رَيْحَان
rayḥānmasculine
The English word 'basil' is translated into Arabic as رَيْحَان (rayḥān) or حَبَق.
Meaning: herb (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| رَيْحَان | rayḥān | masculine |
| حَبَق | ḥabaq | masculine |
The term refers to the herb basil.
What does it mean word for word?
The word رَيْحَان is derived from a root meaning 'scent' or 'fragrance', referring to a fragrant plant or a sweet smell.
Which one should you use?
رَيْحَان is a more general or classical term that can refer to basil or other sweet-smelling plants. In contrast, حَبَق is used specifically to refer to the culinary herb basil.
Is it said differently in some regions?
حَبَق is frequently used in many Arabic dialects to specify the culinary herb.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Both رَيْحَان and حَبَق are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
rayḥān
Did you know?
- In some Arabic-speaking regions, رَيْحَان is used as a masculine given name for people.
- In the Qur'an, the term رَيْحَان is used to describe the rewards of paradise, implying a sense of heavenly fragrance and comfort rather than just a kitchen herb.
- The word رَيْحَان shares a linguistic root with the word for 'wind' or 'breeze' in Arabic, linking scent to the air that carries it.
Examples in context
- زرت مزرعة تزرع الريحان.I visited a farm that grows basil.
- تمتلئ وصفات الطهي بالريحان.Cooking recipes are filled with basil.
- أحب رائحة الريحان الطازج في الحديقة.I love the smell of fresh basil in the garden.
- هذا رَيْحَان طازج.hadha rayḥān ṭāzij.This is fresh basil.
- أريد شراء رَيْحَان من السوق.urīdu shirā' rayḥān min al-sūq.I want to buy basil from the market.
- رَيْحَان رائحته جميلة جداً.rayḥān rā'iḥatuhu jamīla jiddan.The basil smells very beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “basil” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
