Poruththuthal - Matching & Selecting Appropriate Meaning
Complete guide to Poruththuthal (Matching & Meaning Selection) for TNPSC exams. Detailed explanation with examples, practice exercises and important exam tips in Tamil and English.
Learning Content
Poruththuthal - Introduction
What is Poruththuthal?
Poruththuthal is the process of selecting the appropriate meaning for a word, phrase, or sentence from given options. This is an important section frequently asked in TNPSC exams.
Types of Matching
1. Word to Meaning Selection
Selecting the correct meaning for a word
Example:
- kavi word meaning:
- A) flower
- B) poet ✓
- C) tree
- D) water
2. Phrase to Meaning Selection
Selecting the correct explanation for a phrase
Example:
- kal nenjam meaning:
- A) strong mind
- B) heartless ✓
- C) beautiful mind
- D) great mind
3. Sentence to Meaning Selection
Understanding and selecting meaning of a complete sentence
Multiple Meanings of Words
Many Tamil words have multiple meanings:
Examples:
1. kaal word:
- a) Body part (leg)
- b) Time (time)
- c) Wind (wind)
- d) Season (season)
In context:
- "My kaal hurts" - body part
- "kaal kaalamaga" - time
- "kaal veesugirathu" - wind
2. maa word:
- a) Mango tree
- b) Big
- c) Horse
- d) Darkness
3. kann word:
- a) Eye (organ)
- b) Hole
- c) Place
- d) Sight
Context-Based Meaning Selection
Understanding the context of the sentence is essential to select word meaning:
Example 1:
- Sentence: "Tamil maanaadu"
- Meaning: Great land (maa = big)
Example 2:
- Sentence: "Maamaram gives shade"
- Meaning: Mango tree (maa = mango)
Example 3:
- Sentence: "Maakaali temple"
- Meaning: Great Kali (maa = great)
Importance
- ✓ Foundation of word study
- ✓ Develops reading skills
- ✓ 3-5 questions in exam
- ✓ Easy to score marks
- ✓ Enhances Tamil language knowledge
Meaning Selection Methods
Method 1: Direct Meaning Selection
Directly giving meaning to a word
Examples:
1. vaazhvu
- A) death
- B) life ✓
- C) sorrow
- D) happiness
2. kanavu
- A) sleep
- B) dreaming ✓
- C) thought
- D) imagination
3. arivu
- A) intelligence ✓
- B) strength
- C) beauty
- D) wealth
Method 2: Phrase Meaning Selection
Folk Phrases:
1. kal manam
- Meaning: heartless mind ✓
2. poo pondra mukam
- Meaning: beautiful face ✓
3. neruppu paarvai
- Meaning: angry look ✓
4. then mozhi
- Meaning: sweet words ✓
5. vannaththu poochi
- Meaning: beautifully dressed person ✓
Simile Phrases:
6. singam pola
- Meaning: like a brave person ✓
7. maan pola
- Meaning: like a fearful person ✓
8. kurangu pola
- Meaning: cleverly ✓
Method 3: Antonym Matching
Selecting opposite meaning words
Examples:
1. inbam ≠ thunbam
2. velicham ≠ irul
3. vaazhvu ≠ irappu
4. nanmai ≠ theemai
5. arivu ≠ ariyaamai
6. vetri ≠ tholvi
7. selvam ≠ varumai
8. magizhchi ≠ sogam
Method 4: Synonym Matching
Selecting similar meaning words
Examples:
1. kavi = pulavar = paavalar
2. kadal = alaikadal = perungadal = samuththiram
3. malar = poo = pushpam
4. vaanam = aakaayam = vaan
5. mazhai = neer = maari = vaanthuli
6. nilavu = santhiran = thingal
7. kathiravan = sooriyan = gnaayiru
8. kaatru = vali = kaal
Method 5: Proverb Meaning Selection
Selecting true meaning of proverbs
Examples:
1. "Aabaththu vanthaal arivu maranthuvidim"
- Meaning: Cannot think properly when trouble comes ✓
2. "Aatril pottaalum alanthu podu"
- Meaning: Think before doing anything ✓
3. "Adutha piraviyil kooda mudiyaathu"
- Meaning: Completely impossible ✓
Poruththuthal - Practice Examples
Practice 1: Word to Meaning Selection
Questions:
1. "vallal" meaning:
- A) hero
- B) donor ✓
- C) poet
- D) king
2. "thamizh" meaning:
- A) sweetness ✓
- B) goodness
- C) greatness
- D) purity
3. "pugazh" meaning:
- A) victory
- B) fame ✓
- C) wealth
- D) knowledge
4. "nandri" meaning:
- A) help
- B) duty
- C) goodness
- D) gratitude ✓
5. "veeram" meaning:
- A) strength
- B) courage ✓
- C) anger
- D) skill
Practice 2: Phrase to Meaning Selection
Questions:
6. "annai mozhi" meaning:
- A) mother tongue ✓
- B) mother's speech
- C) old language
- D) good language
7. "kannan" (god's name):
- A) one with eyes
- B) like eyes
- C) beautiful one ✓
- D) honorable one
8. "senthamizh" meaning:
- A) red tamil
- B) pure tamil ✓
- C) old tamil
- D) good tamil
9. "vaanpugazh" meaning:
- A) fame in sky
- B) widespread fame ✓
- C) high fame
- D) lasting fame
10. "nilampaar" meaning:
- A) one who sees land
- B) one who protects land
- C) king ✓
- D) farmer
Practice 3: Proverb Meaning Selection
Questions:
11. "Kaatrul pothe thoottrikol"
- Meaning:
- A) always close door
- B) use opportunity when it comes ✓
- C) work when wind blows
- D) sleep when sleepy
12. "Thannai pugazhpavan keduvaan"
- Meaning:
- A) praise others
- B) don't be arrogant ✓
- C) praise everyone
- D) don't praise anyone
13. "Vaayppul pothu vaangikkol"
- Meaning:
- A) always buy
- B) use the opportunity ✓
- C) buy when price reduces
- D) buy only when needed
Practice 4: Antonym Matching
Questions:
14. inbam ≠ ?
- A) magizhchi
- B) thunbam ✓
- C) sogam
- D) vedhanai
15. arivu ≠ ?
- A) muttaalthanam
- B) ariyaamai ✓
- C) puththi
- D) theriyaamai
16. vetri ≠ ?
- A) tholvi ✓
- B) paathippu
- C) thadai
- D) izhappu
Practice 5: Synonym Matching
Questions:
17. kadal = ?
- A) neernilai
- B) samuththiram ✓
- C) aaru
- D) kulam
18. kavi = ?
- A) ezhuth thaalar
- B) pulavar ✓
- C) paadagar
- D) oviyar
19. malar = ?
- A) ilai
- B) kilai
- C) poo ✓
- D) kaay
20. vaanam = ?
- A) aakaayam ✓
- B) vaanilai
- C) ulagam
- D) vinmeen
Poruththuthal - Exam Tips
TNPSC Exam Pattern
Question Types:
Type 1: Direct Meaning Selection (2-3 questions)
Question: What is the meaning of "vallal"?
- Options: hero, donor, poet, king
- Answer: donor ✓
Type 2: Context-Based Meaning Selection (1-2 questions)
Question: "Tamil maanaadu" - meaning of "maa"?
- Options: mango tree, big, horse, darkness
- Answer: big ✓
Type 3: Proverb Meaning (1 question)
Question: "Kaatrul pothe thoottrikol" - meaning?
- Answer: use the opportunity ✓
Exam Writing Strategies
Strategy 1: Read Carefully
- Read complete sentence twice
- Understand context
- Note keywords
Strategy 2: Elimination Method
First eliminate wrong options
Example:
Question: "kavi" meaning?
- A) flower ✗ (eliminate)
- B) poet ✓
- C) tree ✗ (eliminate)
- D) water ✗ (eliminate)
Strategy 3: Think Word Origin
Think where the word came from
Example:
- senthamizh = sem (red/pure) + thamizh
- Meaning: pure tamil
Strategy 4: Time Management
- 30 seconds per question
- Answer easy questions first
- Do difficult ones last
Important Words & Meanings
Frequently Asked Words:
1. thamizh = sweetness
2. sem = purity/red
3. maa = big
4. vallal = donor
5. kavi = poet
6. pugazh = fame
7. veeram = courage
8. arivu = intelligence
9. nandri = gratitude
10. vaanam = sky
Phrases:
11. kal nenjam = heartless
12. then mozhi = sweet speech
13. annai mozhi = mother tongue
14. senthamizh = pure tamil
15. vaanpugazh = widespread fame
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Not Considering Context
❌ Always thinking "maa" as mango tree
✓ Select meaning based on context
Mistake 2: Direct Translation
❌ Translating proverbs directly
✓ Understanding underlying meaning
Mistake 3: Rushing to Finish
❌ Answering without reading properly
✓ Read carefully and answer
Things to Remember
Key Points:
-
📚 Vocabulary:
- Learn 20 new words daily
- Remember with meanings
-
📖 Continuous Reading:
- Read Tamil books
- Read newspapers
- Understand contextual meanings
-
✍️ Practice:
- 50 questions per week
- Write model exams
- Correct mistakes
-
🎯 Focus:
- Multi-meaning words
- Proverbs
- Phrases
Score Improvement
To get 5 out of 5:
Week 1-2:
- Learn basic words
- 500 word meanings
Week 3-4:
- Study phrases
- 100 phrase meanings
Week 5-6:
- Study proverbs
- 50 proverb meanings
Week 7-8:
- Write model exams
- Correct mistakes
Success Formula
✨ Daily:
- 20 new words
- 10 phrases
- 5 proverbs
✨ Weekly:
- Review 100 words
- 50 practice questions
- 1 model exam
✨ Monthly:
- Complete review
- 200+ questions practice
- Improve weak areas
Success guaranteed! Effort brings victory! 🎉