{"id":778796,"date":"2026-07-12T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T03:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/?p=778796"},"modified":"2026-07-10T10:29:40","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T10:29:40","slug":"random-lebanese-words-and-where-they-came-from","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/778796\/random-lebanese-words-and-where-they-came-from\/","title":{"rendered":"Random Lebanese Words and Where They Came From"},"content":{"rendered":"    <button class=\"sideconvo-button button-compact\">         <svg         xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"         width=\"64\"         height=\"64\"         viewBox=\"0 0 64 64\"         fill=\"none\">         <g clip-path=\"url(#clip0_5407_120)\">             <mask                 id=\"mask0_5407_120\"                 style=\"mask-type:luminance\"                 maskUnits=\"userSpaceOnUse\"                 x=\"0\"                 y=\"0\"                 width=\"64\"                 height=\"64\">                 <path d=\"M64 0H0V64H64V0Z\" fill=\"white\"><\/path>             <\/mask>             <g mask=\"url(#mask0_5407_120)\">                 <path                     d=\"M38.4702 26.64L38.5252 26.775C40.3652 31.435 44.0902 35.165 48.7502 37L48.8852 37.055L48.7502 37.11C44.0902 38.95 40.3602 42.675 38.5252 47.335L38.4702 47.47L38.4152 47.335C36.5752 42.675 32.8502 38.945 28.1902 37.11L28.0552 37.055L28.1902 37C32.8502 35.16 36.5802 31.435 38.4152 26.775L38.4702 26.64ZM38.4702 14.815C38.0702 14.815 37.6702 15.035 37.5002 15.475L33.7702 24.935C32.4352 28.325 29.7502 31.01 26.3602 32.345L16.9002 36.075C16.0202 36.425 16.0202 37.67 16.9002 38.02L26.3602 41.75C29.7502 43.085 32.4352 45.77 33.7702 49.16L37.5002 58.62C37.6752 59.06 38.0752 59.28 38.4702 59.28C38.8652 59.28 39.2702 59.06 39.4402 58.62L43.1702 49.16C44.5052 45.77 47.1902 43.085 50.5802 41.75L60.0402 38.02C60.9202 37.67 60.9202 36.425 60.0402 36.075L50.5802 32.345C47.1902 31.01 44.5052 28.325 43.1702 24.935L39.4402 15.475C39.2652 15.035 38.8652 14.815 38.4702 14.815ZM14.4702 29.125L11.9802 24.57C11.9452 24.505 11.8902 24.45 11.8202 24.41L7.26516 21.92C6.62516 21.57 6.62516 20.655 7.26516 20.305L11.8202 17.815C11.8852 17.78 11.9402 17.725 11.9752 17.66L14.4652 13.105C14.8152 12.465 15.7302 12.465 16.0802 13.105L18.5702 17.66C18.6052 17.725 18.6602 17.78 18.7302 17.82L23.2852 20.31C23.9252 20.66 23.9252 21.575 23.2852 21.925L18.7302 24.415C18.6652 24.45 18.6102 24.505 18.5752 24.57L16.0852 29.125C15.7352 29.765 14.8202 29.765 14.4702 29.125Z\"                     fill=\"#fff\"><\/path>                 <path                     d=\"M38.4702 26.64L38.5252 26.775C40.3652 31.435 44.0902 35.165 48.7502 37L48.8852 37.055L48.7502 37.11C44.0902 38.95 40.3602 42.675 38.5252 47.335L38.4702 47.47L38.4152 47.335C36.5752 42.675 32.8502 38.945 28.1902 37.11L28.0552 37.055L28.1902 37C32.8502 35.16 36.5802 31.435 38.4152 26.775L38.4702 26.64Z\"                     fill=\"#fff\"><\/path>                 <path                     d=\"M32 10.7351C33.6569 10.7351 35 9.39196 35 7.73511C35 6.07825 33.6569 4.73511 32 4.73511C30.3431 4.73511 29 6.07825 29 7.73511C29 9.39196 30.3431 10.7351 32 10.7351Z\"                     fill=\"#fff\"><\/path>             <\/g>         <\/g>         <defs>             <clipPath id=\"clip0_5407_120\">                 <rect width=\"64\" height=\"64\" fill=\"white\"><\/rect>             <\/clipPath>         <\/defs>     <\/svg>        <span class=\"sideconvo_button\"  data-sideconvo-message=\"I&#039;m looking for museums \ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f\" data-sideconvo-mode=\"CHAT\" data-sideconvo-customCTATitle=\"Discover Lebanon&#039;s museums \ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f\" data-sideconvo-customCTAPlacement=\"TITLE_TAG\">             Discover Lebanon&#039;s museums \ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f        <\/span>         <div class=\"hoverEffect\">             <div><\/div>         <\/div>     <\/button>     <style>      <\/style>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are so many words we use derived from Arabic, English, or French, but oftentimes, we struggle to figure out where some words actually came from. Here are a few random Lebanese words that we use every day and where they came from.<\/p>    <div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>    <h3 id=\"h-1-t3awa2\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. T3awa2<\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Often used to refer to someone delayed when doing something, it&#8217;s derived from the Syriac word et&#8217;aouaq. Originally meaning &#8220;to pass, go beyond, or be overdue,&#8221; the word&#8217;s meaning gradually narrowed over time to specifically refer to being late or delayed.<\/p>    <div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>    <h3 id=\"h-2-wawa\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Wawa<\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wawa (\u0648\u0627\u0648\u0627) is the word many parents use with young children to describe a cut, bruise, or anything that hurts. It comes from the Syriac (Aramaic) word wawo (\u0718\u0730\u0718\u0733\u0710), which means &#8220;pain&#8221; or &#8220;ouch.&#8221; Despite centuries of linguistic change, the word has remained part of the Levantine dialect as a gentle, comforting way to talk about pain.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because the &#8220;w&#8221; sound is a bilabial sound (produced using both lips) and is among the easier sounds for young children to pronounce, the word became associated with baby talk over time because it mimicked the sound a baby made when it cried.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was also popularized by the Lebanese icon Haifa Wehbe:<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>    <figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Haifa Wehbe &quot;Boos El Wawa&quot; (Kiss the Owie) translation \u0627\u0644\u0648\u0627\u0648\u0627\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bD0lPIN_rF8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe> <\/div><\/figure>    <div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>    <h3 id=\"h-3-eno\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Eno<\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Lebanese filler word that no one knows how to properly define. Unlike the American &#8220;uhs&#8221; and &#8220;ums,&#8221; eno actually comes from real words. It comes from the formal Arabic word &#8220;anna-hu&#8221; (\u0623\u0646\u0651\u0647), which is made up of &#8220;anna&#8221; (\u0623\u0646\u0651) meaning &#8220;that&#8221; and &#8220;-hu&#8221; (\u0640\u0647\u064f) meaning &#8220;it&#8221; or &#8220;him.&#8221;<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over time, Levantine speakers simplified the pronunciation, turning anna-hu into the smoother, everyday eno used in Lebanese conversations. <\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.tenor.com\/cK-K3u_9p20AAAAM\/krackpink.gif\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>    <div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>    <h3 id=\"h-4-anything-ending-with-ji\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Anything ending with -ji <\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The -ji suffix that we use to refer to professions, such as dekkanji, khodarji, or kahrabji, was inherited from Ottoman Turkish.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Turkish, the suffix -ci (or -c\u0131, -cu, -c\u00fc) is attached to a noun to mean &#8220;a person who works with or is defined by&#8221; that noun. During the centuries of Ottoman rule in the Levant, Lebanese speakers fully integrated this rule into their dialect.<\/p>    <div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>    <h3 id=\"h-5-zamat\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Zamat<\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A funny Lebanese expression for getting away from a difficult situation or escaping at the last minute (like &#8220;zamatna men l-za7me&#8221;).<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zamat comes from an old Syriac expression, &#8220;zama\u1e6d br\u012bsh\u016b,&#8221; meaning &#8220;he escaped by his feathers.&#8221; Similar to the English phrase &#8220;by the skin of his teeth,&#8221; the original expression faded over time. However, zamat remained in Lebanese Arabic as a verb meaning to slip away or escape.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.tenor.com\/M5HsreO68iYAAAAM\/ruffled-feathers-down.gif\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>    <div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>    <h3 id=\"h-6-shu\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Shu?<\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Lebanese word everyone uses, but where does it come from exactly?<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Shu&#8221; is believed to have evolved from the Classical Arabic phrase &#8220;ayyu shay\u2019in huwa&#8221; (\u0623\u064a\u0651 \u0634\u064a\u0621\u064d \u0647\u0648), meaning &#8220;which thing is it?&#8221; Over centuries of everyday speech, the phrase became shorter and easier to pronounce. It eventually transformed into the simple shu we use today.<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.pinimg.com\/originals\/db\/4d\/82\/db4d8246de82f1b2575d2c2b3241953b.gif\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:323px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>    <div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>    <h3 id=\"h-7-lesh\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Lesh?<\/h3>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just like &#8220;shu&#8221;, the word &#8220;lesh&#8221; also evolved from a Classical Arabic phrase: Li-ayyi shay\u2019in (\u0644\u0623\u064a\u0651 \u0634\u064a\u0621\u064d). In Classical Arabic, if you wanted to ask why something happened, you would literally ask, &#8220;For what thing?&#8221;<\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over time, the li- (for) and ayyi shay\u2019in (what thing) melted together. The &#8220;shay2&#8221; compressed into a sharp &#8220;sh&#8221; sound at the end, turning a three-word formal inquiry into the snappy Lebanese word lesh.<\/p>    <div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>    <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Did we miss any Lebanese words with interesting etymology? Let us know!<\/p>    <div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>    <div class=\"wp-block-thisis-thisis-more-like-this-block\">             <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/778517\/more-than-a-coffee-cup-the-history-of-the-lebanese-fenjen\/\" class=\"thisis-more-like-this-block__link\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"More Than a Coffee Cup: The History of the Lebanese Finjen\">                 <div class=\"thisis-more-like-this-block\">             <div class=\"thisis-more-like-this-block__header\"                 style=\"background-color: #36C6F4;\">                 <h3>                     MORE LIKE THIS                <\/h3>             <\/div>             <div class=\"thisis-more-like-this-block__content\"                 style=\"background-color: #36C6F41a;\">                                     <div class=\"thisis-more-like-this-block__image\">                         <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/images-1-250x207.jpeg\" alt=\"More Than a Coffee Cup: The History of the Lebanese Finjen\" \/>                     <\/div>                                                     <div class=\"thisis-more-like-this-block__text\">                                                     <h2>More Than a Coffee Cup: The History of the Lebanese Finjen<\/h2>                                                                             <p>The history of the Lebanese fenjen goes back much further than most people realize.<\/p>                                             <\/div>                             <\/div>         <\/div>                 <\/a>     <\/div>   <div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>         <div style=\"width: 100%;\" class=\"mobile products-container-two-product swiper products-embed-container\">   <div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">        <a class=\"swiper-slide\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/product\/made-in-beirut-tee\/\" aria-label=\"&quot;Made in Beirut&quot; Tee\" style=\"min-width: 66% !important;height:auto !important;\">      <div style=\"min-width: 90% !important;\" class=\"single-product-two-product\">       <div class=\"product-image-two-product lazy-load\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Image_20240606_151551_715-328x600.jpeg\">       <\/div>       <div class=\"product-content-two-product\">        <h2 style=\"height: 45px;\">&quot;Made in Beirut&quot; Tee<\/h2>        <p>High quality t-shirt that is available in either round neck loose fit made of 100% cotton with short sleeves, or fitted cropped with a round neck and short sleeves (95% cotton,5% elastane). <\/p>        <div class=\"price-container-two-product\">         Starting At <span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\" translate=\"no\">&#36;<\/span>25<\/bdi><\/span>       <\/div>       <\/div>      <\/div>     <\/a>         <a class=\"swiper-slide\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/product\/%d8%ad%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%a8%d9%8a-groove-tee\/\" aria-label=\"\u062d\u0628\u064a\u0628\u064a Groove Tee\" style=\"min-width: 66% !important;height:auto !important;\">      <div style=\"min-width: 90% !important;\" class=\"single-product-two-product\">       <div class=\"product-image-two-product lazy-load\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/PHOTO-2024-05-17-15-22-13-2-600x400.jpg\">       <\/div>       <div class=\"product-content-two-product\">        <h2 style=\"height: 45px;\">\u062d\u0628\u064a\u0628\u064a Groove Tee<\/h2>        <p>High quality t-shirt that is available in either round neck loose fit made of 100% cotton with short sleeves, or fitted cropped with a round neck and short sleeves (95% cotton,5% elastane). <\/p>        <div class=\"price-container-two-product\">         Starting At <span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\" translate=\"no\">&#36;<\/span>25<\/bdi><\/span>       <\/div>       <\/div>      <\/div>     <\/a>       <\/div>   <div class=\"swiper-pagination\"><\/div>   <div class=\"swiper-button-prev\"><\/div>   <div class=\"swiper-button-next\"><\/div>  <\/div>   <div style=\"width: 100%;\" class=\"desktop products-container-two-product products-embed-container\">      <a style=\"min-width: calc(25% - 1.5rem); width:calc(25% - 1.5rem);\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/product\/made-in-beirut-tee\/\" aria-label=\"&quot;Made in Beirut&quot; Tee\">     <div style=\"min-width: 100% !important;\" class=\"single-product-two-product\">      <div class=\"product-image-two-product lazy-load\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Image_20240606_151551_715-328x600.jpeg\">      <\/div>      <div class=\"product-content-two-product\">       <h2>&quot;Made in Beirut&quot; Tee<\/h2>       <p>High quality t-shirt that is available in either round neck loose fit made of 100% cotton with short sleeves, or fitted cropped with a round neck and short sleeves (95% cotton,5% elastane). <\/p>       <div class=\"price-container-two-product\">        Starting At <span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\" translate=\"no\">&#36;<\/span>25<\/bdi><\/span>      <\/div>      <\/div>     <\/div>    <\/a>       <a style=\"min-width: calc(25% - 1.5rem); width:calc(25% - 1.5rem);\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/product\/%d8%ad%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%a8%d9%8a-groove-tee\/\" aria-label=\"\u062d\u0628\u064a\u0628\u064a Groove Tee\">     <div style=\"min-width: 100% !important;\" class=\"single-product-two-product\">      <div class=\"product-image-two-product lazy-load\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/PHOTO-2024-05-17-15-22-13-2-600x400.jpg\">      <\/div>      <div class=\"product-content-two-product\">       <h2>\u062d\u0628\u064a\u0628\u064a Groove Tee<\/h2>       <p>High quality t-shirt that is available in either round neck loose fit made of 100% cotton with short sleeves, or fitted cropped with a round neck and short sleeves (95% cotton,5% elastane). <\/p>       <div class=\"price-container-two-product\">        Starting At <span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\" translate=\"no\">&#36;<\/span>25<\/bdi><\/span>      <\/div>      <\/div>     <\/div>    <\/a>       <\/div>   ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are so many words we use derived from Arabic, English, or French, but oftentimes, we struggle to figure out where some words actually came from. Here are a few random Lebanese words that we use every day and where they came from. 1. T3awa2 Often used to refer to someone delayed when doing something, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":706253,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ai_generated_summary":"","_preview_accessed":0,"footnotes":""},"tags":[2212,2265],"media-embed-type":[],"class_list":["post-778796","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-didyouknow","tag-lebanonisms"],"authorship":[74],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.9 (Yoast SEO v27.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Random Lebanese Words and Where They Came From &#187; Beirut.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/778796\/random-lebanese-words-and-where-they-came-from\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Random Lebanese Words and Where They Came From\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"There are so many words we use derived from Arabic, English, or French, but oftentimes, we struggle to figure out where some words actually came from. Here are a few random Lebanese words that we use every day and where they came from. 1. 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