chwaya شواية
Moroccan Darija · noun
“chwaya” (شواية) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning grill, barbecue.
Meanings
- grill, barbecue
Usage
Chwaya is the utensil used to grill meat or fish: a grate set over the kanoun (charcoal brazier) or a barbecue. The word comes from the root of chwa ("to grill"). It is used above all for Eid al-Adha grilling, outdoor outings and skewers. Be careful not to confuse it with chwiya ("a little"), whose arabizi spelling is sometimes very close. For the grilled piece of meat itself, chwa is more usual.
Example
جيب شي شواية
jib xi xawaaya
“Bring a grill.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “chwaya” but also “chwwaya” and “xwaya”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.