I'm sure you've done this:

>>> a = [0] * 10
>>> a
[0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
[download]

...and so are aware that, at least superficially, the construct is the same as @a = (0) x 10. So I imagine the question is more about whether below the surface they are similar.

There is this gotcha:

>>> a = [1,2]
>>> b = [a] * 5
>>> a
[[1, 2], [1, 2], [1, 2], [1, 2], [1, 2]]
>>> a[0] = 2
>>> b
[[2, 2], [2, 2], [2, 2], [2, 2], [2, 2]]
[download]

But that's really no different than this:

my @a = (1, 2);
my @b = (\@a) x 5;
$a[0] = 2;
print Dumper \@b;
[download]

It seems from documentation and behavior that the two are as close to being literal translations as can be hoped for across different languages.