അസൂയ
asūya
The English word jealous is translated into Malayalam as അസൂയ (asūya).
അസൂയ is an adjective used to describe the feeling of envy or resentment toward someone else's perceived advantages or material possessions. To express the sensation of feeling jealous, you can use the phrase അസൂയ തോന്നുന്നു (asūya tōnnunnu), which conveys that jealousy is arising or occurring within a person.
Meaning: envious, feeling resentful of someone for a perceived advantage, material or otherwise (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
While അസൂയ is the base term for jealousy, you can use specific noun forms to describe a person. Use അസൂയക്കാരൻ (asūyakkāran) to refer to a jealous man and അസൂയക്കാരി (asūyakkāri) to refer to a jealous woman.
How do you pronounce it?
asūya
Did you know?
- While English speakers use 'jealous' for both romantic jealousy and envy, a Malayalam speaker would rarely use അസൂയ to describe a lover's protective jealousy, preferring terms related to suspicion or possessiveness.
- In traditional Kerala folklore and superstition, the 'evil eye' or കണ്ണേറ് (kaṇṇēṟu) is believed to be the physical manifestation of അസൂയ cast upon someone to cause them bad luck.
- While അസൂയ means 'jealousy', the word മത്സരം (matsaram) is often used to describe a more positive, competitive kind of jealousy or rivalry in sports and academics.
Examples in context
- അവൾക്ക് മറ്റുള്ളവരോട് അസൂയയുണ്ട്.avalukku mattullavarodu asuyayundu.She is jealous of others.
- അവന്റെ വിജയം കണ്ട് എനിക്ക് അസൂയ തോന്നി.avanre vijayam kandu enikku asuya thonni.I felt jealous seeing his success.
- അസൂയ തോന്നുന്നത് നല്ലതല്ല.asuya thonnunnathu nallathalla.Feeling jealous is not good.
Example conversation
Sreedevi and Manoj are discussing a coworker's promotion.
- ശ്രീദേവി Srideviഅവളുടെ പുതിയ കാർ കണ്ട് എനിക്ക് അസൂയ തോന്നി.avalude puthiya car kandu enikku asuya thonni.I felt jealous seeing her new car.
- മനോജ് Manojഅതുകൊണ്ട് അസൂയപ്പെടേണ്ട കാര്യമില്ല.athukondu asuyappeedenda karyamilla.There is no reason to be jealous about that.
- ശ്രീദേവി Srideviഎനിക്കറിയാം, പക്ഷേ എനിക്ക് അസൂയ തോന്നിപ്പോയി.enikku ariyam, pakshe enikku asuya thonnipoyi.I know, but I just felt jealous.
- മനോജ് Manojഅതൊരു സ്വാഭാവികമായ തോന്നലാണ്.athoru swabhavikamaya thonnalanu.That is a natural feeling.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry അസൂയ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
