zarbia زربية
Tunisian Derja · noun
“zarbia” (زربية) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning carpet (knotted, pile).
Meanings
- carpet (knotted, pile)
- rug, floor mat
Usage
Zarbiya first means the knotted-pile carpet, notably the traditional Kairouan carpet, very common in homes and souks. By extension, the word refers to any rug laid on the floor. The plural is "zrabi". A flat-woven rug is usually called "mergoum"; for a prayer rug, say "sajjada". Useful expression: "zarbiya mta3 bhar" (beach mat). For small modern rugs, the French word "tapis" is also heard.
Example
شرينا زربية قيروانية للصالة.
chrina zarbiya qayrawaniya lel sala.
“We bought a Kairouan carpet for the living room.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “zarbia” but also “zarbiya”, “zerbia”, “zarbeya” and “zarbiyya”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “zarbia” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “carpet, rug”: zerbiya in Moroccan.