noun
mala
MAY-luh
noun
1
A string of prayer beads used in Hindu and Buddhist practice for counting repetitions of a mantra or chant.
"She wore a wooden mala around her wrist during meditation."
2
A spicy Sichuan seasoning made from Sichuan pepper and chili.
"The hot pot broth was loaded with mala seasoning."
How to Use Mala
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a string of meditation beads, or a fiery, tongue-numbing Sichuan spice blend, depending on context.
Common pairings
mala beads
mala hot pot
mala flavor
Word Forms
malae plural, malas plural, mala plural, malas plural
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She wore a wooden _____ around her wrist during meditation.
Etymology
The prayer-bead sense is a learned borrowing from Sanskrit māla ("garland"); the culinary sense comes from Mandarin 麻辣 (málà), meaning "numbing and spicy."