Smear in Malayalam
To smear is പുരട്ടുക (purattuka), the verb for spreading something over a surface by hand, whether oil on skin or mud on a wall. The same verb does duty for rubbing and massaging. It is ordinary spoken Malayalam, with no literary airs.
Most common translation
Smear, rub, massage, vomit.
അവൾ മുറിവിൽ മരുന്ന് പുരട്ടുകയാണ്.
aval murivil marunnu purattukayaanu
She is applying medicine on the wound.
All Malayalam words for “smear”
- പുരട്ടുക (purattuka) — Smear, rub, massage, vomit.
- തേക്കുക (thekkuka) — Rub, smear, whet, scrub, to iron.
- പേര്ക്കുക (perkkuka) — Ruin, remove, cut, smear, turn.
തേക്കുക (thekkuka) is to rub or scrub rather than to spread a layer, and പേര്ക്കുക (perkkuka) carries a strong sense of ruining or removing, so the overlap with smear is slight.
Common questions
How do you say smear in Malayalam?
പുരട്ടുക (purattuka), to spread or rub something onto a surface.
Does it work for smearing a reputation?
No. The figurative English sense needs the Malayalam vocabulary of defaming instead.