ta3ni9a تعنيقة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“ta3ni9a” (تعنيقة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning hug, embrace.
Meanings
- hug, embrace
- warm embrace
Usage
Ta3ni9a refers to an embrace or a hug. The word comes from the verb 3anne9, "to take in one's arms." It is used with a3ta ("to give") or 3mel ("to do"): na3tik ta3ni9a, "I'll give you a hug." It can mark a reunion, a consolation, or an affectionate gesture between close ones, friends, or lovers. The word is informal and warm, and is common on social media. It has no inappropriate connotation. The plural is ta3ni9at.
Example
كي شافها عطاها تعنيقة قويّة
ki chefha 3taha ta3ni9a 9wiya
“When he saw her, he gave her a big hug.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ta3ni9a” but also “ta3nika”, “t3ni9a”, “ta3niqa” and “ta3nii9a”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 3 is ayn (ع), a voiced sound from deep in the throat with no English equivalent; 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.