ذءن

Root entry · 13 derived lemmas

This root primarily concerns a specific type of winter plant, often described as tall, leafless, and somewhat unpalatable, though edible for certain animals. It also extends to the act of seeking or producing this plant, and metaphorically to something weak or insignificant.

Derived headwords

الذُّؤْنُونnoun

1.
a type of plantclassical
A winter plant that grows from the ground, often described as tall, leafless, with a rounded head, and a specific taste. It is associated with certain desert shrubs.
2.
weak or insignificant thingclassical
Metaphorically used to describe something weak, insignificant, or of little consequence, likened to the plant's perceived fragility.

الذؤنون: نبت طويل ضعيف له رأس مدور — The dhu'nun: a tall, weak plant with a rounded head.

الذُّؤْنُونnoun

1.
a type of plantclassical
A winter plant that grows from the ground, often described as tall, leafless, with a rounded head, and a specific taste. It is associated with certain desert shrubs.
2.
weak or insignificant thingclassical
Metaphorically used to describe something weak, insignificant, or of little consequence, likened to the plant's perceived fragility.

الذؤنون: نبت طويل ضعيف له رأس مدور — The dhu'nun: a tall, weak plant with a rounded head.

العَرْجُونnoun

1.
a type of plantclassical
Mentioned as a type of plant similar to or synonymous with الذؤنون, often growing in winter.

والعرجون والطرثوث من جنس: وهو مما ينبت في الشتاء — And the 'arjun and the tarthuth are of the same kind: it is what grows in winter.

الطَّرْثُوثnoun

1.
a type of plantclassical
A plant mentioned alongside الذؤنون and العرجون, often described as similar to asparagus but larger and leafless.

والعرجون والطرثوث من جنس: وهو مما ينبت في الشتاء — And the 'arjun and the tarthuth are of the same kind: it is what grows in winter.

الذَّآنينnoun

1.
a type of plant (plural)classical
The plural form of الذؤنون, referring to multiple instances of the plant.
2.
fungus-like growthsclassical
Described by Abu Hanifa as growths from the ground resembling thick pillars, edible for camels and goats, used in medicine, and bitter.

وقال أبو حنيفة: الذآنين هنوات من الفقوع تخرج من تحت الأرض كأنها العمد الضخام — Abu Hanifa said: The dhu'anin are growths of fungus that emerge from under the ground like thick pillars.

ذُؤْنُونَةnoun

1.
a single plantclassical
The singular form of الذؤنون, referring to one instance of the plant.

واحدته ذؤنونة — Its singular is dhu'nunah.

ذَأْنَنَverb

1.
to produce the plantclassical
The land producing the plant known as الذآنين.

و ذأننت الأرض: أنبتت الذآنين؛ عن ابن الأعرابي — And the land dhu'anana: it produced the dhu'anin; according to Ibn al-A'rabi.

تَذَأْنُنverb

1.
to seek the plantclassical
The act of going out to search for and gather the الذآنين plant.

وخرجوا يتذأننون أي يطلبون الذآنين ويأخذونها — And they went out tadhannunūn, meaning they sought and took the dhu'anin.

ذونونnoun

1.
a type of plant (non-hamzated)classical
A variant pronunciation of الذؤنون, without the hamza, referring to the same plant.

ومنهم من لا يهمز فيقول ذونون — And some of them do not use the hamza and say dhunūn.

ذَوَانِينnoun

1.
a type of plant (plural, non-hamzated)classical
The plural form of ذونون, referring to multiple instances of the plant, pronounced without hamza.

وذوانين الجمع — And dhawānīn the plural.

هليون البرnoun

1.
wild asparagusclassical
A description of the الذؤنون plant, comparing it to wild asparagus.

قال ابن بري: هو هليون البر — Ibn al-Bari said: It is the wild asparagus.

ذُؤْنُون سُوءnoun

1.
a weak or bad thingclassical
A metaphorical expression combining the plant's name with 'badness', implying something weak, poorly formed, or of ill omen.

كأنني، وقدمي تهيث، ... ذؤنون سوء رأسه نكيث — As if I, and my foot is stirring the dust, ... a bad dhu'nun, its head disheveled.

ذُؤْنُونnoun

1.
weak personclassical
Used in a hadith to describe a weak or misguided person who tries to lead others, likened to the plant's perceived weakness.

قال لجندب بن عبد الله: كيف تصنع إذا أتاك من الناس مثل الوتد أو مثل الذؤنون — He said to Jundub ibn Abdullah: What will you do if there comes to you from the people someone like a stake or like a dhu'nun?

Parallel reading

الذؤنون والعرجون والطرثوث من جنس: وهو مما ينبت في الشتاء، فإذا سخن النهار فسد وذهب.

The dhu'nun, the 'arjun, and the tarthuth are of the same kind: it is what grows in winter, and when the day heats up, it spoils and perishes.

تنشق عنه الأرض فيخرج مثل سواعد الرجال لا ورق له، وهو أسحم وأغبر، وطرفه محدد كهيئة الكمرة، وله أكمام كأكمام الباقلى وثمرة صفراء في أعلاه.

The earth splits open, and it emerges like the forearms of men, without leaves, and it is dark and dusty, its tip pointed like a crescent moon, and it has sheaths like pea pods and a yellow fruit at its top.

وقال أبو حنيفة: الذآنين هنوات من الفقوع تخرج من تحت الأرض كأنها العمد الضخام ولا يأكلها شيء، إلا أنها تعلفها الإبل في السنة وتأكلها المعزى وتسمن عليها، ولها أرومة، وهي تتخذ للأدوية ولا يأكلها إلا الجائع لمرارتها.

Abu Hanifa said: The dhu'anin are growths of fungus that emerge from under the ground like thick pillars, and nothing eats them, except that camels are fed them annually and goats eat them and become fat from them. They have a root, and they are used for medicines, and only the hungry eat them due to their bitterness.

وقال مرة: الذآنين تنبت في أصول الشجر أشبه شيء بالهليون، إلا أنه أعظم منه وأضخم، ليس له ورق وله برعومة تتورد ثم تنقلب إلى الصفرة.

And Murra said: The dhu'anin grow at the base of trees, most resembling asparagus, except that it is larger and bulkier than it, has no leaves, and has a bud that turns rosy then yellow.

والذؤنون: ماء كله وهو أبيض إلا ما ظهر منه من تلك البرعومة، ولا يأكله شيء، إلا أنه إذا أسنت الناس، فلم يكن بها «1». شيء، أغنى، واحدته ذؤنونة.

And the dhu'nun: it is all water and is white except for what appears from that bud, and nothing eats it, except that if people are in a lean year and there is nothing else, it suffices; its singular is dhu'nunah.

و ذأننت الأرض: أنبتت الذآنين؛ عن ابن الأعرابي.

And the land dhu'anana: it produced the dhu'anin; according to Ibn al-A'rabi.

وخرجوا يتذأننون أي يطلبون الذآنين ويأخذونها؛ وأنشد ابن الأعرابي: كل الطعام يأكل الطائيونا: ... الحمضيض الرطب والذآنينا .

And they went out tadhannunūn, meaning they sought and took the dhu'anin; and Ibn al-A'rabi recited: The Ta'i people eat all food: ... the moist sour plants and the dhu'anin.

ومنهم من لا يهمز فيقول ذونون، وذوانين الجمع.

And some of them do not use the hamza and say dhunūn, and dhawānīn the plural.

قال ابن بري: هو هليون البر؛ وأنشد للراجز يصف نفسه بالرخاوة واللين: كأنني، وقدمي تهيث، ... ذؤنون سوء رأسه نكيث .

Ibn al-Bari said: It is the wild asparagus; and he recited for a rajaz poet describing himself with softness and gentleness: As if I, and my foot is stirring the dust, ... a bad dhu'nun, its head disheveled.

وفي حديث حذيفة: قال لجندب بن عبد الله: كيف تصنع إذا أتاك من الناس مثل الوتد أو مثل الذؤنون يقول اتبعني ولا أتبعك؟

And in the hadith of Hudhayfah: He said to Jundub ibn Abdullah: What will you do if there comes to you from the people someone like a stake or like a dhu'nun, saying 'Follow me, and I will not follow you'?

الذؤنون: نبت طويل ضعيف له رأس مدور، وربما أكله الأعراب، قال: وهو من ذأنه إذا حقره وضعف شأنه، شبهه به لصغره وحداثة سنه، وهو يدعو المشايخ إلى اتباعه، أي ما تصنع إذا أتاك رجل ضال، وهو في نحافة جسمه كالوتد أو الذؤنون لكده نفسه بالعبادة يخدعك بذلك ويستتبعك.

The dhu'nun: a tall, weak plant with a rounded head, and sometimes eaten by the Bedouins. He said: And it is from 'dhu'nah' (belittling) if one belittles it and its status is weak. He likened him to it due to his smallness and youth, and he is calling the elders to follow him, meaning, what will you do if a misguided man comes to you, who, despite his thinness, is like a stake or a dhu'nun due to his self-exertion in worship, deceiving you with that and seeking to lead you.