t3leb تعلب
Moroccan Darija · noun
“t3leb” (تعلب) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning fox.
Meanings
- fox
- cunning person, sly one
Usage
The initial t of t3leb corresponds to the th of Classical Arabic. The word refers to the animal, the fox. As in English, it is commonly used figuratively for a cunning or crafty person, with a nuance of wariness: rah t3leb, he's a real fox. The plural is t3aleb. The feminine t3elba is rarer and refers to a cunning woman. The adjective mt3elleb also exists, meaning cunning or shrewd. Depending on the tone, the word can be a compliment on someone's skill or a reproach for deceitfulness.
Example
داير بحال شي تعلب
dayer b7al chi t3leb
“He acts like a fox.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “t3leb” but also “te3leb”, “ta3lab”, “t3lb” and “the3leb”. 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.