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وى

Root entry · 5 derived lemmas

This root primarily deals with interjections expressing dismay, regret, or surprise. It also includes a particle used to introduce hypothetical or conditional clauses, often in conjunction with 'ka'an'.

Derived headwords

وَيْparticle
  1. 1.
    a word of wonder/astonishmentboth

    a word of wonder/astonishment

وَيْكَparticle
  1. 1.
    woe to you!both

    woe to you!

  2. 2.
    a word like 'wayb' and 'wayj'both

    a word like 'wayb' and 'wayj'

وَيْ لَعَبْدِ اللهِphrase
  1. 1.
    woe unto Abdullahclassical

    A specific expression of dismay or lamentation directed towards 'Abdullah'.

وَيْ كَأَنَّparticle
  1. 1.
    particle introducing hypotheticalclassical

    A particle used to introduce a clause, often hypothetical or conditional, especially when followed by 'ka'an' (as if).

وَيْ كَأَنَّparticle
  1. 1.
    particle introducing suppositionclassical

    Used before 'ka'an' (whether lightened or stressed) to introduce a supposition or a statement of what is as if.

Parallel reading

وي: كلمة تعجب.
Way: an interjection of wonder/surprise.
ويقال: ويك، ووي لعبد الله.
And it is said: 'wayka', and 'way li-'Abd Allah'.
وقد تدخل وي على كأن المخففة والمشددة، تقول: وي كأن، ووي كأن.
And 'way' may precede 'ka'an' (both the lightened and stressed forms), so you say: 'way ka'an', and 'way ka'an'.
قال الخليل: هي مفصولة، تقول وى ثم تبتدئ فتقول كأن.
Al-Khalil said: It is separate; you say 'way' and then you begin and say 'ka'an'.
وى كأن من يكن له نشب يحبب ومن يفتقر يعش عيش ضر
Alas, as if one who has possessions is loved, and one who becomes poor lives a life of hardship.