किम्kimind. (fr. 1. कि, originally nom. and acc. sg. n. of 2. क्/अ q.v.), what? how? whence? wherefore? why?
- indeclinable (from 1. कि, originally nominative case and accusative sg. neuter gender of 2. क्/अ quod vide), what? how? whence? wherefore? why?
- is much used as a particle of interrogation like the Latin num, an, sometimes translatable by "whether?" but oftener serving only like a note of interrogation to mark a question (exempli gratia, 'for example' किं व्याधा वने स्मिन् संचरन्ति, "do hunters roam about in this wood?" In an interrogation the verb, if uncompounded with a preposition, generally retains its accent after किम् Pa1n2. 8-1, 44) . To this sense may be referred the किम् expressing inferiority, deficiency, etc. at the beginning of compounds (exempli gratia, 'for example' किं-राजन्, what sort of king? id est a bad king Pa1n2. 2-1, 64; v, 4, 70)
- also the किम् prefixed to verbs with a similar meaning (exempli gratia, 'for example' किम्-अधी*ते, he reads badly Pa1n2. 8-1, 44 Ka1s3.) किम्-उत, or किम्-उत-वा or किम्-अथवा-उत, whether-or-or R. S3ak. Bhartr2. etc. (confer, compare उत्/अ .)
- is very frequently connected with other particles, as follows: क्/इम् अङ्ग्/अ, wherefore then? fg-veda
- अथ किम् see /अथ
- किम् अपि, somewhat, to a considerable extent, rather, much more, still further S3ak. Megh. etc.
- किम् इति, why? S3ak. Kum. Pan5cat. etc.
- किम्-इव, what for? S3is3. xvi, 31
- क्/इम्-उ or क्/इम्-उत्/अ how much more? how much less? fg-veda S3Br. MBh. etc.
- किं किल, what a pity! (expressing dissatisfaction) Pa1n2. 3-3, 146
- किं-च, moreover, further Pan5cat. Katha1s. etc.
- what more (expressing impatience) S3ak.
- किं-चन (originally -च न, negative Equivalent to "in no way"), to a certain degree, a little Katha1s.
- (with a negation) in no way, not at all MBh. i, 6132
- किं-चिद्, somewhat, a little MBh. R. etc.
- किं तर्हि, how then? but, however Pa1n2. 2-2, 4 Pat. 4-1, 163, Kas3.
- किं-तु, but, however, nevertheless (bearing the same relation to तु that किं-च bears to च) MBh. R. etc.
- किं-नु, whether indeed? (a stronger interrogative than किम् alone) MBh. R. etc.
- how much more? how much less? Bhag. i, 35
- किं नु खलु, how possibly? (a still stronger interrogative) S3ak.
- किम् पुनर्, how much more? how much less? R. Bhag. ix, 33 etc.
- however Ba1lar.
- but ibidem
- किं वा, whether? or whether? S3ak. Pan5cat. etc.
- or (often a mere particle of interrogation)
- क्/इं स्विद्, why? Katha1s. xxvi, 75
- a stronger interrogative than किम् alone fg-veda MBh. Katha1s.
- (in compound)
- (in compound)
Source: Monier-Williams
