Malayalam idioms — ശൈലി (shaili) — and why so many of them are made of body parts. A proverb is a complete saying; an idiom is a phrase whose meaning you cannot work out from its parts, so you have to meet it as a unit. I am Dr. Reshmi R. Nair, an applied linguist from Kerala. I have taught hundreds of learners to speak Malayalam as it is actually spoken. THE HAND കൈ (kai) - hand കൈവിടുക (kaividuka) - to let go of the hand: to abandon someone കൈകൊടുക്കുക (kaikodukkuka) - to give a hand: to help, and also to shake hands കൈക്കൂലി (kaikkooli) - hand-wages: the ordinary word for a bribe, with the whole transaction inside the compound കൈപ്പുണ്യം (kaippunyam) - hand-merit. The quality of a cook whose food is simply better than everyone else's for reasons nobody can name. Same ingredients, same method, different hands. English needs a paragraph for it. THE EYE കണ്ണ് (kannu) - eye കണ്ണടയ്ക്കുക (kannadaykkuka) - to close the eyes: to ignore deliberately, and gently, to die കണ്ണിലുണ്ണി (kannilunni) - the child in the eye: the most beloved. English chose the pupil; Malayalam chose a small child living there. THE FACE AND THE HEAD മുഖം കൊടുക്കുക (mukham kodukkuka) - to give face: to pay attention to someone മുഖം തിരിക്കുക (mukham thirikkuka) - to turn the face away: to reject തലവര (thalavara) - the line on the head: fate, what is written for you തലയെടുപ്പ് (thalayeduppu) - the lifting of the head: bearing, stature. From the way a great tusker holds its head. TWO THAT ARE UNMISTAKABLY KERALA ആനക്കാര്യത്തിനിടയിൽ ചേനക്കാര്യം (aanakkaaryathinidayil chenakkaaryam) - a yam matter in the middle of an elephant matter: a trivial point raised in a serious discussion വെള്ളത്തിൽ വരച്ച വര (vellathil varacha vara) - a line drawn in water: a promise that will not hold The rule is the same as for proverbs: understand many, use few. One idiom at the right moment, then stop. Which of these has no equivalent in your language? #LearnMalayalam #Malayalam #Kerala