khanfous خنفوس
Tunisian Derja · noun
“khanfous” (خنفوس) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning beetle, black bug.
Meanings
- beetle, black bug
- ugly or dark person (pejorative)
Usage
Khanfous refers to the beetle, or more broadly any crawling black insect. Children also use it for small black creatures. Figuratively, it is a hurtful taunt aimed at someone considered ugly or small. It is often applied to skin color, with a racist connotation, which makes it to be avoided when referring to a person. The feminine is khanfousa. The plural is khnafes.
Example
لقيت خنفوس تحت الطاولة.
l9it khanfous ta7t e-tawla.
“I found a beetle under the table.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “khanfous” but also “5anfous”, “khanfouss” and “5anfouss”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 5 is kha (خ), like the ch in Scottish loch.