9irch قرش
Tunisian Derja · noun
“9irch” (قرش) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning shark.
Meanings
- shark
Usage
The word 9irch refers to the shark, notably in news about the Tunisian coasts when a shark is caught, sighted, or washed up on a beach. Fishermen and coastal residents also use other names for certain species, such as kalb bhar. In everyday conversation, the word is understood by everyone. Figuratively, it can describe a rapacious person in business, but this use remains occasional.
Example
البحريّة شافوا قرش قريب من الشطّ.
el ba7riya chefou 9irch 9rib mel chatt.
“The fishermen saw a shark near the beach.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “9irch” but also “9erch”, “qirch”, “kerch” and “gerch”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.