mka7el مكحل
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“mka7el” (مكحل) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning lined with kohl (eyes).
Meanings
- lined with kohl (eyes)
- with naturally dark-rimmed eyes
Usage
Mka7el is the participle of the verb ka77el, "to apply kohl". It is said especially of eyes, in the plural mka7lin, or of a person made up with kohl. It appears in descriptions of female beauty and in traditional songs. The word also describes eyes with a naturally dark outline. Do not confuse it with the noun mka7la, which refers to the traditional rifle, or with mak7la, the small kohl flask.
Example
عينيها مكحّلين
3inha mka7lin
“Her eyes are lined with kohl.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “mka7el” but also “mkahel”, “mka77el” and “mka7la”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.