chelghoum شلغوم
Moroccan Darija · noun
“chelghoum” (شلغوم) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning moustache.
Meanings
- moustache
- moustache hair
Usage
Chelghoum is the singular of chlagham and refers to the moustache. In practice, the plural is more often used to talk about a person's moustache. The singular is mainly used for one side of the moustache or a single hair, or appears in descriptive phrases. The word also applies to animals' whiskers, for example a cat's. It is in common, colloquial use. It is heard in teasing about appearance or about reaching adulthood.
Example
حلق شلغومو
7leq chelghoumou
“He shaved off his moustache.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “chelghoum” but also “chlghoum”, “cholghoum” and “shelghoum”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.