← Back to Lisan al-Arab

رقق

Root entry · 8 derived lemmas

The root رقق (raqq) primarily relates to thinness, delicacy, and gentleness. It extends to concepts of softening, making something fine or subtle, and also to tenderness of heart and a light, swift pace, particularly in horses.

Derived headwords

تَرَقَّقَverb
  1. 1.
    to softenboth

    To make one's speech or manner gentle, polite, or subtle, often with an ulterior motive.

  2. 2.
    to show tendernessboth

    To feel or show compassion or pity towards someone.

  3. 3.
    to be enticingclassical

    To make something appear attractive or desirable through subtle persuasion or embellishment.

ترقق كلامك وتلطفه لتوجب الصبوح — Soften your speech and be polite to earn the morning meal.
رِقَّةnoun
  1. 1.
    gentlenessboth

    The quality of being gentle, delicate, or tender, often referring to speech, manner, or disposition.

  2. 2.
    thinnessboth

    The state of being thin or fine, referring to physical objects or substances.

  3. 3.
    tenderness of heartboth

    Compassion, pity, or emotional sensitivity.

رَقِيقadjective
  1. 1.
    thinboth

    Having little thickness; fine or delicate in texture.

  2. 2.
    gentleboth

    Mild, tender, or compassionate in nature or behavior.

  3. 3.
    subtleboth

    Delicate, fine, or nuanced, often referring to speech or meaning.

  4. 4.
    fragileboth

    Easily broken or damaged; delicate.

رِقَاقnoun
  1. 1.
    thin breadclassical

    A type of thin, flat bread.

  2. 2.
    easy paceclassical

    A smooth, easy gait or pace, especially for a horse.

معجا رقاقاً — yielding a smooth, easy pace.
رَقِيقَةnoun
  1. 1.
    delicate thingclassical

    Something delicate, fine, or subtle.

  2. 2.
    tendernessclassical

    A feeling of tenderness or compassion.

مُرَقَّقadjective
  1. 1.
    softenedclassical

    Made thin, fine, or delicate.

مُرِقّadjective
  1. 1.
    light-footedclassical

    Describing a horse with light, swift hooves.

فرس مرق — a light-footed horse
رَقِيقَيْنnoun
  1. 1.
    sides of the flankclassical

    The two sides of a horse's flank.

أصاب رقيقيه بمهو — he struck its flanks with a blow

Parallel reading

وفي المثل: عن صبوح ترقق؛ يقول: ترقق كلامك وتلطفه لتوجب الصبوح
And in the proverb: 'Is it for the morning meal that you soften your words?'; meaning: Soften your speech and be polite to earn the morning meal.
فرقق الضيف كلامه ليصبحه
So the guest softened his speech to greet him in the morning.
اتهمه بما هو أفحش من القبلة
He accused him of something more indecent than a kiss.
وهذا مثل للعرب يقال لمن يظهر شيئا وهو يريد غيره
This is a proverb used by Arabs for one who displays something while intending something else.
كأنه أراد أن يقول جامع أم امرأته فقال قبل
As if he meant to say 'he had intercourse with his mother' and said 'he kissed'.
وأصله أن رجلا نزل بقوم فبات عندهم فجعل يرقق كلامه ويقول: إذا أصبحت غدا فاصطبحت فعلت كذا، يريد إيجاب الصبوح عليهم
Its origin is that a man lodged with a people and stayed with them, and he began to soften his speech, saying: 'When morning comes, I will have breakfast and do such-and-such,' intending to obligate them to provide breakfast.
فقال بعضهم: أعن صبوح ترقق أي تعرض بالصبوح
So some of them said: 'Is it for the morning meal that you soften your words?' meaning, 'Are you hinting at breakfast?'
وحقيقته أن الغرض الذي يقصده كأن عليه ما يستره فيريد أن يجعله رقيقا شفافا ينم على ما وراءه
Its reality is that the purpose he intends is as if it has something covering it, so he wants to make it thin and transparent, revealing what is behind it.
وكأن الشعبي اتهم السائل وتوهم أنه أراد بالقبلة ما يتبعها فغلظ عليه الأمر
And it is as if Al-Sha'bi suspected the questioner and imagined that by 'kiss' he meant what follows it, so he made the matter grave.
وتجيء فتنة فيرقق بعضها بعضا أي يشوق بتحسينها وتسويلها
And a tribulation comes, and some of it makes the other enticing, meaning it tempts with its beautification and embellishment.
وترققت له إذا رق له قلبك
And you show tenderness towards him when your heart softens for him.
والرقاق: السير السهل
And Al-Riqāq: the easy pace.
باق على الأين يعطي، إن رفقت به، ... معجا رقاقا، وإن تخرق به يخد
Remaining despite fatigue, it yields, if you are gentle with it, ... a smooth, easy pace, and if you are harsh with it, it chafes.
فرس مرق إذا كان حافره خفيفا وبه رقق
A horse is Marq if its hoof is light and has thinness (in its structure).
وحضنا الرجل: رقيقاه
And the two flanks of a man (or horse): its two sides.
أصاب رقيقيه بمهو، كأنه ... شعاعة قرن الشمس ملتهب النصل
He struck its flanks with a blow, as if... a ray of the sun's horn, the blade inflamed.