'Insaan': the Arabic word for human being has tearful connotations

This week's term lends itself to emotive poetry

This week's word of the week is insaan, which translates to human being.

In his rousing poem The Epic of Sadness, Nizar Qabbani writes that tears make up a person, and that a person without sadness is only a shadow of a person.

"Inna al dam'a huwa al insaan, anna al insaana biduni huznin zikra insaan", Qabbani writes.

For this week’s Arabic word, we put insaan under scrutiny.

Insaan is Arabic for person or human being. In female form, the word becomes insaana. In plural, unas.

A good or respectable human being is insaan khalooq or muhtaram. Insaan ghayr muhadhab is an impolite person. A person with a heavy presence or ‘shadow’ can be described as insaan thaqil al zil. In contrast, a light-hearted person can be called insaan khafif al zil. Insaan sat'hi is a superficial person.

Ilm al insaan is the study of humanity or anthropology. Huqooq al insaan is human rights. Amal ghair insaani is an inhumane action.

In Abrahamic religions, al insaan al awwal, or the first person, is believed to be Adam. The Quran even has a surah titled Al Insaan, the 76th chapter.

The pupil of an eye is a known as insaan alain in Arabic. iStockphoto.com

In anthropology, the eye’s pupil or al hadaqa is also known as insaan al ain. The organs of the human body are aadaa jism al insaan.

There are a number of memorable sayings in Arabic that incorporate insaan.

Qeemat al insaan laysa bima yamlikahu bal bima yamnahahu, fash'shamsu tamluku al nar lakinnaha toudii'u al kawna bin' noor, which translates to: The value of a human being is not with what he owns but in what he grants, for the sun owns fire but lights the universe with its rays.

Filhayati satudriku anna hunaka dowron likulli insaanin tuqabiluhu. Al baad sayakhtabiruka, wal baad sayuhibbuka wal baad sayuallimuka, which means: In life, you will realize that every person you meet will have a role. Some will test you, some will love you and others will teach you.

Finally, there is yusbihu Finally, there is yusbihu al insaan ajuzan indima tahullu al aazar mahal al aamal, a person only grows old when excuses take the place of hope.

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The Arabic word hurriyeh translates to freedom in English

The Arabic word tayeb can mean delicious or good, depending on the context

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Waqaa, the Arabic word for fall, can signify a loss of power, stature, health or grace

Hudood means borders in English

The Arabic word rooh translates to spirit or soul in English

The Arabic word ain means eye in English

Waraq, the Arabic word of the week means paper in English

Bahr, the Arabic for sea, has a poetic lilt

Kareem means generous in English

Bab means door in English

Eid means holiday or festival

Najm means star for the night sky and cosmos, but also has plenty of other meanings, including ambition or fame

Alwan, the Arabic word for colours, has many shades of meaning

Akel can refer to home-cooked meals, embezzlement, fire and rust

Jamal is the Arabic word for beauty, be it literal or figurative

Herfe translates to profession or craft

Tabiaa translates to nature and can frame landscapes and portraits

Sehha is the Arabic word for health

Ijaza is Arabic for holiday and shines in summer but is not stress-free

Aamal is the Arabic word for work

Al dahr translates to time

Qalb is a word for heart, with poetic roots

Lugha in Arabic translates to language in English

Insaan means human being

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Qamar is the Arabic for moon

The Arabic word for strength or power is quwwa

Burj is Arabic for tower

The Arabic word for sun is shams

Sabr in English can translate to patience

Hayba is the Arabic word for prestige

The Arabic term al shay'e translates as 'the thing' in English

The Arabic word for road is tareeq

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Istikan is the Arabic word for a type of tea cup

The Arabic word hanan means affection in English

The Arabic word atlal means ruins in English

Kura is the Arabic word for ball, in all its forms

Janaah in Arabic means wing in English

The Arabic word sana translates to year in English

Qasida is the Arabic for poem, not poetry

Ameer, the Arabic word for prince, which influenced another English title

Nakhla translates to palm tree in English

Al samt is the Arabic for silence

Kalimaat translates to words in English

Markaz is Arabic for centre

Beshara is the Arabic word for good news

Bayt is the Arabic for house or home

Fann is the Arabic word for art, and can be either a verb or an adjective

Isim, which means name, is made up of three letters, alif, seen and meem

Dunya is the Arabic word for world

Nazaafah translates to cleanliness in English

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Maghrib is the Arabic word for sunset

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Wa'ed is a multifaceted word for 'promise', as well as a female name

Qussa is the Arabic word for story

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