كهف
kahf/kahf/Egyptian Arabic, masculine
Cave in Arabic is كهف (kahf). Other common words are مَغَارَة (maḡāra) and غَار (ḡār). If unsure, use كهف. Wiktionary also lists كَهْف (kahf) and مَغَارة (maḡāra).
Meaning: large, naturally occurring cavity formed underground (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| كهف | kahf | /kahf/ /kəhf/ |
Egyptian Arabic, masculine |
| كَهْف | kahf | masculine | |
| غَار | ḡār | masculine | |
| مَغَارَة | maḡāra | feminine | |
| مَغَارة | maḡāra | Hijazi Arabic, feminine |
Which one should you use?
كَهْف is the standard word and also names the 18th chapter of the Quran, سورة الكهف. مَغَارَة is another common, standard word. غَار often appears in literary or religious writing, most famously for the Cave of Hira.
Is it said differently in some regions?
مَغَارة is a common word in Hijazi Arabic, and كهف is used in Egyptian Arabic.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
كَهْف and غَار are masculine, and مَغَارَة is feminine. The plurals are كُهُوف (kuhūf), أَغْوَار (aḡwār) and مَغَارَات (maḡārāt).
How do you pronounce it?
kahf is one syllable, /kahf/, with a clear h before the f.
Did you know?
- While كَهْف means 'cave', it is a phonetic relative of the word كَفّ ('cup of the hand'), suggesting a connection between a hollow space and a hand's hollow.
- The word كَهْف has moved beyond its literal meaning to become a powerful cultural symbol for a 'hidden refuge' or a place of divine protection.
- The plural forms of these words are highly irregular, such as the word غَار becoming أَغْوَار rather than simply adding a plural suffix.
Examples in context
- تم العثور على زيري و هو ميت في كهف.Ziri was found dead in a cave.كهف here means the cave where someone was found.Tatoeba #11668956 by dididodo, translation #11249355 by Amastan
- حُبِّبَ إِلَيْهِ الْخَلَاءُ وَكَانَ يَخْلُو بِغَارِ حِرَاءٍ فَيَتَحَنَّثُ فِيهِ.The openness was made pleasant to him, and he used to be alone in the Cave of Hira, and he would sing about it.بِغَارِ حِرَاءٍ means in the Cave of Hira, using غَار.Tatoeba #9084265 by alkhaldy, translation #9090839 by alkhaldy
- جَاءَهُ الْحَقُّ وَهُوَ فِي غَارِ حِرَاءٍ، فَجَاءَهُ الْمَلَكُ فَقَالَ: اقْرَأْ.Till suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the cave of Hira, The angel came to him and asked him to read.غَارِ حِرَاءٍ again refers to the Cave of Hira, where the angel came with the word اقْرَأْ, read.Tatoeba #9084267 by alkhaldy, translation #9090896 by alkhaldy
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cave” translations and entries كهف, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries كهف, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
