ചോറ്
cōṟŭ/t͡ʃoːrɨ/
The English word "rice" is translated into Malayalam as either അരി or ചോറ് (cōṟŭ).
Meaning: seeds used as food (noun)
Ways to say it
| Malayalam | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ചോറ് | cōṟŭ | /t͡ʃoːrɨ/ |
| അരി | ari | /ɐɾi/ |
In Malayalam, the term used depends on the state of the grain. Use അരി when discussing rice in the context of purchasing, storing or processing the grain. Use ചോറ് when discussing rice as a meal or a food item served on a plate.
Which one should you use?
Use അരി to refer to raw, unprocessed rice grains. Use ചോറ് to refer to rice that has been cooked and is ready to eat.
How do you pronounce it?
cōṟŭ
Did you know?
- In Kerala, the traditional way to eat ചോറ് is using the right hand to push the grains into the mouth, as utensils are historically uncommon for this staple.
- In traditional Kerala weddings, അരി is often used in rituals as a symbol of prosperity and abundance before it is ever cooked into ചോറ്.
- Kerala produces a unique variety of red rice called ചുവന്ന അരി, which is prized for its medicinal properties and is distinct from the white rice common in other Indian states.
Examples in context
- എനിക്ക് ചോറ് വേണം.enikku choru venam.I want rice.
- ചോറ് കഴിച്ചോ?choru kazhicho?Did you eat rice?
Example conversation
At lunchtime in a typical Kerala household.
- മീര Meeraചോറ് റെഡി ആണോ?choru ready aano?Is the rice ready?
- മനോജ് Manojഅതെ, ചോറ് വിളമ്പാം.athe, choru vilambam.Yes, let's serve the rice.
- മീര Meeraമനോജ്, കുറച്ച് ചോറ് കൂടി എടുത്തേ.manoj, kurachu choru koodi eduthe.Manoj, please take a little more rice.
- മനോജ് Manojശരി, മീര.shari, meera.Okay, Meera.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rice” translations and entries ചോറ്, അരി, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
