khil9a خلقة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“khil9a” (خلقة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning face, head, look.
Meanings
- face, head, look
- nature, from birth
- creation
Usage
Khil9a first refers to someone's face or appearance. The word is often pejorative or mocking: "chouf khilqtou!", "look at his face!". It also refers to innate nature: "mel khilqa" means "since always, from birth", and "khilqa" alone can mean "by nature, fundamentally". The religious sense of "creation" (khilqet rabbi) belongs to a more elevated register. When addressing someone directly, the word is offensive; best avoided outside familiar contexts.
Example
شوف خلقتو كيفاش ولات كي سمع الخبر
chouf khil9tou kifech welet ki sme3 el5bar
“Look at the face he made when he heard the news.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “khil9a” but also “khel9a”, “5el9a”, “5il9a” and “khilqa”. 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; 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.