Common Malayalam idioms and figurative expressions with their meanings explained, for an upper-level learner. Front: the Malayalam idiom. Back: English meaning and usage note.
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- കിണറ്റിലെ തവള (kinattile thavala)
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A frog in the well. Meaning: a person with a narrow, limited view of the world.- നാക്കിൽ തേൻ, ഉള്ളിൽ വിഷം (naakkil then, ullil visham)
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Honey on the tongue, poison within. Meaning: someone who speaks sweetly but harbors evil intentions.- കൈ നനയാതെ മീൻ പിടിക്കുക (kai nanayaathe meen pidikkuka)
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To catch fish without wetting one's hands. Meaning: to gain a benefit without effort or risk.- ഒരു കല്ലിൽ രണ്ട് മാങ്ങ (oru kallil randu maanga)
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Two mangoes with one stone. Meaning: achieving two goals with a single effort, like killing two birds with one stone.- വായിൽ വെള്ളം ഊറുക (vaayil vellam ooruka)
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Water pooling in the mouth. Meaning: something is so tempting it makes one's mouth water.- ഹൃദയം തകരുക (hridayam thakaruka)
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The heart breaking. Meaning: to be heartbroken.- തല പുകയുക (thala pukayuka)
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The head smoking. Meaning: to rack one's brain, thinking hard over a problem.- കണ്ണടച്ച് ഇരുട്ടാക്കുക (kannadachu iruttaakkuka)
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To close one's eyes and call it darkness. Meaning: to willfully deny an obvious truth.- ചെവിയിൽ പൂവ് വെക്കുക (cheviyil poovu vekkuka)
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To place a flower in someone's ear. Meaning: to deceive or trick someone.- കയ്യിൽ നിന്ന് വിട്ടുപോവുക (kayyil ninnu vittupovuka)
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To slip out of one's hand. Meaning: to lose control of a situation or miss an opportunity.- നെഞ്ചിടിപ്പ് കൂടുക (nenchidippu kooduka)
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The heartbeat rising. Meaning: to become anxious or nervous.- മൂക്കത്ത് വിരൽ വെക്കുക (mookkathu viral vekkuka)
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To put a finger on one's nose. Meaning: to be utterly astonished.- തലയിൽ കൈ വെക്കുക (thalayil kai vekkuka)
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To put one's hand on one's head. Meaning: to be worried, distressed, or overwhelmed.- നാവിറങ്ങിപ്പോവുക (naaviranippovuka)
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The tongue slipping away. Meaning: to be speechless, at a total loss for words.- ചങ്കിടിക്കുക (changidikkuka)
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The heart pounding. Meaning: to be very scared or nervous.
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