jenb جنب
Moroccan Darija · noun
“jenb” (جنب) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning side, flank (of the body).
Meanings
- side, flank (of the body)
- next to, beside
- out of nowhere
Usage
Jenb refers to the flank or side of the body. Jenbi lisser means "my left side". It also works as a preposition: jenb l-bḥer means "by the sea, near the sea". In this use, ḥda and 7da jenb are also common. The expression n3es 3la jenb raḥa, literally "sleep on the side of rest", means "sleep soundly, don't worry". Men jenb, "from the side", is used for a problem or a person that appears out of nowhere.
Example
كيضرني جنبي ليسر
kaydrrni jenbi lisser
“My left side hurts.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “jenb” but also “janb” and “jnab”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “jenb” on the Arabic keyboard
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “side, flank”; “aside, to one side (3la janb)”: janb in Tunisian.