{ feet => ["left", "right"], shoes => ["loader", "sneaker", "boot"], things => [], } { feet => ["left", "right"], shoes => ["loader", "sneaker", "boot", "slippers"], things => [], } do { my $a = { feet => ["left", "right"], shoes => ["loader", "sneaker", "boot", "slippers"], things => ['fix', 'fix'], }; $a->{things}[0] = $a->{feet}; $a->{things}[1] = $a->{shoes}; $a; }