5obth خبث
Tunisian Derja · noun
“5obth” (خبث) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning sly wickedness, ill will.
Meanings
- sly wickedness, ill will
- cunning, trickery
Usage
The word 5obth refers to hidden wickedness: that of someone who does harm on the sly, schemes, or acts with ulterior motives. You say fih 5obth (he has ill will in him) or 5obth mte3ou (his trickery). It is a fairly strong moral reproach, graver than mere mischief. "Malice" should therefore be taken in its older sense of wickedness. The corresponding adjective is 5bith (sly, malevolent). The word is common in everyday speech, and also used to comment on political behaviour.
Example
فيه برشا خبث، ما تامنلوش.
fih barcha 5obth, ma tamenlouch.
“He is very sly, don't trust him.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “5obth” but also “khobth”. 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.