تفف

Root entry · 14 derived lemmas

This root primarily concerns dirt, grime, and filth, particularly under fingernails and in ears. It extends to concepts of scarcity, insignificance, and something small or contemptible. It also includes derived terms for small creatures and a person who begs for meager amounts.

Derived headwords

التُفّnoun

1.
dirt under fingernailsboth
Dirt or grime found under the fingernails.
2.
dirt between nail and fingertipclassical
Specifically, the dirt that accumulates between the fingernail and the fingertip.

الأفّnoun

1.
earwaxboth
Wax or dirt found in the ear.
2.
expression of disgustclassical
An exclamation of disgust or aversion, similar to 'ugh'.
3.
scarcityclassical
A state of being few or little; scarcity.

التتفيفnoun

1.
accumulation of dirtclassical
The act of accumulating dirt, analogous to the accumulation of earwax (التأفيف).

التأفيفnoun

1.
accumulation of earwaxclassical
The act of accumulating earwax.

أفّverb

1.
to say 'af'classical
To utter the exclamation 'af' (أف), typically expressing disgust or annoyance.

يئفverb

1.
to say 'af'classical
To utter the exclamation 'af' (أف), expressing disgust or annoyance. This is an alternative form to أفّ.

أفّةnoun

1.
expression of annoyanceclassical
An exclamation or expression of annoyance, vexation, or complaint.
2.
scarcityclassical
A small amount or scarcity, derived from the root meaning 'little'.

تفّةnoun

1.
expression of annoyanceclassical
An exclamation or expression of annoyance, vexation, or complaint, often used as an echo or reinforcement of 'af'.
2.
scarcityclassical
A small amount or scarcity, derived from the root meaning 'little'.

تفتّفverb

1.
to become dirty after cleaningclassical
To become dirty or grimy again after having been cleaned.

الأففnoun

1.
scarcityclassical
The state of being few or little; scarcity.

التفّةnoun

1.
small creatureclassical
A small, mouse-like creature.
2.
jerboaclassical
A small desert rodent resembling a jerboa or a puppy, identified as 'anāq al-arḍ'.

الرفةnoun

1.
chaffboth
Fine chaff or bran, the small husks of grain.
2.
strawclassical
General term for straw or chaff.

التفّافةnoun

1.
lowly personclassical
A base, ignoble, or contemptible person.
2.
beggarclassical
One who asks people for meager amounts, like a single sheep or two.

التفّافةnoun

1.
small wormclassical
A small worm that affects the skin.

Parallel reading

وسخ الأظفار

dirt of the fingernails

وسخ بين الظفر والأنملة

dirt between the nail and the fingertip

هو ما يجتمع تحت الظفر من الوسخ

it is the dirt that gathers under the nail

والأف: وسخ الأذن

and al-Aff: earwax

والتتفيف من التف كالتأفيف من الأف

and al-Tattfif is from al-Taff like al-Ta'fif is from al-Aff

قولهم أف وأفة وتف وتفة

their saying 'Af, Aaffa, Taff, and Taffa'

فالأف وسخ الأذن، والتف وسخ الأظفار

so al-Aff is earwax, and al-Taff is dirt under the fingernails

ثم كثر حتى صاروا يستعملونه عند كل ما يتأذون به

then it became common until they used it for everything that annoyed them

وقيل: أف له معناه قلة له

and it is said: 'Af lahu' means 'little for him'

وتف إتباع مأخوذ من الأفف، وهو الشيء القليل

and Taff is an echo word derived from al-Affaf, which means a small thing

تفتف الرجل إذا تقذر بعد تنظيف

a man becomes dirty after cleaning

ويقال: أف يؤف ويئف إذا قال أف

and it is said: 'he says af, he says yaf, if he says af'

ويقال: أفة له وتفة أي تضجر

and it is said: 'Affa lahu' and 'Taffa' mean 'he is vexed'

ويقال: الأف بمعنى القلة من الأفف وهو القليل

and it is said: al-Aff means scarcity, from al-Affaf, which is the little amount

والتفة دويبة تشبه الفأر

and al-Taffa is a small creature resembling a mouse

إنما هي دويبة على شكل جرو الكلب يقال لها عناق الأرض

it is rather a small creature shaped like a puppy called 'anāq al-arḍ'

استغنت التفة عن الرفة

al-Taffa became independent of al-Raffa

والرفة: دقاق التبن

and al-Raffa: fine chaff

والتففة: دودة صغيرة تؤثر في الجلد

and al-Tafaffa: a small worm that affects the skin

التفاف: الوضيع

al-Taffaf: the base person

هو الذي يسأل الناس شاة أو شاتين

he is the one who asks people for a sheep or two