khliya خلية
Moroccan Darija · noun
“khliya” (خلية) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning cell (biology, organised group).
Meanings
- cell (biology, organised group)
- beehive, honeycomb cell
Usage
Khliya refers to the cell in the biological sense. It is also used for an organised group, notably a dismantled terrorist cell, often in the media. In beekeeping vocabulary, khliya (dyal nhel) refers to the hive or its honeycomb cells. The register is rather formal or journalistic for biology or security, and more everyday when talking about bees. The most frequent plural is khalaya. Not to be confused with khlli, the imperative of khlla, "leave".
Example
شريت العسل من عند واحد عندو بزاف ديال الخلايا
chrit l3sel men 3nd wa7ed 3ndo bzaf dyal lkhalaya
“I bought honey from someone who has lots of hives.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “khliya” but also “khalia”, “5alia”, “khaliya”, “5liya” and “5alyya”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 5 is kha (خ), like the ch in Scottish loch.
Type “khliya” on the Arabic keyboard
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “cell (organized group)”; “cell (biology)”: 5liya in Tunisian.