The road is an instrument of progress. It offers an escape, as well as an entry. Ahead is the desired future, in the rear-view mirror is the past and its anxieties.
The Arabic word for road, tareeq, is laced with many of its symbolisms. While it can signify streets and motorways, it can also allude to camaraderie, friendship, the trials of life and politics.
The plural of tareeq is turuq or turuqat, depending on context. Turuq al muwasalat are the modes of transport, whether by land, which is al bar, or air, al jaw, or sea, al bahr. Tareeq khas is a private-access road, as opposed to tareeq aam, which is one that is open to the public. Turuq ramliyya are dirt roads.
To wish someone a safe journey or a radiant day, you could say Allah yenawwer tareeqak. The saying is common across the Arab world, especially in the Levant, and translates to "May Allah light your path".
Ikhtibar al turuq is a road test — whether to check the performance of a vehicle or a driving licence examination.
If you want an insight into how something is done, you could ask shul tareeq? Qariaat al tareeq can refer to the sidewalk. However, to say something is fi qariaat al tareeq, can also mean that it is in the middle of the road. If someone cuts you off, you could say qataa al tareeq alei. This can also resonate on a metaphorical level and imply that someone prevented you from accomplishing something. Qutaa turuq, meanwhile, can refer to highway robbers.
Muftaraq al turuq refers to a fork in the road, a crossroads. It also has metaphorical connotations and can mean that it is time to make a decision. Tareeq masdood is a dead end. Afdal al turuq means the best way to do something. Turuq al mufawadat are the paths to negotiations. The expression is often used in the political sphere.
Masheyna hazihi al tareeq maan means a path walked together and implies a friendship of shared experiences. Finally, if you want to encourage someone to keep going and accomplish a given task, you could say inta/into binisf el tareeq, meaning they have already crossed the halfway point to their goal.
Scroll through the gallery below to see more of The National's picks for Arabic word of the week
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Hob is the Arabic word for love, but can be used in many contexts -
The Arabic word helu translates, in English, to sweet -
Nashef is the Arabic word for dry, but has many connotations, depending on the context in which you use it -
The Arabic word hurriyeh translates to freedom in English -
The Arabic word tayeb can mean delicious or good, depending on the context -
The Arabic word mustaqbal is best expressed as future in English -
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 -
Na'eeman is an idiomatic expression used when someone has had a shower or bath, a haircut or had their beard trimmed -
The Arabic word for life touches on eternity, death and accomplishment -
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 -
The Arabic word for read has mystical and scholarly connotations -
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 -
Many traditions revolve around drinking coffee, including weddings, funerals and business meetings -
Fajr is the Arabic word for dawn -
Maghrib is the Arabic word for sunset -
The Arabic language is filled with idioms, quotes and colloquial quips involving the mirror -
Raei is the Arabic word for opinion -
Wa'ed is a multifaceted word for 'promise', as well as a female name -
Qussa is the Arabic word for story -
Sadaaka is the Arabic word for friendship -
Akhbaar is the Arabic word for news -
Rasem is made up of the three Arabic letters Rah, Seen and Meem. While it can simply mean a drawing or a sketch it’s also a malleable word whose definition can change depending on context and dialect – particularly between colloquial and classical Arabic. -
As well as finishing a task, khatem denotes a deeper sense of finality -
Commonly translated to blessed, mubarak is used as a popular greeting on auspicious days -
The Arabic word for lighthouse is also a term that has become closely associated with Islam -
Siyaam, the Arabic word for fasting is also connected to silence -
Tawbah, the Arabic word for repentance, is also connected to Ramadan -
Safar, the Arabic Word for travel can also refer to sunny days, a brighter-blazing fire or exile. The National
