Touch-stone in Malayalam
ഉരകല്ല് (urakallu) is the touchstone, the rubbing stone a goldsmith uses to test metal, and it is used figuratively for any test or standard. The first part is the verb for rubbing and the second is the word for stone. Four syllables, with a doubled l near the end.
Most common translation
Touch-stone, whetter, criterion, testing standard, reference point.
ചന്ദനം അരയ്ക്കാന് അമ്മ ഉരകല്ല് എടുത്തു.
chandanam araykkaan amma urakallu eduthu.
Mother took the grinding stone to rub sandalwood.
Dictionary entry
- ഉരകല്ല് (urakallu) — Touch-stone, whetter, criterion, testing standard, reference point.
The figurative sense is the live one today: a ഉരകല്ല് (urakallu) is the yardstick against which a person or a policy is judged.
Common questions
How do you say touch-stone in Malayalam?
ഉരകല്ല് (urakallu), literally the rubbing stone.
Is the figurative use common?
Yes, writers regularly call a decisive test the ഉരകല്ല് (urakallu) of someone's character.