wachma وشمة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“wachma” (وشمة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning traditional tattoo (face, hands).
Meanings
- traditional tattoo (face, hands)
- mark, small spot on the skin
Usage
Wachma refers mainly to the traditional tattoo worn by many women of older generations, especially in the countryside. It is found on the forehead, chin, cheeks or hands, often as small geometric patterns. The word spontaneously evokes grandmothers and heritage. It is also used in poetry and song. For a modern tattoo, young people more readily say tatouage. The common plural is wchem. The corresponding verb, wcham, means "to tattoo".
Example
جدّتي عندها وشمة في جبينها
jedti 3andha wachma fi jbinha
“My grandmother has a tattoo on her forehead.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “wachma” but also “wechma”, “washma” and “wachmaa”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.