dhki ذكي
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“dhki” (ذكي) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning intelligent.
Meanings
- intelligent
- clever, shrewd
Usage
Dhki means "intelligent". The feminine is dhkiyya, and the plural is adhkiya, a more formal form, or dhkiyyin. The word applies to a person, a pupil or a child: weldek dhki barcha, "your son is very intelligent". It can also carry a nuance of "clever" or "resourceful". Said ironically, it is sometimes used to mock someone: ya dhki!, "well done, genius!". It is also used for objects, in imitation of Standard Arabic: telifoun dhki, "smartphone". The synonym fé9a3 is more colloquial.
Example
نحبّك ذكي و نخلّي لك مهلة للتفكير ,
n7ébbik dhki ou n5allilik mohla littefkir ......
“I like you smart, and I'm giving you time to think it over.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “dhki” but also “dki”, “zki” and “dhaki”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.