wji3a وجيعة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“wji3a” (وجيعة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning physical pain, ache.
Meanings
- physical pain, ache
- grief, sorrow
Usage
Wji3a is the usual word for physical pain. It is built with 3andi and the preposition fi: 3andi wji3a fi rassi (I have a headache), wji3a fi kerchi (stomach ache). The plural is wjé3. For toothache, one says wji3et dhras (raging toothache). Figuratively, the word also means deep emotional pain, especially in songs and popular poetry: wji3a fi galbi (a pain in the heart). To say "I'm in pain", you can also use the verb yoja3ni, for example rassi yoja3ni.
Example
عندي وجيعة في ضهري من البارح
3andi wji3a fi dhahri mel bera7
“I've had a pain in my back since yesterday.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “wji3a” but also “wjii3a” and “ouji3a”. 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.