jiha جهة

Tunisian Derja · noun

“jiha” (جهة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning region, geographic area.

Meanings

1. region, geographic area
2. side, direction
3. party, side

Usage

Jiha first designates a region or part of the country: jihet echamal, the north; jihet sfax, the Sfax region. It is heard a lot in weather forecasts and in administrative language. The adjective jihawi ("regional") is derived from it. In everyday language, the word also means "side" or "direction": mel jiha hedhi, "from this side". To indicate a specific side, a Tunisian will often say jnab or ni7ya instead. In the plural, jihet, the word often refers to the interior regions, as opposed to the capital.

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “jiha” but also “jihet”, “jeha”, “jhe” and “jihe”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Its Arabic spelling is not fixed either: you will find جهة and جيهة, all the same word.

Type “jiha” on the Arabic keyboard

In Moroccan Darija

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “side, direction”; “region (administrative)”: jiha in Moroccan.

In Algerian Darja

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “side, direction”; “region, area”: jiha in Algerian.