boul7ya بولحية
Moroccan Darija · adjective
“boul7ya” (بولحية) is an adjective in Moroccan Darija meaning bearded, wearing a beard.
Meanings
- bearded, wearing a beard
- bearded (ostentatiously religious man)
Usage
The word boul7ya, literally "the one with the beard", describes a man with a full beard. It is also used as a noun. In everyday usage it often targets a man with an ostentatiously religious appearance, much like "barbu" in French. The tone can then be mocking or pejorative, depending on context and intonation. It is also used as a nickname for someone whose name you don't know (dak boul7ya, "that bearded guy"). The register is informal. Best avoided when talking about someone in front of them.
Example
شفتي داك بولحية لي واقف حدا الباب؟
chefti dak boul7ya li wa9ef 7da lbab?
“Did you see that bearded guy standing by the door?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “boul7ya” but also “bol7ya”, “boul7ia” and “bol7ia”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.