something with excuses
• Ulta chor kotwal ko daante — the guilty person blames the innocent one
• Chaandi kaatna — to earn a lot of money easily, to profit heavily
• Kaan bharana — to instigate someone against another by filling their ears with wrong info
• Aankhon mein dhool jhonkna — to deceive, to throw dust in the eyes (fool someone)

High-Frequency Lokoktiyan — Must Know List

Proverbs tested in IBPS RRB are usually those that have a clear and commonly known moral meaning. The trap in MCQ options is that one option will be very close in wording but slightly wrong in meaning. Always match the core moral of the proverb to the situation given in the question.

• Aam ke aam, guthliyon ke daam — double benefit from one thing
• Andhon mein kaana raja — even a slightly capable person is great among incapable people
• Doodh ka jala chaas bhi phoonk phoonk kar peeta hai — once burnt, twice shy
• Ghar ki murgi daal barabar — we do not value what we have close to us
• Jab tak saans tab tak aas — never lose hope as long as you are alive
• Naach na aaye aangan tedha — blaming circumstances for one's own shortcomings
• Ek anar sau bimar — one resource, many claimants
• Hath kangan ko aarsi kya — no proof needed for something obvious

Question Types and How to Approach Them

IBPS RRB Hindi questions on this topic come in three main formats. First: direct meaning match — a Muhavra or Lokokti is given and you pick the correct meaning from four options. Second: fill in the blank — a sentence with a situation is given and you choose which Muhavra fits best. Third: usage based — a Muhavra is used in four sentences and you identify the sentence where it is used correctly. For the first type, eliminate the literal meaning option immediately — it is almost always wrong. For the second type, understand the emotion or situation in the sentence first, then match. For the third type, check if the subject of the sentence matches what the idiom requires.

• Eliminate literal meaning options first — they are planted as traps
• For fill in blank — identify the situation emotion (anger, deception, profit, effort) then match
• Correct usage questions — check subject-verb logic, not just meaning
• Lokokti meaning options often differ in just one word — read all four before choosing
• If two options seem correct, the more complete and precise meaning is the right answer

• Choosing the literal word-by-word meaning — this is always wrong for Muhavre and is planted as a distractor option
• Confusing Muhavra with Lokokti in definition questions — remember Muhavra is incomplete phrase, Lokokti is full sentence
• Mixing up similar sounding proverbs — for example Naach na jaane and Naach na aaye aangan tedha mean the same thing but other pairs are different, so verify each one separately
• In usage-based questions, aspirants check only meaning and not grammar — the sentence structure and subject must also logically fit the idiom
• Skipping this section thinking it needs too much memorization — it is actually one of the easiest scoring areas if you revise the top 20 to 25 items

• M for Muhavra, M for Missing sentence — Muhavra is always missing its sentence, it cannot stand alone
• L for Lokokti, L for Life lesson — Lokokti is a complete life lesson in one sentence
• For Aankhen churaana think of a person literally turning their face away from someone they owe money to — avoidance
• Group Muhavre by body parts — Aankh, Naak, Kaan, Haath, Pair — body part idioms are the most tested category in banking exams, so learn them as one cluster

• IBPS RRB Office Assistant Hindi section typically has 3 to 5 direct questions on Muhavre and Lokoktiyan, making it a reliable scoring zone if prepared well
• Recent papers have shown a preference for usage-based questions over direct meaning questions — practice identifying correct usage in sentences
• The difficulty level is easy to moderate — these are not obscure literary idioms, they are commonly known everyday Hindi expressions
• Time target: spend no more than 30 to 40 seconds per question on this topic — if you have memorized the meanings, these should be the fastest questions in the Hindi section
• At least 2 to 3 questions in recent IBPS RRB papers came from body-part based Muhavre (Aankh, Haath, Naak) — prioritize this cluster in last-minute revision