Arecanut name in every language
| Language | Name | Written as | The tree |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Arecanut / areca nut (also “betel nut”) | — | Areca palm |
| Tamil | Pakku | பாக்கு | பாக்கு மரம் (pakku maram) |
| Kannada | Adike | ಅಡಿಕೆ | ಅಡಿಕೆ ಮರ (adike mara) |
| Malayalam | Adakka | അടയ്ക്ക | കമുക് (kamuku) |
| Telugu | Vakka | వక్క | — |
| Hindi | Supari | सुपारी | — |
| Marathi | Supari | सुपारी | — |
| Gujarati | Sopari | સોપારી | — |
| Bengali | Supari | সুপারি | — |
| Assamese | Tamul | তামোল | — |
Botanical name: Areca catechu L. — palm family (Arecaceae).
Names by market stage
What the same crop is called as it moves from the tree to the market. Tamil names are the ones used at the Gobi and Bhavani auctions in Erode — the same stages as our live arecanut price page.
| Stage | Tamil (Erode markets) | Also called |
|---|---|---|
| Raw green fruit | பச்சை பாக்கு — pacha pakku | Kannada: hasi adike · Malayalam: pacha adakka |
| Ripe yellow fruit | பழ பாக்கு — pala pakku | — |
| Sun-dried fruit, with husk | வர பாக்கு — vara pakku | — |
| Dried nut, husk removed | கொட்டைப்பாக்கு — kottai pakku (kotta pakku) | Chali · Malayalam: kotta adakka |
| Boiled & sliced nut (for chewing) | களிப்பாக்கு — kali pakku | Kannada: kempu adike |
| Cut / sliced pieces | வெட்டுப்பாக்கு — vettu pakku | — |
Common questions
What is pakku called in English?
Arecanut, or areca nut. It is also commonly called betel nut. The tree is the areca palm — pakku maram in Tamil.
What is adike in Tamil?
Pakku (பாக்கு). Adike is the Kannada name for the same nut, and adike mara is the tree.
What is supari in Tamil?
Pakku (பாக்கு). Supari is the Hindi (and Marathi and Bengali) name for arecanut.
What is kotta pakku in English?
Dried arecanut with the husk removed — the whole nut left after the ripe fruit is sun-dried and dehusked. Traders call it chali; in Kerala it is kotta adakka. It is the highest-priced stage at the Erode auctions.
What is vethalai pakku in English?
Betel leaf and areca nut, chewed together as paan. Vetrilai (வெற்றிலை) is the leaf of the betel vine, Piper betle; pakku is the areca nut eaten with it. They come from two different plants.
What is pakku maram in English?
Areca palm, or arecanut tree (Areca catechu). In Kannada it is adike mara and in Malayalam kamuku.
Is betel nut the same as arecanut?
Yes. “Betel nut” is a common English name for the areca nut, because it is chewed with betel leaf. The betel plant itself only gives the leaf.
What is arecanut used for?
Mostly for chewing with betel leaf, and in Tamil weddings and religious functions (vetrilai pakku / thamboolam). The leaf sheath of the palm is pressed into eco-friendly areca plates (pakku mattai plates). Note: the WHO's cancer research agency (IARC) classifies chewing areca nut as a cause of cancer in humans, even without tobacco.