jawi جاوي
Moroccan Darija · noun
“jawi” (جاوي) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning benzoin, incense resin.
Meanings
- benzoin, incense resin
Usage
Jawi means benzoin, an aromatic resin that is burned on charcoal to scent the house. It is used at festivals, weddings, on Fridays, or in certain traditional purification practices. It is bought from the attar (the herbalist-druggist), on its own or in a blend. A distinction is often made between "jawi byed" (light) and "jawi k7el" (dark). The word is used with the article: "bekhkher b ljawi" (to perfume with benzoin smoke). It is familiar to most Moroccan families, including in the diaspora.
Example
بخري الدار بالجاوي
bekhkhri ddar b ljawi
“Scent the house with benzoin.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “jawi” but also “jaoui” and “jawy”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.