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الكيف

Root entry · 9 derived lemmas

This root primarily deals with the concept of 'how' or 'in what state'. It encompasses interrogative and conditional uses of the word 'kayfa', as well as related terms for cutting, tearing, and specific types of cloth or fortifications.

Derived headwords

الكيفnoun
  1. 1.
    state, conditionboth

    An abstract noun referring to the manner or condition of something, often used in interrogative or exclamatory contexts.

  2. 2.
    howboth

    Used as an interrogative particle to inquire about the manner or state of being.

كيفparticle
  1. 1.
    howboth

    An interrogative particle used to ask about the manner, state, or condition of something. It can be used for genuine inquiry, exclamation, or negation.

  2. 2.
    howclassical

    Used as a conditional particle, implying a consequence or a hypothetical situation.

كيف زيد — How is Zayd? — How is Zayd?
كيف تكفرون بالله — How do you disbelieve in Allah? — How do you disbelieve in Allah?
كيف يرجون سقاطي بعدما ... جلل الرأس مشيب وصلع — How do they hope for my downfall after my head has been covered with grey hair and baldness? — How do they hope for my downfall after my head has been covered with grey hair and baldness?
كيف أنت — How are you? — How are you?
كيف كنت — How were you? — How were you?
كيف جاء زيد — How did Zayd come? — How did Zayd come?
كيف فعل ربك — How did your Lord deal? — How did your Lord deal?
فكيف إذا جئنا من كل أمة بشهيد — And how will it be when We bring a witness from every nation? — And how will it be when We bring a witness from every nation?
كيف تصنع أصنع — Whatever you do, I will do. — Whatever you do, I will do.
لا كيف تجلس أذهب — I will not go if you sit. — I will not go if you sit.
الكيفةnoun
  1. 1.
    patchclassical

    A piece of cloth used to mend the front hem of a shirt.

  2. 2.
    piece of clothclassical

    A torn piece or scrap of fabric.

الحيفةnoun
  1. 1.
    patch (rear)classical

    A patch used to mend the back of a garment, as opposed to the front.

كيفىname
  1. 1.
    Kifaclassical

    A proper noun referring to a fortress located between Amid and Jazirat Ibn Umar.

كيفهverb
  1. 1.
    to cutclassical

    To sever or cut something.

تكيفverb
  1. 1.
    to be formedclassical

    To be shaped or formed, often used in a philosophical context regarding the formation of things.

انْكَافَverb
  1. 1.
    to be cut offclassical

    To become severed or cut off.

تَكَيَّفَهُverb
  1. 1.
    to diminishclassical

    To reduce or lessen something.

Parallel reading

الكيف: القطع.
Al-kayf: cutting.
وكيف ويقال: كي: اسم مبهم، غير متمكن، حرك آخره للساكنين، وبالفتح لمكان الياء، والغالب فيه أن يكون استفهاما إما حقيقيا: ككيف زيد، أو غيره: {كيف تكفرون بالله} ، فإنه أخرج مخرج التعجب، و: كيف يرجون سقاطي بعدما ... جلل الرأس مشيب وصلع فإنه أخرج مخرج النفي، ويقع خبرا قبل ما لا يستغني عنه: ككيف أنت، وكيف كنت، وحالا: قبل ما يستغني عنه: ككيف جاء زيد، ومفعولا مطلقا: {كيف فعل ربك} {فكيف إذا جئنا من كل أمة بشهيد} ، ويستعمل شرطا، فيقتضي فعلين متفقي اللفظ والمعنى، غير مجزومين: ككيف تصنع أصنع، لا كيف تجلس أذهب.
And kayfa, and it is said: kay, is an ambiguous, uninflected noun. Its end is moved for the two quiescent letters, and with a fatha because of the position of the ya. And the predominant use of it is as an interrogative, either genuine: like 'kayfa Zayd' (How is Zayd?), or otherwise: 'How do you disbelieve in Allah?', as it is used in the manner of exclamation, and: 'How do they hope for my downfall after... my head has been covered with grey hair and baldness?', as it is used in the manner of negation. And it occurs as a predicate before what cannot be dispensed with: like 'kayfa anta' (How are you?), and 'kayfa kunta' (How were you?), and as an adverbial: before what cannot be dispensed with: like 'kayfa ja'a Zayd' (How did Zayd come?), and as an absolute object: 'How did your Lord deal?' and 'And how will it be when We bring a witness from every nation?', and it is used as a conditional, requiring two verbs of identical pronunciation and meaning, not in the jussive: like 'kayfa tasna'u asna'u' (Whatever you do, I will do), not 'kayfa tajlisu adhhabu' (I will not go if you sit).
سيبويه: كيف: ظرف.
Sibawayh: Kayfa is an adverb.
الأخفش: لا يجوز ذلك.
Al-Akhfash: That is not permissible.
ابن مالك: صدق، إذ ليس زمانا ولا مكانا، نعم لما كان يفسر بقولك على أي حال، لكونه سؤالا عن الأحوال، سمي ظرفا مجازا، ولا تكون عاطفة كما زعم بعضهم محتجا بقوله: إذا قل مال المرء لانت قناته ... وهان على الأدنى فكيف الأباعد لاقترانه بالفاء، ولأنه هنا اسم مرفوع المحل على الخبرية.
Ibn Malik: True, as it is neither time nor place. Yes, since it is explained by your saying 'in what state', because it is a question about states, it is metaphorically called an adverb. And it is not a conjunction as some claimed, arguing with his saying: 'When a man's wealth diminishes, his spear softens... and the near ones hold him cheap, so how about the distant ones?', due to its being conjoined with 'fa', and because here it is a noun in the elevated position as a predicate.
والكيفة، بالكسر: الكسفة من الثوب، والخرقة ترقع ذيل القميص من قدام، وما كان من خلف: فحيفة، ويقال: كيف لي بفلان؟ فتقول: كل الكيف، والكيف، بالجر والنصب.
And al-kayfah, with a kasra: is the patch from a garment, and the rag used to mend the hem of a shirt from the front. And what is from the back is: haifah. And it is said: 'Kayfa li bi-fulan?' (How can I get so-and-so?), and you say: 'Kull al-kayf, wa al-kayf', with genitive and accusative.
وحصن كيفى، كضيزى: بين آمد وجزيرة ابن عمر.
And the fortress Kifa, like Diza: between Amid and Jazirat Ibn Umar.
وكيفه: قطعه.
And kayfahuhu: cutting it.
وقول المتكلمين: كيفته فتكيف: قياس لا سماع فيه.
And the saying of the mutakallimun (scholastics): 'Kayyatahu fa-takayyafa': is analogical and not heard.
وانكاف: انقطع.
And inkāfa: became cut off.
وتكيفه: تنقصه.
And takayyafahu: diminishing it.