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كني

Root entry · 20 derived lemmas

This root primarily concerns the concept of using a euphemism or indirect reference to avoid mentioning something unpleasant or to show respect. It also covers the practice of being known by a kunya (patronymic or matronymic) rather than one's given name, and the use of indirect language or symbols to convey meaning, particularly in dreams.

Derived headwords

الكِنْيَةnoun
  1. 1.
    euphemismboth

    A word or phrase used to avoid mentioning something unpleasant or embarrassing.

  2. 2.
    kunya (patronymic/matronymic)both

    A name or title, typically starting with 'Abu' (father of) or 'Umm' (mother of), used to refer to a person, often out of respect or as a primary identifier.

  3. 3.
    indirect referenceclassical

    An allusion or hint used to refer to something without stating it directly.

اِكْتَنَىverb
  1. 1.
    to use a kunyaboth

    To adopt or be known by a kunya (patronymic or matronymic).

  2. 2.
    to use a euphemismclassical

    To employ indirect language or a euphemism to refer to something.

اكتنى فلان بكذا — So-and-so adopted the kunya 'X'.
الكِنَايَةnoun
  1. 1.
    euphemismboth

    The act or instance of speaking indirectly or using a euphemism.

  2. 2.
    allusionclassical

    A reference to something indirectly, from which it can be inferred.

  3. 3.
    symbolic representationclassical

    The use of symbols or indirect signs to represent something else, especially in dreams.

كَنَىverb
  1. 1.
    to use a euphemismboth

    To speak indirectly or use a euphemism for something, especially to avoid mentioning something unpleasant.

  2. 2.
    to allude toclassical

    To refer to something indirectly.

  3. 3.
    to give a kunyaboth

    To assign a kunya (patronymic or matronymic) to someone.

كنى عن الأمر بغيره — He used another word to allude to the matter.
يُكَنَّىverb
  1. 1.
    to be given a kunyaboth

    To be referred to by a kunya (patronymic or matronymic).

  2. 2.
    to be euphemizedclassical

    To be referred to indirectly or euphemistically.

فلان يكنى بأبي عبد الله — So-and-so is known by the kunya Abu Abdullah.
تَعَزَّىverb
  1. 1.
    to claim lineageclassical

    To claim a noble ancestry or lineage, often associated with pre-Islamic tribal pride.

من تعزى بعزاء الجاهلية فأعضوه بأير أبيه — Whoever claims the lineage of ignorance (pre-Islamic pride), then bite his father's penis.
تَحَجَّىverb
  1. 1.
    to conceal oneselfclassical

    To hide or conceal oneself, often by using a disguise or by taking on a different identity.

  2. 2.
    to use a protective nameclassical

    To use a name or kunya for protection or identification in a dangerous situation, like battle.

وقد [تكنى] وتحجى أي تستر — And he used a kunya and concealed himself, meaning he hid.
كَنَوتُverb
  1. 1.
    to alludeclassical

    To refer to something indirectly, to hint at it.

وكنوت بكذا عن كذا — And I alluded to X by means of Y.
كانونnoun
  1. 1.
    people known by kunyaclassical

    A group of people who are known by their kunyas.

ورجل كان وقوم كانون — And a man was known, and a people were known by their kunyas.
الكِنَايَة في علامة المضمرother
  1. 1.
    pronominal reference markerclassical

    In grammar, the use of a word or particle that functions as a marker for a pronoun or an implied subject.

كَنَّيْتُ الرجلverb
  1. 1.
    to give a kunya to a manboth

    To assign a kunya (patronymic or matronymic) to a man.

كنيت الرجل بأبي فلان — I gave the man the kunya Abu Fulān.
كُنْيَتُهُnoun
  1. 1.
    his kunyaboth

    The kunya (patronymic or matronymic) by which he is known.

وكنية فلان أبو فلان — And the kunya of so-and-so is Abu Fulān.
كَنَو كَنَوَةnoun
  1. 1.
    kunya (variant)classical

    A variant form of 'kunya', referring to the patronymic or matronymic by which someone is known.

وكنو كنوة فلان أبو فلان — And the kunya of so-and-so is Abu Fulān.
أَكْنَيْتُهُverb
  1. 1.
    to give a kunyaboth

    To assign a kunya (patronymic or matronymic) to someone.

أكنيته أبا زيد — I gave him the kunya Abu Zayd.
كُنْيَةnoun
  1. 1.
    kunya (variant)both

    A variant spelling or pronunciation of 'kunya', referring to the patronymic or matronymic.

كُنِيَverb
  1. 1.
    to be given a kunyaboth

    To be assigned a kunya (patronymic or matronymic).

كني أخوك بعمرو — Your brother was given the kunya 'Amr.
كُنْيَةٌnoun
  1. 1.
    kunya (plural)both

    Plural of kunya, referring to multiple patronymics or matronymics.

كُنَيْهِnoun
  1. 1.
    one with the same kunyaclassical

    Someone who shares the same kunya as another person.

وهو كنيه — And he is his kunya-mate (one with the same kunya).
كِنَاهَاnoun
  1. 1.
    its symbolic meanings (of dreams)classical

    The symbolic or allegorical meanings of dreams, which represent deeper realities.

إن للرؤيا كنى ولها أسماء — Indeed, dreams have symbolic meanings and they have names.
تُكَنَّىverb
  1. 1.
    to be known by a kunyaboth

    To be identified or referred to by a kunya (patronymic or matronymic).

  2. 2.
    to be called (by a kunya)both

    To be addressed or named using a kunya.

وتكنى: من أسماء النساء — And Tukunna: among the names of women.

Parallel reading

الكنية على ثلاثة أوجه: أحدها أن يكنى عن الشيء الذي يستفحش ذكره، والثاني أن يكنى الرجل باسم توقيرا وتعظيما، والثالث أن تقوم الكنية مقام الاسم فيعرف صاحبها بها كما يعرف باسمه كأبي لهب اسمه عبد العزى، عرف بكنيته فسماه الله بها.
The kunya has three aspects: the first is to use a euphemism for something whose mention is considered shameful; the second is to give a man a name out of reverence and veneration; and the third is for the kunya to take the place of the name, so that its owner is known by it as he is known by his name, like Abu Lahab, whose name was Abd al-Uzza; he was known by his kunya, and God named him by it.
والكنية والكنية أيضا واحدة الكنى، واكتنى فلان بكذا.
And al-kunyah and al-kunyah are also singular forms of al-kunā (kunya), and so-and-so adopted the kunya 'X'.
والكناية: أن تتكلم بشيء وتريد غيره.
And al-kināyah: is to speak of one thing and intend another.
وكنى عن الأمر بغيره يكني كناية: يعني إذا تكلم بغيره مما يستدل عليه نحو الرفث والغائط ونحوه.
And he used a euphemism for the matter by something else, he uses a euphemism (yaknī kināyah): meaning if he speaks of something else from which it can be inferred, like sexual intercourse and defecation, and the like.
وفي الحديث: من تعزى بعزاء الجاهلية فأعضوه بأير أبيه ولا تكنوا.
And in the Hadith: Whoever claims the lineage of ignorance (pre-Islamic pride), then bite his father's penis, and do not use a kunya.
وفي حديث بعضهم: رأيت علجا يوم القادسية وقد [تكنى] وتحجى أي تستر، من كنى عنه إذا ورى، أو من الكنية، كأنه ذكر كنيته عند الحرب ليعرف، وهو من شعار المبارزين في الحرب، يقول أحدهم: أنا فلان وأنا أبو فلان؛ ومنه الحديث: خذها مني وأنا الغلام الغفاري.
And in the saying of some of them: I saw a strong man on the day of Qadisiyyah, and he had used a kunya and concealed himself, meaning he hid, from 'kunna 'anhu' if he alluded, or from the kunya, as if he mentioned his kunya during the war to be known, and it is part of the insignia of duelists in war, one of them says: I am so-and-so, and I am Abu so-and-so; and from this is the Hadith: Take it from me, and I am the Ghiffari youth.
وقول علي، رضي الله عنه: أنا أبو حسن القرم.
And the saying of Ali, may God be pleased with him: I am Abu Hasan al-Qarm.
وكنوت بكذا عن كذا؛ وأنشد: وإني لأكني عن قذور بغيرها، ... وأعرب أحيانا بها فأصارح
And I alluded to X by means of Y; and he recited: And I indeed use a euphemism for a foul thing by another... and sometimes I speak plainly by it, so I am direct.
ورجل كان وقوم كانون.
And a man was known, and a people were known by their kunyas.
قال ابن سيده: واستعمل سيبويه الكناية في علامة المضمر.
Ibn Sidah said: And Sibawayh used al-kināyah for the marker of the pronoun.
وكنيت الرجل بأبي فلان وأبا فلان على تعدية الفعل بعد إسقاط الحرف كنية وكنية؛ قال: راهبة تكنى بأم الخير وكذلك كنيته؛ عن اللحياني، قال: ولم يعرف الكسائي أكنيته، قال: وقوله ولم يعرف الكسائي أكنيته يوهم أن غيره قد عرفه.
And I gave the man the kunya Abu Fulān and Abu Fulān, by making the verb transitive after omitting the preposition, as a kunyah and a kunyah; he said: A nun is given the kunya Umm al-Khayr, and likewise her kunya; from Al-Lihyani, he said: And Al-Kisa'i did not know his kunya, he said: And his statement 'Al-Kisa'i did not know his kunya' implies that others knew it.
وكنية فلان أبو فلان، وكذلك كنيته أي الذي يكنى به، وكنو كنوة فلان أبو فلان، وكذلك كنو كنوة كنو كنوته؛ كلاهما عن اللحياني.
And the kunya of so-and-so is Abu Fulān, and likewise his kunya, meaning that by which he is known by a kunya, and the kunya of so-and-so is Abu Fulān, and likewise his kunya is Kunū Kunūtuh; both from Al-Lihyani.
وكنو كنوة كنو كنوته: لغة في كنيته.
And Kunū Kunūtuh is a variant pronunciation of his kunya.
قال أبو عبيد: يقال كنيت الرجل وكنو كنوة كنو كنوته لغتان؛ وأنشد أبو زياد الكلابي: وإني كنو كنوة كنو لأكنو عن قذور بغيرها وقذور: اسم امرأة؛ قال ابن بري: شاهد كنيت قول الشاعر: وقد أرسلت في السر أن قد فضحتني، ... وقد بحت باسمي في النسيب وما تكني
Abu Ubayd said: It is said 'kanaytu al-rajul' and 'kanawtu kunūtah' are two languages; and Abu Ziyad Al-Kilabi recited: And I indeed use the kunya Kunū to allude to a foul thing by another, and Qadhūr is the name of a woman; Ibn Barrī said: The evidence for 'kanaytu' is the poet's saying: And I sent in secret that you have exposed me, ... and I have revealed my name in lineage, and what you conceal.
وتكنى: من أسماء «1» النساء.
And Tukunna: among the names of women.
يقول أهل البصرة فلان يكنى بأبي عبد الله، وقال غيرهم: فلان يكنى بعبد الله، وقال الجوهري: لا تقل يكنى بعبد الله، وقال الفراء: أفصح اللغات أن تقول كني أخوك بعمرو، والثانية كني أخوك بأبي عمرو، والثالثة كني أخوك أبا عمرو.
The people of Basra say: So-and-so is known by the kunya Abu Abdullah. Others say: So-and-so is known by Abdullah. And Al-Jauhari said: Do not say 'yaknā bi-Abdullah'. And Al-Farra' said: The most eloquent of the languages is to say 'Kuni akhūka bi-Amr' (Your brother was given the kunya 'Amr), the second is 'Kuni akhūka bi-Abi Amr' (Your brother was given the kunya Abu Amr), and the third is 'Kuni akhūka Abā Amr' (Your brother was given the kunya Abu Amr).
ويقال: كنيته وكنو كنوة كنو كنوته وأكنيته وكنيته، وكنيته أبا زيد وبأبي زيد تكنية، وهو كنيه: كما تقول سميه.
And it is said: 'kanaytuhu', 'kanawtu kunūtuhu', 'aknaytuhu', and 'kunaytuhu'. And I gave him the kunya Abu Zayd and Bi-Abi Zayd as a form of giving a kunya, and he is his kunya-mate: just as you say 'sumayyuhu' (his namesake).
وكِنَى الرؤيا: هي الأمثال التي يضربها ملك الرؤيا، يكنى بها عن أعيان الأمور.
And the symbolic meanings (kinā) of dreams: are the parables that the angel of dreams strikes, by which the essential matters are alluded to.
وفي الحديث: إن للرؤيا كنى ولها أسماء فكنوها بكناها واعتبروها بأسمائها ؛ الكنى: جمع كنية من قولك كنيت عن الأمر وكنو كنوة كنو كنوت عنه إذا وريت عنه بغيره، أراد مثلوا لها أمثالا إذا عبرتموها، وهي التي يضربها ملك الرؤيا للرجل في منامه لأنه يكنى بها عن أعيان الأمور، كقولهم في تعبير النخل: إنها رجال ذوو أحساب من العرب، وفي الجوز: إنها رجال من العجم، لأن النخل أكثر ما يكون في بلاد العرب، والجوز أكثر ما يكون في بلاد العجم، وقوله: فاعتبروها بأسمائها أي اجعلوا أسماء ما يرى في المنام عبرة وقياسا، كأن رأى رجلا يسمى سالما فأوله بالسلامة، وغانما فأوله بالغنيمة.
And in the Hadith: Indeed, dreams have symbolic meanings and they have names, so give them their symbolic meanings and consider them by their names. Al-kunā: is the plural of kunyah, from your saying 'kanaytu 'an al-amr' and 'kanawtu kunūt 'anhu' if you alluded to it by something else. He meant: represent them with parables when you interpret them, and they are what the angel of dreams strikes for a person in his dream because he alludes by them to essential matters, like their saying in the interpretation of palm trees: they are men of noble lineage from the Arabs, and in walnuts: they are men from the non-Arabs, because palm trees are most common in the lands of the Arabs, and walnuts are most common in the lands of the non-Arabs. And his saying: 'consider them by their names', meaning make the names of what is seen in the dream a lesson and a measure, as if one saw a man named Saliman (safe), so interpret it as safety, and Ghaiman (one who gains), so interpret it as gain.