How can I assign two arrays to a hash in Perl?

You can do it in a single assignment:

my %hash;
@hash{@array1} = @array2;

It’s a common idiom. From perldoc perldata on slices:

If you’re confused about why you use
an ‘@’ there on a hash slice instead
of a ‘%’, think of it like this. The
type of bracket (square or curly)
governs whether it’s an array or a
hash being looked at. On the other
hand, the leading symbol (‘$’ or ‘@’)
on the array or hash indicates whether
you are getting back a singular value
(a scalar) or a plural one (a list).

When I see one of these I see a mental image of a zipper…