The hand carries more than we give it credit for.
Its symbolism and gestural language are so deeply embedded in universal human culture, that we seldom stop to think how much is dependant on those four fingers and thumb.
The hand is, as Aristotle put it, “the tool of tools”, but its utility extends beyond the apparatuses that propelled civilisation. The hand, in every society, spans a language in itself. In the Arab world, it has a prominent role in the symbolisms of reverence, charity, helplessness and discipline, as well as the lack thereof.
Yadd is Arabic for hand. Ayaadi is the word in its plural form.
A saying that promotes generosity is: al yadd al ulya kheyrun min al yadd al sufla – “the upper hand is better than the lower hand”.
If a person has learnt or was raised under someone, you could say: kharaja/kharajat min taht yadd fulan – he/she emerged from under the hand of somebody.
The hand can also imply powerlessness in the saying: al amru laysa bi yadi – the matter isn’t in my hands.
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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
A person who is long of hand, taweel al yadd, is a person who deceives and steals from others. Someone with a short reach, yaduhu/yaduha qasira, is a person who has the means to meet only their own needs.
An open hand, as it does in English, implies kindness. Saying yaduhu/yaduha maftooha is to say he/she is generous. Conversely, yaduhu/yaduha masika implies miserliness.
If someone gives you something from the back of their hand, they do it almost unwillingly. A’atahu al mal min dhahri yadihi – he gave him money from the back of his hand.
A person can wash their hands of liability – ghasala yadahu min al mas'ouliya or ghasalat yadaha min al mas'ouliya.
To take someone’s hand is to help them, akhaza/akhazat bi yadihi/yadiha.
Tabaadalu al ayaadi is said when something exchanges hands. Hattu ayadeehom ma ba’d wa najahu – is when two people work together to accomplish something. Tashabak al ayaadi is when hands intertwine. Hott yadaka bi yadi is when you offer to work together with someone to accomplish something. Aboos yadaka/yadaki – let me kiss your hand, is a common phrase said to the elderly to express respect.
Sa'aksor yadaka/yadaki is a common idiomatic warning, meaning I’ll break your hand – of course, it’s more words than action. Hatteit yadi ala galbi is a common expression to signify fear, meaning I put my hand on my heart.
And finally, yadd wahida la tusaffeq – meaning a single hand doesn’t clap, an expression that has several counterarguments, one being: lakinnaha taktub – but it writes.
