علكة
'ilka
The English phrase "bubble gum" is translated into Arabic as علكة ('ilka).
علكة refers to a sweetened, chewy confection designed for chewing rather than swallowing.
How do you pronounce it?
'ilka
Did you know?
- In some contexts, calling someone علكة can be a slang way to describe a person who is 'sticky' or perhaps clingy in a social situation.
- Despite the word علكة being used for gum, chewing it during a religious fast in Ramadan is generally considered to break the fast, as it involves the intake of flavored substances.
- While علكة is the standard term, some dialects use the word لبان, which refers to a traditional resin collected from trees. This highlights a historical shift from natural resins to modern synthetic gums.
Examples in context
- أرغب في شراء علكة، من فضلك.I would like to buy bubble gum, please.
- أريد شراء علكة.urīdu shirā' 'alkah.I want to buy bubble gum.
- هل هذه علكة بنكهة الفراولة؟hal hādhihi 'alkah bi-nakhat al-farāwalah?Is this strawberry flavored bubble gum?
