3ayna عينة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“3ayna” (عينة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning sample (product, goods).
Meanings
- sample (product, goods)
- specimen to be analysed (laboratory)
Usage
3ayna refers to a small quantity or an item shown or tested before ordering. It is used in trade, at the factory, at the market or at the tailor's. It is also used in the laboratory, for a blood sample or an analysis specimen. Typical constructions are jib 3ayna ("bring a sample") and 3ayna mel… ("a sample of…"). The usual plural is 3aynet. In professional settings, the French "échantillon" is often heard instead. Note: this word has nothing to do with 3in, the eye, despite the resemblance.
Example
جيبلي عينة من القماش هذا
jibli 3ayna mel 9mech hedha
“Bring me a sample of this fabric.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3ayna” but also “3eyna”, “aayna” and “3aina”. 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.