7nak حنك

Tunisian Derja · noun

“7nak” (حنك) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning jaw, cheek.

Meanings

1. jaw, cheek
2. door jamb, doorframe

Usage

7nak primarily means the jaw or the lower part of the face. It is heard in familiar threats such as "nkasserlek 7nakek" (I'll break your jaw). The word is also used for the jamb of a door, especially in the expression "3la 7nak el beb". Literally, it means "on the threshold". Figuratively, it means being on the point of leaving or of quitting a position. The register is everyday, sometimes colloquial. Note: the English gloss "cheek" is approximate, since the clearest meaning is the jaw.

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “7nak” but also “hnak”, “7nek” and “7anak”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.

Type “7nak” on the Arabic keyboard

In Moroccan Darija

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “cheek”; “jaw”: 7nek in Moroccan.