# Tamil to English: the term lists of the English-medium textbooks

> These study notes explain Tamil to English for the Group 4 / VAO (Combined Civil Services Examination-IV) exam in plain language: the same reviewed notes the TNPSC Guide app shows, published by our editors with their source. Read the key points first, then practise the unit's questions. For exam facts such as dates and vacancies, always check tnpsc.gov.in.

Last updated: 2026-11-02 · By TNPSC Guide editorial team
URL: https://www.tnpscguide.com/exams/group-4/notes/tamil-translation-ta-en

## Why the exam asks this

Syllabus Unit VI asks only for translation into Tamil; it does not ask for translation from Tamil into English. The 2022, 2024 and 2025 papers have no question marked for this topic; every translation question of those years goes from English or another language into Tamil. So this is a supporting topic. It helps you check the pairs of a matching question and confirm the English form of a Tamil term. The words here also help when you study science, mathematics and history.

## The class 10 Science term list

The term list at the end of the class 10 Science book (English medium, pages 350-351) gives a Tamil word for each English word. Some pairs come as opposites: kattuppaduththappatta thodarvinai (controlled chain reaction), kattuppaadatra thodarvinai (uncontrolled chain reaction); van soppu (hard soap), men soppu (soft soap). A few English words on these pages carry misprints: Hydogen bomb (correct form hydrogen bomb), Rehabititation (rehabilitation), Sanguirorous (sanguivorous), Softy measures (safety measures). Remember the correct English form. Example: when you read about pal idaiveli in science, this list shows that its English word is diastema.

**Class 10 Science words**

| | |
| --- | --- |
| thotra maaruthal / theenippai / utharavithaanam / pal idaiveli | apparent change / crop / diaphragm / diastema |
| thoongu nilai allathu oyvu nilai / thaavara thodarbiyal / poosanangal | dormancy / ethnobotany / molds |
| ethir samani / unthu visai / nirai sathaveetham / vinaich seyal thoguthi | equilibrant / impulsive / mass percentage / functional group |
| kattuppaduththappatta thodarvinai / kattuppaadatra thodarvinai | controlled chain reaction / uncontrolled chain reaction |
| haidrajan kundu | hydrogen bomb (printed as Hydogen bomb) |
| van soppu / men soppu | hard soap / soft soap |
| oththa karunilai / irubaal uyiri / maarupatta pallamaippu | homozygous / hermaphrodite / heterodont |
| paruvamadaithal / karuppai / narambunarvu kadaththigal / thulangal | menarche / uterus / neurotransmitters / response |
| noyanu unni allathu selvizhungi / kanigangal / panmayam / karuvuraak kanigal | phagocytic / plastids / polyploidy / parthenocarpic fruits |
| thaavara payirp perukkam / ottu urinjigal / kandangal / thaduppuch suvar | plant breeding / suckers / segments / septum |
| neerili karaisal allathu neeratra karaisal / karaithiran | non aqueous / solubility |
| oppu moolakkooru nirai / iyarkai kathiriyakkam | relative molecular mass / natural radioactivity |
| suvaasa eevu / pirithiran / negizhvugal | respiratory quotient / resolving power / rarefactions |
| vinveli aatral / thallaattam | stellar energy / wobble |
| maruvaazhvu maiyam / iraththa urinjigal / paathukaappu nadavadikkaigal | rehabilitation centre / sanguivorous / safety measures (printed as Rehabititation, Sanguirorous, Softy measures) |

## The class 9 Science term list

The term list of the class 9 Science book (English medium, pages 318-319) gives chemistry, electricity, force and biology words. Here too there are opposite pairs: nermin ayani (cation), ethirmin ayani (anion); maiyanokku visai (centripetal force), maiya vilakku visai (centrifugal force); maaru minnottam (alternating current), ner minnottam (direct current). One English word may carry a different Tamil word in different classes: alternating current is maaru minnottam in class 9 and maaruthisai minnottam in class 10; geotropism is puvinaattam in class 9 and puvieerppu saarbu in class 10. Both are printed. Example: when you study the minnurugu izhai (fuse) of a house circuit, this list reminds you of the English word.

**Class 9 Science words**

| | |
| --- | --- |
| utkavarthal, urinjuthal / mudukkam / kalappadam / kodaikaala urakkam | absorption / acceleration / adulteration / aestivation |
| erikaarangal / puravetrumai vadivam / ulogak kalavaigal / iraajathiraavagam | alkalis / allotropes / alloys / aquaregia |
| ethirmin ayani / nermin ayani / anu en | anion / cation / atomic number |
| sermam / vethippinaippu | compounds / chemical bond |
| maaru minnottam / ner minnottam / minkalam | alternating current / direct current / electric cell |
| minsutru / minvaai | electric circuit / electrode |
| minthadai / nilaiyaana minthadai / minnurugu izhai | electrical resistance / fixed resistor / fuse |
| minniyatri / minkaantham | generator / electromagnet |
| maiya vilakku visai / maiyanokku visai / visai / athirvenn | centrifugal force / centripetal force / force / frequency |
| kiriyaa ookki / padigamaathal / minpagu thiravam / thadaya vethiyiyal | catalyst / crystallization / electrolyte / forensic chemistry |
| sirukolgal / poomaththiya regai / ethiroliyidam / kanini | asteroid / equator / echolocation / computer |
| tharsaarbu / iru pakkach samachchir / ithayaththasai / kuruththelumbu | autotrophic / bilateral symmetry / cardiac muscle / cartilage |
| kazhivu neekkam / perinam / azhivin vilimbil ulla sitrinangal / puvinaattam | excretion / genus / endangered species / geotropism |

## Mathematics words

The Mathematical Terms list of the class 10 Mathematics book (English medium, pages 343-344) gives words of areas such as geometry, functions, matrices and probability. Some words differ by one prefix: paravalaiyam (parabola), athiparavalaiyam (hyperbola); kuththuyaram (altitude), saayuyaram (slant height); irupurach saarbu (bijection), orupurach saarbu (injection). For counter-clock wise this list gives the descriptive phrase valamirunthu idam; the class 6 Tamil box gives idanjuzhi for anticlockwise and valanjuzhi for clockwise. Example: when you toss a coin, getting heads or tails is one vilaivu (outcome).

**Mathematics word table**

| | |
| --- | --- |
| padimurai / kuththuyaram / saayuyaram / saaivu | algorithm / altitude / slant height / slope or gradient |
| kona irusama vetti / senguththu samavetti / samachchir achchu | angle bisector / perpendicular bisector / axis of symmetry |
| mathippagam / thunai mathippagam / irupurach saarbu / orupurach saarbu | domain / co-domain / bijection / injection |
| ondrukkondraana saarbu / mel saarbu / maarilich saarbu / samanich saarbu | one-one function / onto function / constant function / identity function |
| paravalaiyam / athiparavalaiyam / thanmaik kaatti / irupadich samanpaadugal | parabola / hyperbola / discriminant / quadratic equation |
| thodukodugal / vettukkodu / thodupulli | tangents / secant / point of contact |
| vettuppulli / vettuththundu | point of intersection / intercept |
| valaiparappu / puraparappu / moththap parappu | curved surface area / surface area / total surface area |
| idaik kandam / ulleedatra | frustum / hollow |
| nervattak koombu / nervatta urulai / vadivoththa mukkonam | right circular cone / right circular cylinder / similar triangle |
| moolaivitta ani / sathura ani / alagu ani / poochchiya ani | diagonal matrix / square matrix / unit matrix / null matrix |
| thodarvarisai / thodar / thunaith thetram / paarvaik kodu | sequence / series / lemma / line of sight |
| valamirunthu idam | counter-clock wise |
| seeraana naanayangal / vilaivugal / muyarchi / sundappaduthal | unbiased coins / outcomes / trial / tossed |

## History words

The glossary boxes in the History units of the class 10 Social Science book (English medium; units 1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10) give a Tamil word for each English word. There are many words of war and of the freedom struggle: moozhgadi (torpedo), porththalavaadangal (armaments), mariyal (picket), purakkani (boycott). Some Tamil words come in two units: perazhivu is devastating in unit 1 and devastation / havoc in unit 3; melaathikkam (hegemony) is in both units 9 and 10. For some words the Aatchi Sollagaraathi gives another form (see Easy to confuse below). Example: when you read satyagraha in the freedom-struggle lesson, remember its Tamil forms arappor and saththiyaagiragam.

**History word table**

| | |
| --- | --- |
| mutrurimai / perazhivu / moozhgadi / muthalaaliththuvam | monopoly / devastating / torpedo / bourgeois |
| kanmoodiththanamaana naattuppatru / athitheevirappatru / arivujeevigal, nunnarivaalargal | jingoism / chauvinism / intelligentsia |
| perazhivu / izhappeedugal / porththalavaadangal / por naattam | devastation, havoc / reparations / armaments / belligerent |
| maruppaanai allathu ethirvaakku / kudisaiththoguthi / palgip peruguthal | veto / ghettos / proliferation |
| kadumaiyaana / meelaaththuyaram | stringent / scourge |
| iragasiya / valukkattaayamaaga / anaiththu makkalukkum samamaana | clandestine / coercive / egalitarian |
| keezhkkuththagaikku viduthal, ul kuththagaikku viduthal | subletting |
| niraivillaatha, thirupthiyatra / miga mosamaana, padupaathaalamaana | disgruntled / abysmal |
| thaakkuthal moolam panam, porul pariththal | extortion |
| arappor, saththiyaagiragam / vaguppuvaatham / vaakkaalar thoguthi | satyagraha / communalism / electorate |
| thannaatchiyurimaiyudaiya kudiyetra naadu | dominion |
| kadaisi arivippu, iruthi echcharikkai / koottuchchathi seithal, sathiththittam | ultimatum / conspiracy |
| thanimaippaduthal / arasiyal satta vithigalaip pinpatrubavar | alienation / constitutionalist |
| mariyal / purakkani / pothu aarppaatta nigazhchchi | picket / boycott / demonstration |
| adakkumurai / aatchikku ethiraana | repression / seditious |
| melaathikkam / karuththu orumaippaadu, muzhu isaivu | hegemony / consensus |
| paasaangu, polimai / naattuppatru | hypocrisy / patriotic |
| punaipeyar / mozhiyiyalaalargal / ezhuchchi | pseudonym / linguists / resurgence |
| othukkappatta / aneethiyaana | marginalised / iniquitous |
| suviseshargal, narseithiyaalar / padutholviyurach seithal / peyaridappattu | evangelical / trounced / rechristened |

**Key facts**

| | |
| --- | --- |
| Class 10 Science term list | pages 350-351; misprints: Hydogen bomb, Rehabititation, Sanguirorous, Softy measures |
| Class 9 Science term list | pages 318-319 |
| Class 10 Mathematics terms | pages 343-344 |
| Class 10 History glossary boxes | units 1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10; pages 13, 37, 85, 102, 113, 123 |
| nermin ayani / ethirmin ayani | cation / anion (class 9, page 318) |
| maiyanokku visai / maiya vilakku visai | centripetal force / centrifugal force (class 9, pages 318-319) |
| paravalaiyam / athiparavalaiyam | parabola / hyperbola (class 10 Mathematics, pages 343-344) |
| arappor, saththiyaagiragam | satyagraha (History unit 8, page 102) |
| melaathikkam | hegemony (unit 9, page 113; unit 10, page 123) |

> **Exam tip:** Memory hooks
"Ner" is cation, "ethir" is anion. "Nokku" is centripetal, "vilakku" is centrifugal. Adding "athi" turns paravalaiyam into athiparavalaiyam: parabola, hyperbola. "Kuththu" is altitude, "saai" is slant height, "valai" is curved surface area. "Patru" in three words: naattuppatru patriotic, kanmoodiththanamaana naattuppatru jingoism, athitheevirappatru chauvinism. "Punai" in two words: punaipeyar pseudonym, punaivu fiction. Four of the freedom-struggle words: mariyal picket, purakkani boycott, arappor satyagraha, pothu aarppaatta nigazhchchi demonstration.

**Easy to confuse**

| | |
| --- | --- |
| maaru minnottam / ner minnottam | alternating current (class 10 also prints maaruthisai minnottam) / direct current |
| puvinaattam / puvieerppu saarbu | both geotropism: puvinaattam in class 9, puvieerppu saarbu in class 10 |
| kattuppaduththappatta / kattuppaadatra thodarvinai | controlled / uncontrolled chain reaction |
| van soppu / men soppu | hard soap / soft soap |
| maiyanokku visai / maiya vilakku visai | centripetal / centrifugal; a swapped pair is the usual trap of a matching question |
| nermin ayani / ethirmin ayani | cation / anion |
| anu en / oppu moolakkooru nirai / nirai sathaveetham | atomic number / relative molecular mass / mass percentage |
| irupurach saarbu / orupurach saarbu / mel saarbu / ondrukkondraana saarbu | bijection / injection / onto / one-one |
| mathippagam / thunai mathippagam | domain / co-domain |
| paravalaiyam / athiparavalaiyam | parabola / hyperbola |
| thodukodu / vettukkodu / vettuththundu / vettuppulli | tangent / secant / intercept / point of intersection |
| kuththuyaram / saayuyaram | altitude / slant height |
| valaiparappu / puraparappu / moththap parappu | curved surface area / surface area / total surface area |
| valamirunthu idam / idanjuzhi | counter-clock wise (class 10 Mathematics) / anticlockwise (class 6 Tamil); clockwise is valanjuzhi |
| perazhivu (unit 1) / perazhivu (unit 3) | devastating / devastation, havoc |
| naattuppatru / kanmoodiththanamaana naattuppatru / athitheevirappatru | patriotic / jingoism / chauvinism; "patru" in all three |
| muthalaaliththuvam (History box) / glossary forms | bourgeois / in the glossary bourgeois is naduththara vaguppu, bourgeoisie is muthalaaliya vaguppu, capitalism is thaniyudaimai, muthalaaliyam |
| naattuppatru (History box) / glossary forms | patriotic / in the glossary patriotic is naattuppatrulla, patriotism is naattuppatru |
| mutrurimai (History box) / glossary forms | monopoly / in the glossary monopoly is thaniyurimai, mutrurimai; both are printed forms |
| mariyal / purakkani / arappor / pothu aarppaatta nigazhchchi | picket / boycott / satyagraha / demonstration |
| punaipeyar / punaivu | pseudonym / fiction; "punai" in both |
| misprint / correct form | Hydogen bomb, Rehabititation, Sanguirorous, Softy measures / hydrogen bomb, rehabilitation, sanguivorous, safety measures |
| theenippai / sethukki | crop, only in the sense of the science term list / crop as a computer word (class 9 Tamil); in the glossary payir, vilaichchal, uruvettu |

> **Exam tip:** Quick check
1. What is the English word for nermin ayani? Answer: cation.
2. What is the English word for saayuyaram? Answer: slant height.
3. What is the English word for athiparavalaiyam? Answer: hyperbola.
4. What is the English word for arappor? Answer: satyagraha.
5. What is the English word for punaipeyar? Answer: pseudonym.

Source: Science, Standard X, English medium (Samacheer Kalvi) (10ஆம் வகுப்பு அறிவியல் (ஆங்கில வழி), சொற்பட்டியல் (Glossary), பக்கம் 350-351; 9ஆம் வகுப்பு அறிவியல் (ஆங்கில வழி), சொற்பட்டியல் (Glossary), பக்கம் 318-319; 10ஆம் வகுப்புக் கணிதம் (ஆங்கில வழி), கணிதச் சொற்கள் (Mathematical Terms), பக்கம் 343-344; 10ஆம் வகுப்புச் சமூக அறிவியல் (ஆங்கில வழி), வரலாறு அலகுகள் 1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10 சொற்பெட்டிகள், பக்கம் 13, 37, 85, 102, 113, 123; ஆட்சிச் சொல்லகராதி (திருந்திய பதிப்பு, 2022), குழப்பம் தரும் இணைகளுக்கு மட்டும்: தொகுதி 1 பக்கம் 163, 199, 326; தொகுதி 2 பக்கம் 402; தொகுதி 3 பக்கம் 59)

## Sources

- [Official syllabus page](https://www.tnpsc.gov.in/english/syllabus.html)
- [Notifications](https://www.tnpsc.gov.in/English/Notification.aspx)