Explore the Depth of Arabic Idiomatic Expressions
Arabic idioms offer a glimpse into our cultural heritage and rich linguistic nuances. These expressions are not just words; they tell stories and enhance our command of the language. Join us in exploring idioms that can elevate your proficiency in Arabic!
General
Topical
Regional
General
1. رجع بخُفَّيْ حُنين
- Literal Meaning: He returned with Hunayn’s sandals.
- Translation: He came back empty-handed.
- Meaning: Used to describe someone who failed to achieve their goal.
2. يدسُّ السمَّ في العسل
- Literal Meaning: He puts poison in the honey.
- Translation: Sugarcoating harmful intentions.
- Meaning: Refers to someone who hides ill intentions behind sweet words or behavior.
3. اختلط الحابل بالنابل
- Literal Meaning: The shepherd mixed with the archer.
- Translation: Everything got mixed up.
- Meaning: Describes a confusing situation where things become indistinguishable.
4. على رأسي وعيني
- Literal Meaning: On my head and eyes.
- Translation: With pleasure.
- Meaning: A way to express honor or willingness to fulfill a request.
5. بلغ السيل الزُّبى
- Literal Meaning: The flood reached the hilltops.
- Translation: Enough is enough.
- Meaning: Refers to a situation where things have gone beyond tolerable limits.
6. بين المطرقة والسندان
- Literal Meaning: Between the hammer and the anvil.
- Translation: Caught between a rock and a hard place.
- Meaning: Refers to being stuck between two difficult choices.
7. اليد الواحدة لا تُصفِّق
- Literal Meaning: One hand cannot clap.
- Translation: It takes two to tango.
- Meaning: Cooperation is necessary to achieve success.
8. عصفور في اليد خيرٌ من عشرة على الشجرة
- Literal Meaning: A bird in the hand is better than ten on the tree.
- Translation: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
- Meaning: It’s better to have a small but certain gain than to risk it for a larger one.
9. ليس كل ما يلمع ذهبًا
- Literal Meaning: Not everything that glitters is gold.
- Translation: Appearances can be deceiving.
- Meaning: Not everything that looks valuable truly is.
10. حبل الكذب قصير
- Literal Meaning: The rope of lies is short.
- Translation: Lies don’t last long.
- Meaning: Deceit will eventually be uncovered.
11. ضرب عصفورين بحجر واحد
- Literal Meaning: He hit two birds with one stone.
- Translation: Kill two birds with one stone.
- Meaning: Achieve two things with one action.
12. أذُن من طين وأذُن من عجين
- Literal Meaning: One ear made of clay and the other of dough.
- Translation: Turning a deaf ear.
- Meaning: Pretending not to hear or ignoring someone intentionally.
13. كأنّ على رأسه الطير
- Literal Meaning: As if a bird is on his head.
- Translation: Sitting in extreme silence.
- Meaning: Used to describe someone who is very quiet or motionless.
14. الصبر مفتاح الفرج
- Literal Meaning: Patience is the key to relief.
- Translation: Good things come to those who wait.
- Meaning: Encouragement to be patient in difficult times.
15. ربّ ضارّة نافعة
- Literal Meaning: Perhaps a harm brings benefit.
- Translation: Every cloud has a silver lining.
- Meaning: What seems bad may lead to something good.
16. جوع كلبك يتبعك
- Literal Meaning: Starve your dog, and it will follow you.
- Translation: Keep someone dependent to maintain control over them.
- Meaning: Often used negatively to describe manipulative behavior.
17. إن غدًا لناظره قريب
- Literal Meaning: Tomorrow is near for the one who waits.
- Translation: Time will tell.
- Meaning: The future will reveal what is unclear now.
18. كلام الليل يمحوه النهار
- Literal Meaning: The words of the night are erased by the morning.
- Translation: Night promises are fleeting.
- Meaning: Agreements or promises made impulsively may not hold.
19. الوقت كالسيف إن لم تقطعه قطعك
- Literal Meaning: Time is like a sword; if you don’t cut it, it will cut you.
- Translation: Time is precious; use it wisely.
- Meaning: A call to make the best use of time.
20. ألقى عليه قنبلة
- Literal Meaning: He threw a bomb at him.
- Translation: Dropped a bombshell.
- Meaning: Said something shocking or unexpected.
21. لا يلدغ المؤمن من جحر مرتين
- Literal Meaning: A believer is not bitten from the same hole twice.
- Translation: Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.
- Meaning: One should learn from past mistakes and not repeat them.
22. البيت بيتك
- Literal Meaning: The house is your house.
- Translation: Make yourself at home.
- Meaning: A welcoming expression to guests, showing hospitality.
23. لا عطر بعد عروس
- Literal Meaning: No perfume after the bride.
- Translation: Nothing compares to the best.
- Meaning: Once the best has come, nothing else matters.
24. قلبه على كفّه
- Literal Meaning: His heart is on his palm.
- Translation: He wears his heart on his sleeve.
- Meaning: Someone who is open, vulnerable, or extremely worried.
25. عمل من الحبة قبة
- Literal Meaning: He made a dome out of a grain.
- Translation: Making a mountain out of a molehill.
- Meaning: Exaggerating a small issue.
26. من عاشر القوم أربعين يومًا صار منهم
- Literal Meaning: Whoever lives with people for forty days becomes one of them.
- Translation: Birds of a feather flock together.
- Meaning: People adapt to the behavior of those around them.
27. سبق السيف العذل
- Literal Meaning: The sword preceded the blame.
- Translation: What’s done is done.
- Meaning: It’s too late to change the outcome.
28. وجهه أبيض
- Literal Meaning: His face is white.
- Translation: He has an honorable reputation.
- Meaning: Refers to someone who has a good standing or has done something commendable.
29. على قد لحافك مد رجليك
- Literal Meaning: Stretch your legs according to your blanket.
- Translation: Cut your coat according to your cloth.
- Meaning: Live within your means.
30. فتح له الباب على مصراعيه
- Literal Meaning: He opened the door for him at its two hinges.
- Translation: Gave him a wide-open opportunity.
- Meaning: Refers to providing someone with complete access or freedom.
31. لكل جواد كبوة
- Literal Meaning: Every horse has a stumble.
- Translation: Even the best fall sometimes.
- Meaning: Everyone makes mistakes, even the most skilled.
32. اليد العليا خير من اليد السفلى
- Literal Meaning: The upper hand is better than the lower hand.
- Translation: It’s better to give than to receive.
- Meaning: Praises generosity over dependency.
33. يبيع الماء في حارة السقايين
- Literal Meaning: He sells water in the neighborhood of water carriers.
- Translation: Carrying coals to Newcastle.
- Meaning: Doing something unnecessary or redundant.
34. كأنك يا أبو زيد ما غزيت
- Literal Meaning: As if, O Abu Zayd, you never went on a raid.
- Translation: Back to square one.
- Meaning: Describes a situation where no progress has been made despite efforts.
35. غاب القط العب يا فأر
- Literal Meaning: When the cat is away, the mice will play.
- Translation: People take liberties when authority is absent.
- Meaning: Refers to situations where rules are ignored in the absence of enforcement.
36. جاء يطلُب الدجاجة، فطار الديك
- Literal Meaning: He came asking for the hen, but the rooster flew away.
- Translation: He came for something small but lost something bigger.
- Meaning: Someone lost more than they hoped to gain.
37. طاح الحطب
- Literal Meaning: The wood has fallen.
- Translation: The conflict is over.
- Meaning: The dispute or problem has been resolved.
38. يصطاد في الماء العكر
- Literal Meaning: He fishes in troubled waters.
- Translation: Taking advantage of a chaotic situation.
- Meaning: Refers to exploiting turmoil for personal gain.
39. أبصر النور
- Literal Meaning: He saw the light.
- Translation: He was born.
- Meaning: A poetic or formal way to say someone came into the world.
40. رجع إلى المربع الأول
- Literal Meaning: Returned to the first square.
- Translation: Back to square one.
- Meaning: Starting over after failure or a setback.
41. ركب رأسه
- Literal Meaning: He rode his head.
- Translation: He acted stubbornly.
- Meaning: Describes someone being obstinate or refusing advice.
42. يأكل بعرق جبينه
- Literal Meaning: He eats with the sweat of his brow.
- Translation: He earns his bread honestly.
- Meaning: Refers to earning a living through hard work.
43. سمن على عسل
- Literal Meaning: Butter over honey.
- Translation: A perfect combination.
- Meaning: Describes a harmonious relationship or partnership.
Topical
1. Education and Learning
1.1 العلم نور
- Literal Meaning: Knowledge is light.
- Translation: Knowledge enlightens.
- Meaning: Education is a powerful and transformative tool.
1.2 اطلب العلم من المهد إلى اللحد
- Literal Meaning: Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave.
- Translation: Lifelong learning is essential.
- Meaning: Encourages constant pursuit of education throughout life.
1.3 أعطِ القوس باريها
- Literal Meaning: Give the bow to its stringer.
- Translation: Let the expert do their job.
- Meaning: Refers to entrusting tasks to qualified individuals.
1.4 من جدّ وجد ومن زرع حصد
- Literal Meaning: Whoever works hard will find (success), and whoever sows will reap.
- Translation: Hard work pays off.
- Meaning: Success comes from effort and perseverance.
1.5 القلم أقوى من السيف
- Literal Meaning: The pen is mightier than the sword.
- Translation: Ideas and communication have more power than force.
- Meaning: Stresses the power of education and dialogue over violence.
2. Work and Ambition
2.1 الوقت من ذهب
- Literal Meaning: Time is gold.
- Translation: Time is money.
- Meaning: Emphasizes the importance of not wasting time.
2.2 من طلب العلا سهر الليالي
- Literal Meaning: Whoever seeks greatness stays up at night.
- Translation: Hard work is necessary to achieve great things.
- Meaning: Success requires dedication and sacrifice.
2.3 عند الامتحان يُكرَم المرء أو يُهان
- Literal Meaning: During the test, a person is honored or disgraced.
- Translation: True character is revealed under pressure.
- Meaning: A person’s abilities are proven in moments of challenge.
2.4 الحبل على الجرار
- Literal Meaning: The rope is on the spool.
- Translation: There’s more to come.
- Meaning: Refers to continuous work or ongoing issues.
2.5 مثل النحلة تأكل طيبًا وتُنتج طيبًا
- Literal Meaning: Like a bee, it eats well and produces well.
- Translation: Good input leads to good output.
- Meaning: Hard and sincere work leads to beneficial results.
3. Emotions and Relationships
3.1 العين بصيرة واليد قصيرة
- Literal Meaning: The eye sees, but the hand is short.
- Translation: So close yet so far.
- Meaning: Refers to wanting something but being unable to obtain it.
3.2 أحبه كأحب كبدي
- Literal Meaning: I love him like I love my liver.
- Translation: I love him dearly.
- Meaning: Expresses deep affection, as the liver is considered essential in Arabic culture.
3.3 من القلب إلى القلب رسول
- Literal Meaning: From one heart to another, there is a messenger.
- Translation: Hearts communicate instinctively.
- Meaning: People can understand each other deeply without words.
3.4 لا يحمل الحقد من تعلو به الرُّتب
- Literal Meaning: One who rises in ranks doesn’t carry grudges.
- Translation: Noble people don’t hold grudges.
- Meaning: Encourages forgiveness and magnanimity.
3.5 الحبيب يظهر وقت الضيق
- Literal Meaning: A true friend appears during hardship.
- Translation: A friend in need is a friend indeed.
- Meaning: True relationships are tested during difficult times.
3.6 يده ممدودة بالخير
- Literal Meaning: His hand is extended with goodness.
- Translation: He is generous.
- Meaning: Describes a person who is always willing to help.
4. Wisdom and Life Lessons
4.1 العاقل خصيم نفسه
- Literal Meaning: A wise person is their own opponent.
- Translation: A wise person holds themselves accountable.
- Meaning: True wisdom involves self-reflection and self-criticism.
4.2 إذا كان الكلام من فضة فالسكوت من ذهب
- Literal Meaning: If speech is silver, silence is gold.
- Translation: Silence is golden.
- Meaning: Staying silent is often better than speaking unnecessarily.
4.3 درهم وقاية خير من قنطار علاج
- Literal Meaning: An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.
- Translation: Prevention is better than cure.
- Meaning: Taking precautions is better than fixing problems later.
4.4 التكرار يُعلِّم الحمار
- Literal Meaning: Repetition teaches even the donkey.
- Translation: Practice makes perfect.
- Meaning: Constant repetition leads to mastery, even in the most stubborn learners.
4.5 إياك وصاحب السوء، فإنه يحرقك بناره
- Literal Meaning: Avoid a bad companion; he will burn you with his fire.
- Translation: Bad company corrupts good character.
- Meaning: Be cautious about the people you surround yourself with.
5. Humor and Witty Expressions
5.1 رجله خفيفة
- Literal Meaning: His leg is light.
- Translation: He’s quick or fun to be around.
- Meaning: Refers to someone whose presence is pleasant and not burdensome.
5.2 أذن من طين وأذن من عجين
- Literal Meaning: One ear made of clay, the other of dough.
- Translation: Pretending not to hear.
- Meaning: Used to describe someone intentionally ignoring others.
5.3 زي القرع، يمدح نفسه وهو مشوي على النار
- Literal Meaning: Like a gourd, it praises itself while roasting on the fire.
- Translation: Boasting about oneself while struggling.
- Meaning: Describes someone who brags despite being in a dire situation.
5.4 يرقص على السلم
- Literal Meaning: He’s dancing on the stairs.
- Translation: Neither here nor there.
- Meaning: Refers to someone stuck in an in-between or indecisive state.
5.5 بَطَّتْ عينه
- Literal Meaning: His eye got popped.
- Translation: He’s been exposed.
- Meaning: Used humorously when someone is caught in an embarrassing or deceitful act.
6. Specific Cultural References
6.1 القرد في عين أمه غزال
- Literal Meaning: The monkey in his mother’s eye is a gazelle.
- Translation: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
- Meaning: Describes a parent’s unconditional love and admiration for their child.
6.2 شاف الجمل حردبته ونسي حردبة نفسه
- Literal Meaning: He saw the camel’s hump and forgot his own hump.
- Translation: Pot calling the kettle black.
- Meaning: Criticizing others for flaws that you yourself possess.
6.3 مثل السمك يسبح في الماء ويعطش
- Literal Meaning: Like a fish swimming in water but thirsty.
- Translation: Can’t see what’s right in front of them.
- Meaning: Refers to someone oblivious to their own opportunities or surroundings.
6.4 أبوك البصل وأمك الثوم، منين لك الريحة الطيبة؟
- Literal Meaning: Your father is onion, your mother is garlic, where will you get a good smell?
- Translation: You inherit from your roots.
- Meaning: Used to humorously or critically highlight someone’s traits based on their background.
6.5 دق المي وهي مي
- Literal Meaning: Hit the water, and it’s still water.
- Translation: Wasting your time.
- Meaning: Describes a futile effort to change something that cannot be altered.
6.6 البعيد عن العين بعيد عن القلب
-
- Literal Meaning: Far from the eyes, far from the heart.
- Translation: Out of sight, out of mind.
- Meaning: Emotional distance grows with physical distance.
Regional
1. Levantine Arabic Idioms (Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria)
1.1 ابن يومه
- Literal Meaning: A son of his day.
- Translation: Living in the moment.
- Meaning: Refers to someone who lives without worrying about the future or past.
1.2 بوسة فحلقة وخنجر في قلبه
- Literal Meaning: A kiss on his cheek and a dagger in his heart.
- Translation: A wolf in sheep’s clothing.
- Meaning: Someone who appears friendly but is secretly harmful.
1.3 مثل شجرة الزيتون، لا تموت بسهولة
- Literal Meaning: Like an olive tree, it doesn’t die easily.
- Translation: Tough and resilient.
- Meaning: Describes someone who is strong and perseverant.
1.4 بيع سمك بالميّة
- Literal Meaning: Selling fish in the water.
- Translation: Counting your chickens before they hatch.
- Meaning: Making promises or plans about something uncertain.
1.5 مالك ومال الطواحين؟
- Literal Meaning: What do you have to do with the windmills?
- Translation: Mind your own business.
- Meaning: Used to tell someone to stay out of matters that don’t concern them.
2. Gulf Arabic Idioms (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman)
2.1 اللي ما يعرف الصقر يشويه
- Literal Meaning: He who doesn’t know the falcon, grills it.
- Translation: Ignorance leads to misuse.
- Meaning: Refers to people who mishandle valuable things due to ignorance.
2.2 كل شيخ وله طريقة
- Literal Meaning: Every sheikh has his own method.
- Translation: To each his own.
- Meaning: Acknowledges that different people approach things in their own unique way.
2.3 مثل الذيب، ياكل ولا يشبع
- Literal Meaning: Like the wolf, he eats and never gets full.
- Translation: Greedy like a wolf.
- Meaning: Describes someone who is insatiable or overly ambitious.
2.4 بين المطرقة والسندان
- Literal Meaning: Between the hammer and the anvil.
- Translation: Between a rock and a hard place.
- Meaning: Being stuck in a difficult situation with no easy solution.
2.5 يد لوحدها ما تصفق
- Literal Meaning: One hand alone doesn’t clap.
- Translation: It takes two to tango.
- Meaning: Cooperation is necessary for success or conflict.
3. North African Arabic Idioms (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya)
3.1 شاف الربيع ونسى الليالي الباردة
- Literal Meaning: He saw spring and forgot the cold nights.
- Translation: Don’t let good times make you forget the hardships.
- Meaning: Refers to someone who forgets their struggles once they’ve succeeded.
3.2 اليد اللي ما تقدر تقطعها بوسها
- Literal Meaning: The hand you cannot cut, kiss it.
- Translation: If you can’t beat them, join them.
- Meaning: Submit to a stronger force when you can’t overcome it.
3.3 كي بغات تمطر صبت الغيمة
- Literal Meaning: When it wants to rain, the clouds pour.
- Translation: When it’s time, it will happen.
- Meaning: Everything happens at its right time.
3.4 لا يغرك نوار الدفلة في الواد داير ضلايل و لا يعجبك زين الطفلة حتى تشوف الفعايل
- Literal Meaning: Don’t be impressed by the oleander flowers shading the valley, nor by the beauty of a woman until you see her actions.
- Translation: Don’t judge by appearances.
- Meaning: Advises against trusting something that looks good but might be harmful.
3.5 الراجل بلا كلمة كيف الشجرة بلا ثمرة
- Literal Meaning: A man without a word is like a tree without fruit.
- Translation: Integrity defines a person.
- Meaning: Highlights the importance of keeping one’s word.
3.6 كي اتْطيح البڤْرة تُكْثُر سْكاكِنْها
- Literal Meaning: When the cow falls, knives appear around it.
- Translation: When weak, your enemies appear.
- Meaning: Highlights the jungle-like nature of society.