The Arabic word karaz refers to cherries, a fruit recognised as much for its vivid colour as its brief season.
For this reason, the word does not have an expansive reach in everyday conversation, unlike Arabic words such as teen (fig), associated with blessing and sustenance through religious texts, and rumman (pomegranate), which in Arabic poetry often serves as a metaphor for abundance and richness.
Karaz is often used in descriptions of colour. Like the English term “cherry red”, ahmar karazi is widely adopted to describe clothing, furniture and everyday objects.
Karaz also appears in simple visual comparisons. A nose reddened by cold weather may be likened to a karaz. Flowers or decorative details may also be described as ahmar karazi.
That attention to detail is partly responsible for one of George Wassouf's biggest hits. In the 1985 ballad, Helef el Amar, the Syrian singer addresses his beloved with the line: “Halli el-karaz foq shfafak ya qamar,” which loosely translates to “the beauty of cherries is upon your lips, oh moon”.
In North Africa, karaz are also known by the alternative Arabic name, hobb al muluk, meaning “the fruit of kings”. This reflects how the fruit was historically regarded as a prized or luxury item.
Karaz has also appeared in the titles of prominent regional films. The 1997 Iranian film, Taste of Cherry, is known in the Arab world as Ta'm al-Karaz, while the popular Turkish drama Kiraz Mevsimi aired across the region under the Arabic name Mosem al-Karaz.
Distinct and elegant, karaz is an example of an Arabic word that still functions as it was intended.
