tbezniss تبزنيس
Tunisian Derja · noun
“tbezniss” (تبزنيس) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning scams, schemes, shady deals.
Meanings
- scams, schemes, shady deals
- informal petty trade
Usage
A verbal noun formed on bezness, itself taken from English business. Unlike the English word, tbezniss is almost always pejorative: it refers to petty trafficking, illegal getting-by and dubious arrangements to make money. It is often found in lists with other disapproved practices, such as smuggling or the black market. Informal, critical register. It should not be understood as neutral "doing business": for real commerce, say tijara or khedma instead.
Example
ما عندو حتى خدمة، عايش بالتبزنيس
ma 3andou 7atta khedma, 3ayech bel tbezniss
“He has no job at all, he lives off hustling.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “tbezniss” but also “tbeznis”, “tbizniss” and “tbznis”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.