dabdoub دبدوب
Tunisian Derja · noun
“dabdoub” (دبدوب) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning teddy bear.
Meanings
- teddy bear
- chubby, endearing person
Usage
Dabdoub refers to the teddy bear given to children or between lovers. The French word "nounours" is also very common in Tunisia. By affectionate extension, a chubby, gentle child or adult is called dabdoub. This nickname is tender and rarely offensive, though it can suggest a lack of firmness. The feminine form is dabdouba, and the usual plural is dbadeb. The word is informal, belonging to the register of affection and childhood.
Example
شريتلها دبدوب كبير في عيد ميلادها.
chritelha dabdoub kbir fi 3id miledha.
“I bought her a big teddy bear for her birthday.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “dabdoub” but also “debdoub”, “dabdoob” and “dabdub”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.