كون

Root entry · 14 derived lemmas

This root primarily concerns existence, being, and becoming. It encompasses the concept of 'to be' in various tenses and moods, signifying permanence, past existence, future potential, and transformation. It also extends to notions of occurrence, happening, and the state of being.

Derived headwords

كَانَverb

1.
to beboth
The fundamental verb indicating existence or state of being, used in past, present, and future contexts.
2.
to have beenboth
To exist in the past, often implying a completed state or a past condition.
3.
to becomeboth
To transform into something else, indicating a change of state or condition.
4.
to occurclassical
To happen or take place, referring to an event.

وجيران لنا كانوا كرام — And neighbors we had were generous

إن هذا كان لكم جزاء — Indeed, this was for you a reward

كان مزاجها زنجبيلا — Its mixture was ginger

كنتم خير أمة — You were the best of nations

فكانت وردة كالدهان — And it became like roses, the oil

فكيف ببين كان ميعاده الحشرا؟ — So how about separation whose appointed time was the gathering (of the dead)?

وكل أمر يوما يصير كان — And every matter one day will become 'was'.

كَائِنnoun

1.
what will happenclassical
That which is destined to occur or exist in the future.
2.
existenceclassical
The state of existing or being.

فلو كنت أدري أن ما كان كائن — If only I had known what was to be

عالم أن ما يكون وما كان — Knowing that what will be and what has been

يَكُونُverb

1.
to be (future/present)both
The present or future tense of 'to be', indicating ongoing or future existence.
2.
to occurclassical
To happen or take place in the future.

عالم أن ما يكون وما كان — Knowing that what will be and what has been

وإنما تزاد حشوا، ولا يكون لها اسم ولا خبر — It is only inserted as a filler, and it does not have a subject or predicate.

كَوْنnoun

1.
existenceboth
The state or fact of existing; being.
2.
universeboth
The totality of all things that exist; the cosmos.
3.
beingboth
The nature or essence of a person or thing.

والكون: واحد الأكوان — And 'al-kawn': one of the 'akwan' (existences/universes).

أَكْوَانnoun

1.
existencesboth
Plural of 'kawn', referring to multiple states of being or universes.

والكون: واحد الأكوان — And 'al-kawn': one of the 'akwan' (existences/universes).

كَيْنُونَةnoun

1.
state of beingclassical
The condition or state of existing.
2.
essenceclassical
The intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something.

يا ليت أنا ضمنا سفينه، ... حتى يعود الوصل كينونه — Oh, I wish we had embraced a ship, ... until the reunion becomes a state of being.

كَيَانnoun

1.
entitymodern
A thing with distinct and independent existence.
2.
beingmodern
The state of existing.

اِكْتَانَverb

1.
to be containedclassical
To be held within or enclosed by something.
2.
to be submissiveclassical
To be humble or yielding.

اكتنت أرض بما أنت فيه — The land was contained by what you are in.

اكتنت به اكتيانا — He was contained by it.

كَيَانَةnoun

1.
guaranteeclassical
A promise or assurance that one will do something or that a particular thing will happen.
2.
supportclassical
The action or process of providing emotional, physical, or financial support.

والاسم منه الكيانة — And the noun from it is 'al-kayanah' (guarantee).

كُنْتِيّadjective

1.
old manclassical
An elderly man, often implying one who reminisces about his past.
2.
largeclassical
Of considerable size or extent.

وما أنا كنتي، ولا أنا عاجن — And I am not an old man, nor am I weak.

ورجل كنتي: كبير — And a 'kunti' man: large.

كُنْتَنِيّadjective

1.
old manclassical
An elderly man, similar to 'kunti', often implying reminiscence of past states.

وما كنت كنتيا، وما كنت عاجنا، ... وشر الرجال الكنتني وعاجن — And I was not an old man, nor was I weak, ... And the worst of men are the old man and the weak one.

فقال: كن أبا مسلم — He said: Be Abu Muslim.

كَانِيّadjective

1.
related to past eventsclassical
Pertaining to what has happened or existed in the past.
2.
generousclassical
Showing a readiness to give more of something, as money or time, than is strictly necessary or expected.

وكان طوى كشحا على مستكنة، ... فلا هو أبداها ولم يتجمجم — And he harbored a hidden resentment, ... so he did not show it and did not hesitate.

كُنْتَأوadjective

1.
thick-beardedclassical
Having a dense and abundant beard.

رجل كنتأو — A man with a thick beard.

كَانَparticle

1.
extra (filler)classical
A particle sometimes inserted into sentences without affecting the meaning, often for stylistic reasons.

وجيران لنا كانوا كرام — And neighbors we had were generous

مر على كان زيد — Marara passed by Zayd (where 'kana' is considered extra).

Parallel reading

وجيران لنا كانوا كرام

And neighbors we had were generous

فلو كنت أدري أن ما كان كائن

If only I had known what was to be

عالم أن ما يكون وما كان

Knowing that what will be and what has been

وكان الله غفورا رحيما

And Allah was Ever Forgiving, Most Merciful

وكنا إذا الجبار صعر خده، ... أقمنا له من ميله فتقوما

And when the tyrant turned his cheek away, ... we set him straight from his crookedness.

إن هذا كان لكم جزاء وكان سعيكم مشكورا

Indeed, this was for you a reward, and your effort was appreciated.

إنه كان لآياتنا عنيدا

Indeed, he was to Our signs obstinate.

كان مزاجها زنجبيلا

Its mixture was ginger.

كنتم خير أمة

You were the best of nations

فإذا انشقت السماء فكانت وردة كالدهان

And when the sky has split apart and become rose-colored like red oil.

فكيف نكلم من كان في المهد صبيا

How can we speak to one who was in the cradle a child?

وما جعلنا القبلة التي كنت عليها

And We did not make the qiblah which you were upon

قد كانت فراخا بيوضها

Its eggs had been chicks

وقد كان الدماء له خمارا

And blood had been a veil for him

يا ليت ما كان لم يكن

Oh, I wish what happened had not happened

واستنجاز ما كان في غد

And seeking fulfillment of what was for tomorrow

فكانت هباء منبثا

And had become scattered dust

وكانت الجبال كثيبا مهيلا

And the mountains had become like colored sand

وكنت أرى كالموت من بين ساعة

And I used to see it as death from one moment to another

ولقد يكون على الشباب بصيرا

And he might be insightful about youth

وكان طوى كشحا على مستكنة

And he harbored a hidden resentment

فلا هو أبداها ولم يتجمجم

So he did not show it and did not hesitate

أصل كينونة، بتشديد الياء، فحذفوا كما حذفوا من هين وميت

The origin of 'kaynunah' is with a shaddah on the ya, so they omitted it as they omitted from 'hayyin' and 'mayyit'.

يا ليت أنا ضمنا سفينه، ... حتى يعود الوصل كينونه

Oh, I wish we had embraced a ship, ... until the reunion becomes a state of being.

يأت بصيرا

He will come seeing

ما جاءت حاجتك

What is your need?

كن أبا خيثمة

Be Abu Khaythama

كن أبا مسلم

Be Abu Muslim

وما أنا كنتي، ولا أنا عاجن

And I am not an old man, nor am I weak

وشر الرجال الكنتني وعاجن

And the worst of men are the old man and the weak one

إذا ما كنت ملتمسا لغوث

If you are seeking help

فلا تصرخ بكنتي كبير

Do not cry out as a big old man

وعامة أهله الكنتيون

And most of his family were old men

دارت رحى الإسلام علي خمسة وثلاثين

The millstone of Islam has turned upon me for thirty-five years

قل للذين كفروا ستغلبون وسيغلبون

Say to those who have disbelieved, 'You will be overcome and gathered to Hell.'

وكل أمر يوما يصير كان

And every matter one day will become 'was.'

كأني بك وقد صرت كانيا

As if I see you having become 'kani' (one who is spoken of in the past tense)

على كان المسومة العراب

Upon the branded Arab camels

نزل فلان على كان ختنه

So-and-so stayed with his father-in-law (where 'kana' is considered extra)

جادت بكفي كان من أرمى البشر

My hands have been generous with one who is among the most skilled of humans

مر على كان زيد

Zayd passed by (where 'kana' is considered extra)