It’s very interesting to know that nobody would be using the exact meaning of ambulance in Hindi because hardly few people would know–in conversational Hindi, I can estimate on a daily basis you will hear 20-80% words that are not originally from Hindi language.
Many of these words are from English, Arabic, Turkish, Persian and other languages.
Ambulance is called ambulance–एम्बुलेंस in Hindi, though it has its own name and meaning in Hindi too.
Sometimes, it is simply called hospital van, but if you are really looking for its original Hindi meaning, it is this:
| English | Hindi | English Pronunciation |
| Ambulance | रुग्ण वाहिनी | Rugṇa Vāhinī |
The meaning of this Hindi word is a vehicle that carries the patients.
Ambulance comes from the latin word Ambulare which means “to walk” or “to move”. French used the phrase “Ambulant Hospital” for their mobile army vehicles. Later on they dropped Hospital from it and changed that phrase to a single word Ambulance. So Ambulance in Hindi would actually mean “चलायमान” (Chalaaymaan). Ambulare/mobile Hospital would be “चलित औषधालय” (Chalit Aushadhaalay). “रुग्ण वाहिनी” (Rugna Vahini) would be Marathi and not Hindi. Also Rugna Vahini would actually mean Disease Carrier.