اى

أَيَّانَ ذ : see art. اين. Lth says that it is used in the manner of مَتَى; [signifying When? ]; and that some say its ن is radical; others, that it is augmentative: (T:) IJ says, it must be from أَىٌّ, not from أَيْنَ, for two reasons: first, because أَيْنَ denotes place; and أَيَّانَ, time: and secondly, because nouns of the measure فَعَّال are few; and those of the measure فَعْلَان, many: so that if you name a man أَيَّان, it is imperfectly decl.: and he adds, that أَىٌّ means a part of a whole; so that it applies as properly to times as it does to other things: (TA:) Fr says that it is originally أَىَّ أَوَانٍ [ at what time? ]. (T.) One says, of a stupid, or foolish, person, لَا يَعْرَفُ أَيَّانَ [ He knows not when ]. (IB.)