chfa شفة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“chfa” (شفة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning lip.
Meanings
- lip
- kiss (in "a3ti chfa")
- enjoy your meal, to your health (bechfa)
Usage
Chfa means "lip". The plural is chfayef or chfeyef. In the colloquial expression "ya3ti chfa", literally "to give a lip", the word takes on the meaning of a kiss, often in a playful or slightly risqué tone. It is also used in descriptive phrases: "chfa mchaggga" for chapped lips, "3adh 3la chfaytou" for someone biting their lip in regret or anger. It should be distinguished from bousa, the neutral word for a kiss. The colloquial nuance of the expression is worth noting.
Example
البرد شقّقلي شفتي.
el bard cha99a9li chfayti.
“The cold chapped my lip.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “chfa” but also “chfe”, “chafa”, “shfa” and “chfaa”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Its Arabic spelling is not fixed either: you will find شفة and شفا, all the same word.