byadh بياض
Tunisian Derja · noun
“byadh” (بياض) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning whiteness, white.
Meanings
- whiteness, white
- charcoal (euphemism)
- blank (signing, document)
Usage
Byadh first means whiteness, that of a complexion, linen or a wall. By antiphrase, it is also used for charcoal (fa7m), a word considered ill-omened and avoided in speech. This is a cultural trait worth knowing so as not to be surprised. The expression "3la byadh" means "blank": signing a document with nothing written on it, literally or figuratively ("giving carte blanche"). "Byadh el wjah" refers to a fair complexion, often valued in compliments. Neutral register.
Example
عجبني بياض الحيوط بعد ما دهنّاهم.
3jebni byadh el 7yout ba3d ma dhannehom.
“I liked the whiteness of the walls after we painted them.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “byadh” but also “bayadh”, “biadh”, “byedh” and “bayed”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.