“Chhai” comes from an old word meaning shade or coolness. “Male” refers to the sheltered side of a hill or a green area. It is said that the place was named for being a cool, shaded, and green area.
Chhai means “shade, shadow” — likely from the Nepali root छायाँ (chhāyā), which means “shadow” or “shade”; ultimately derived from Sanskrit छाया (chāyā).
Male (मले) is a local name or toponymic suffix, possibly of indigenous or regional origin with uncertain etymology. The toponym Chhaimale is descriptive in nature, referring to a shaded or sun-protected area, combining a Sanskrit-derived root with a local suffix.
