Shackles in Malayalam
വിലങ്ങ് (vilangu) is the word for shackles and fetters, and it is what you use for handcuffs; it extends figuratively to anything that holds a person back. ചങ്ങല (changala) is a chain, the links themselves, which is what shackles are made of rather than the restraint.
Fetters, handcuff, shackles, a four legged animal, (fig) obstacle.
പോലീസ് കള്ളന്റെ കയ്യിൽ വിലങ്ങ് വച്ചു.
police kallante kayyil vilangu vachu.
The police put handcuffs on the thief.
All Malayalam words for “shackles”
- വിലങ്ങ് (vilangu) — Fetters, handcuff, shackles, a four legged animal, (fig) obstacle.
- ചങ്ങല (changala) — Chain shackles, a measurement of length (22 yards).
വിലങ്ങ് (vilangu) also names a four-legged animal and, in a related form, means crosswise, so context carries the sense; for the chain as an object use ചങ്ങല (changala).
Common questions
How do you say shackles in Malayalam?
വിലങ്ങ് (vilangu), which covers fetters and handcuffs alike.
Can it be used figuratively?
Yes. It is common for an obstacle or a constraint, in the same way English speaks of the shackles of custom.