Leftovers in Malayalam
എച്ചില് (echil) is the Malayalam for leftovers, but its exact flavour matters: food that somebody has already eaten from, the scraps and crumbs on a used plate. It carries a definite sense of being touched and therefore unclean.
Most common translation
Leftovers, remains of victuals, crumbs.
എച്ചില് പുറത്തെ കുഴിയിൽ ഇട്ടു.
echil purathe kuzhiyil ittu.
The leftovers were thrown into the pit outside.
Dictionary entry
- എച്ചില് (echil) — Leftovers, remains of victuals, crumbs.
Because of that association, echil is not the neutral word for a dish saved for tomorrow; it implies remains that nobody else should eat.
Common questions
How do you say leftovers in Malayalam?
എച്ചില് (echil), the leftovers and scraps from a plate.
Can I use echil for food kept in the fridge?
Better not. Echil suggests what is left on a used plate, with an implication of being unclean.