3a9reb عقرب
Tunisian Derja · noun
“3a9reb” (عقرب) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning scorpion.
Meanings
- scorpion
- sly, venomous person
- Scorpio (zodiac sign)
Usage
3a9reb means the scorpion, an animal well known in Tunisia, especially in the South and in summer. The plural is 3gâreb (or 3a9âreb). Figuratively, the word describes a sly or nasty person who stings when you least expect it. It is often used for a woman considered treacherous. The proverb 3a9reb lé t9arreb ("scorpion, don't come near") warns against someone dangerous. The word also means the astrological sign.
Example
لقيت عقرب تحت الحجرة.
l9it 3a9reb ta7t el-7ajra.
“I found a scorpion under the stone.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3a9reb” but also “aakrab”, “3akreb” and “3a9rab”. 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; 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.
Type “3a9reb” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “scorpion”; “venomous, malicious person”: 3a9rab in Moroccan.