In flight, birds have long been embodiments of freedom and the divine, the yearning to escape and to explore. The symbolism of their wings is diverse and pervasive, transcending the confines of language. Yet every culture has its own unique way of capturing these very symbols.
Janaah is Arabic for wing. In its plural form, the word becomes ajniha. Janaah al taer are the wings of a bird.
The flutter of wings can be described as rafrafat al ajniha. For a bird spreading its wings preparing to fly, you could say al teir afrada janaahayhi. The term can also be used to describe someone on the verge of a daring undertaking.
On the other hand, to cut someone’s wings — qassa janaahayhi — is to render them helpless. For someone who has long been in that state, you could describe their condition as maqsoos aljanaahein.
Ya reit aandi janaahein lateer — I wish I had wings to fly — is a statement to express a desire for freedom, or to escape a difficult circumstance.
Janaah al insan, literally translated as the wings of human beings, usually refer to the hand, armpit and upper arm. For chicken wings, you could say ajnihat al dajaj.
The word janaah also has political resonance, much like in English. Left-wing is janaah al aysar, whereas right-wing is janaah al ayman. Hotels and hospitals also have wings, known as ajniha.
The janaah al riaasi is the main wing of a building. Janaah kibar al shaksiyat is a wing reserved for VIPs.
The symbolic potency of wings makes them a favourite with poets and musicians in the Arab world. Yemeni singer Abu Baker Salem has a song titled Shilna Ya Bu Janahein (Save us, oh winged one).
Saudi singer Mohammed Abdu also has a song that uses the word, titled Satal Janahah, which loosely translated means pulling his wing, referring to unhealthy relationships and social situations.
Finally, one of Lebanese poet Gibran Khalil Gibran’s most famous works is Al Ajniha Al Mutakasira (Broken Wings).
Scroll through the gallery below to see The National's other picks of 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
