One Letter One Word Meaning Identification
Learn single-letter word meanings in Tamil. Complete guide on one letter one word (ஒரெழுத்து ஒரு மொழி) with examples and practice questions for TNPSC exams
Learning Content
What is One Letter One Word?
Words that consist of a single letter and convey complete meaning are called "ஒரெழுத்து ஒரு மொழி" (One letter one word). This is a unique linguistic feature of Tamil.
Importance
- Shows the antiquity and richness of Tamil
- Maximum meaning with minimum letters
- Frequently used in literature
- 2-3 questions appear in TNPSC exams
Letter Types
- Vowels (உயிர்): அ, ஆ, இ, ஈ, உ, ஊ, எ, ஏ, ஐ, ஒ, ஓ, ஔ
- Consonants (மெய்): க், ங், ச், ஞ், ட், ண், த், ந், ப், ம், ய், ர், ல், வ், ழ், ள், ற், ன்
First 8 Examples
- அ - That
- ஆ - Cow
- இ - This
- ஈ - Give
- உ - There is / Eat
- ஊ - Village/Town
- எ - Letter
- ஏ - Deer
Vowel Letter Meanings
- ஐ - Five
- ஒ - One
- ஓ - Run / Tile
- ஔ - Sound
Consonant Letter Meanings
- கா - Crow
- கூ - Call/Shout
- சா - Die
- சீ - Pride/Wealth
- தா - Give
- தீ - Fire
- நா - Tongue
- நீ - Water/You
- பா - Song
- பூ - Flower
- மா - Tree/Big
- மீ - Above
- யா - Musical instrument (Lyre)
Additional Examples
- வா - Come
- வீ - House / Fall
- ழா - Fate
- ளா - Field
- றா - Get
Special Meaning Letters
- ஆன் - Male
- ஆள் - Person
- ஈர் - Wetness
- ஊண் - Food
- கூழ் - Porridge
Practice Questions
Q1: What are the meanings of "மா"?
Ans: Tree, Big, Horse, Darkness
Q2: What are two meanings of "நீ"?
Ans: Water, You
Q3: What does "பூ" mean?
Ans: Flower
Quick Tips for Exam
1. Remember Letter Categories
- Vowels - 12 letters
- Consonants - 18 letters
- Total 30 letters
2. Common Question Patterns
- ✓ Find meaning for given letter
- ✓ Find letter for given meaning
- ✓ Multiple meaning letters
- ✓ Correct letter usage in sentences
3. Important Letters to Remember
| Letter | Primary Meaning | Additional Meanings |
|---|---|---|
| மா | Tree | Big, Horse |
| நீ | Water | You |
| பூ | Flower | Earth |
| ஆ | Cow | Yes |
| கா | Crow | Protect |
| தீ | Fire | Evil |
| தா | Give | Mother |
| வா | Come | Life |
4. Time Management
- 30 seconds per question
- Answer confident ones first
- Mark doubtful ones for review
5. Elimination Method
- Remove wrong meanings first
- Focus on sentence context
- Recall textbook usage
Complete Reference List - 35 Key Letters
Vowels (12):
- அ - That
- ஆ - Cow
- இ - This
- ஈ - Give
- உ - There is
- ஊ - Village
- எ - Letter
- ஏ - Deer
- ஐ - Five
- ஒ - One
- ஓ - Run
- ஔ - Sound
Consonants (23):
13. கா - Crow
14. கூ - Call
15. சா - Die
16. சீ - Pride
17. தா - Give
18. தீ - Fire
19. நா - Tongue
20. நீ - Water
21. பா - Song
22. பூ - Flower
23. மா - Tree
24. மீ - Above
25. யா - Lyre
26. வா - Come
27. வீ - House
28. ழா - Fate
29. ளா - Field
30. றா - Get
31. ஆன் - Male
32. ஆள் - Person
33. ஈர் - Wetness
34. ஊண் - Food
35. கூழ் - Porridge
Practice Strategy
Week 1: Vowels (12 letters)
Week 2: Basic consonants (10 letters)
Week 3: More consonants (13 letters)
Week 4: Full revision + practice tests
Daily Practice: 5 letters × 3 meanings = 15 minutes
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ❌ Confusing letters with words
- ❌ Forgetting multiple meanings
- ❌ Ignoring sentence context
- ❌ Rushing through answers
- ✅ Always read full sentence to confirm meaning
Exam Success Formula
Know the Letter → Understand Meaning → Match with Context
Regular practice from 6th to 12th standard Tamil textbooks will give best results.
Final Tip
One letter one word questions carry 2-3 marks in TNPSC exams. Mastering these 35 key letters and their meanings will help you score easily. Focus on letters that appear frequently in Tamil literature and daily usage.