dra3 دراع
Moroccan Darija · noun
“dra3” (دراع) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning arm.
Meanings
- arm
- strength, physical effort
Usage
Dra3 is the usual word for "arm". The plural is dr3an or dra3at depending on the region. You say dra3i ("my arm") or dra3 limen ("the right arm"). The expression b dra3 means "by force, by compulsion": khdaha b dra3 ("he took it by force"). The word also evokes physical strength or manpower. For the hand, yedd is used; for the shoulder, ktef. Note: dra3 can be confused with drâ, which refers to a traditional unit of length and comes from the same word.
Example
ضربت دراعي فالباب
drbt dra3i f lbab
“I banged my arm against the door.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “dra3” but also “dra3i”, “dr3” and “draa”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 3 is ayn (ع), a voiced sound from deep in the throat with no English equivalent.