Tamil idiom is a phrase or expression whose meaning is not predictable from the direct translation. It helps to convey emotions and express your ideas in creative ways. Tamil idioms is considered one of most colourful aspects.
Though seriously speaking, learning Tamil idioms can help improve your understanding of the language and your fluency in speaking it. Not only that, they almost always reflect your prowess and proficiency in the language. These linguistic tools are a creative way of succinctly putting words into your thoughts. You can use these terms to precisely sum up what reams and pages of the written word can’t.
Ready to learn more? Keep reading below!
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Tamil Idioms: A Peek Into The Tamil World
Idioms and proverbs are also brilliant sources of gaining insight into Tamil people and their culture. For instance, Tamil people are considered to be reserved. The general perception is that they keep to themselves and don’t give much to fun and frivolity. Another interesting fact is that Tamil people don’t ever talk about death in direct terms and always use euphemisms to convey it. Some of the Tamil idioms and Tamil proverbs reflect these insights to the ! So, let’s go over some and add these linguistic weapons to our armory.
| Tamil Idioms | English Translation | Roman Transcription | Meaning | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| முளைச்சு மூனு இலை கூட விடல | (You are) yet to develop even three leaves since (you) sprouted. | Muḷaiccu mūṉu ilai kūṭa viṭala | It is a somewhat similar translation of the English idiom ‘too big for your boots.’ It is usually used in the context of reminding someone of their actual status. |
முளைச்சு மூனு இலை கூட விடல |
| கல்யாணம் என்பது ஆயிரம் காலத்து பயிர் | Marriage is a thousand-year crop. | Kalyāṇam eṉpatu āyiram kālattu payir | Marriage is a serious commitment. So, think long and hard before making this important decision in your life. |
கல்யாணம் என்பது ஆயிரம் காலத்து பயிர் |
| அகல கால் வைக்காதே | Don’t keep your feet wide (apart) | Akala kāl vaikkātē | Don’t strive too hard for something beyond your capacity. In other words, stick to your strengths. |
அகல கால் வைக்காதே |
| சங்கு ஊதிட்டாங்க | Blow the conch. | Caṅku ūtiṭṭāṅka | It refers to the practice of blowing a conch shell to mark the onset of war, the act of killing. |
சங்கு ஊதிட்டாங்க |
| போய் சேந்துட்டார் | He went away. | Pōy cēntuṭṭār | This idiom is spoken to convey the passing away of someone. |
போய் சேந்துட்டார் |
| எனக்கு ஏற்கனவே காது குத்தியாச்சு | I already have my ears pierced. | Eṉakku ēṟkaṉavē kātu kuttiyāccu | In Indian culture, ear piercing is a ritual done when the child is young. So, the implied meaning here is that one is not so young or naive anymore to get easily deceived. |
எனக்கு ஏற்கனவே காது குத்தியாச்சு |
| அவனைத் தண்ணீர் தெளித்து விட்டு விட்டேன் | I sprinkled him with water and left him. | Avaṉait taṇṇīr teḷittu viṭṭu viṭṭēṉ | I gave up on him. |
அவனைத் தண்ணீர் தெளித்து விட்டு விட்டேன் |
| அவர் இயற்கை எய்தினார் | He/she became one with nature. | Avar iyaṟkai eytiṉār | In Indian culture, it is believed that our physical body is made up of the five elements from nature – air, water, earth, fire, and space – and upon death, it merges back into nature. |
அவர் இயற்கை எய்தினார் |
| அவன் கம்பி நீட்டி விட்டான் | He held out the wire/rod. | Avaṉ kampi nīṭṭi viṭṭāṉ | The man succeeded in escaping the prison by making a gap between the rods. The implied meaning is that the man escaped after committing fraud or swindling money. |
அவன் கம்பி நீட்டி விட்டான் |
| அடுத்த தெருவில் ஒரு பச்சை மட்டை விழுந்திருக்கிறது | A green coconut leaf has fallen on the next street. | Aṭutta teruvil oru paccai maṭṭai viḻuntirukkiṟatu | Once again, a euphemism for death. In Tamil culture, the dead bodies are carried to the cremation ground on something called a Pāṭai (பாடை) – a stretcher-like structure made of bamboo and coconut leaves. |
அடுத்த தெருவில் ஒரு பச்சை மட்டை விழுந்திருக்கிறது |
Why Are Idioms Used
Idioms serve various purposes for communication. Some of the reasons are listed below
- Tamil idioms convey complex ideas in a concise manner.
- Tamil idioms reflect the history and traditions of Tamil culture.
- It helps to evoke strong emotions,add humour or it helps to emphasise your view.
- It helps to convey ideas otherwise it require a longer explanation.
How Idioms Are Formed
Based on historical events, cultural practices and everyday experiences Tamil idioms are developed over time. It may arise from popular Tamil literature, Tamil folktales or historical incidents.
Basically,Tamil idioms are also influenced by social changes. At the same time, modern idioms come from Tamil movies and social media.
| Tamil Idioms | English Translation | Roman Tanscription | Meaning | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| தலையில கேடு வந்தாச்சு | Misfortune has come to the head | talaiyil kēṭu vantāccu | Faced a sudden problem or bad luck | தலையில கேடு வந்தாச்சு |
| கண்ணு குளிக்கிறது | Washing the eyes | kaṇṇukku kuḷikkiṟatu | Very pleasing or visually attractive | கண்ணு குளிக்கிறது |
| தொடர் கதை மாதிரி இருக்குது | Feels like a serial story | toṭar katā mātiri irukkuṟatu | Something that drags on for a long time or feels never-ending | தொடர் கதை மாதிரி இருக்குது |
| ஐடி ஜாடை காட்டுகிறது | Showing IT attitude | aidi jāṭai kāṭṭukiṟatu | Acting superior or showing off due to a tech-savvy background | ஐடி ஜாடை காட்டுகிறது |
| ஐடியா மட்டும் நம்மள விட்டு ஒடுது | Only the idea is running away from us | aiḍiyā maṭṭum nammaḷa viṭṭu oṭutu | Used humorously when someone is struggling to think of something. | ஐடியா மட்டும் நம்மள விட்டு ஒடுது |
| குட்டி ஸ்டோரி கட்டு | Build a short story | kuṭṭi sṭōri kaṭṭu | To give a quick explanation or excuse | குட்டி ஸ்டோரி கட்டு |
| காலம் நமக்கு மட்டும் சொந்தம் இல்லை | Time doesn’t belong to us alone | kālam namakku maṭṭum sontam illai | Everyone has their ups and downs; it’s not just you | காலம் நமக்கு மட்டும் சொந்தம் இல்லை |
How Do You Say ‘Idioms’ In Tamil?
In Tamil, idioms are refered as ‘uvamaigal’ (உவமைகள்). It convey metaphorical or symbolic message.
Structure Of Idioms
Normally the structure of idioms are unpredictable. Sometimes it follows specific linguistic structures. And it cannot be altered without losing their meaning. If you change a word it may change the entire meaning. There are three types of idioms
- Simile based idioms
- Metaphor based idioms
- Verb based idioms
Frequently Asked Questions For Tamil Idioms
How Do Idioms Differ From Proverbs?
Idioms are figurative phrases with symbolic meaning. At the same time proverbs are traditional sayings that express a universal truth.
Can Idioms Directly Translated To English?
No, Tamil idioms cannot be directly translated into English because their figurative meaning might be lost.
How Do I Identify Idiom?
If the usual meaning of the words in a sentence does not relate to the context, then it is likely an idiom.
The Bottom Line
Tamil idioms help to enrich your communication with cultural depth. In this blog you know about idioms structure, idioms formations and some of the viral Tamil idioms with their meaning. It provides value to your conversation. Embracing idioms allows us to understand deeper conversational Tamil phrases and build your conversation more expressively.
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