جَوْز الْهِنْد
jawz al-hindmasculine
The English word "coconut" is جَوْز الْهِنْد (jawz al-hind) in Arabic. Wiktionary also lists نَارْجِيل (nārjīl).
Meaning: fruit of coco palm (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| جَوْز الْهِنْد | jawz al-hind | masculine |
| نَارْجِيل | nārjīl | feminine |
The term refers to the fruit of the coco palm.
What does it mean word for word?
The term جَوْز الْهِنْد literally translates to "nut of India" or "Indian nut".
Which one should you use?
While جَوْز الْهِنْد is a common descriptive term, نَارْجِيل is a specific noun used for coconut and the two are often used interchangeably depending on the region.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regions of the Arabian Gulf, such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, the word هندية is used to refer to coconuts.
How do you pronounce it?
jawz al-hind
Did you know?
- The word نَارْجِيل is not originally Arabic but was borrowed from the Sanskrit word 'nārikēla'.
- The term جَوْز الْهِنْد creates a linguistic oddity where a coconut grown in the Pacific or Africa is still described using the word for 'India'.
- The word جَوْز originally referred to the 'kernel' or 'core' of any fruit, not just those we call nuts in English.
Examples in context
- مرحبا، هل يُمكنك شراء جوز الهند لي؟Hello, can you buy me some coconuts?
- بالطبع، سوف أحضر لك جوز الهند.Of course, I will bring you some coconuts.
- أُرِيدُ جَوْز الْهِنْد فِي العَصِيرِ.urīdu jawz al-hind fī al-'asīr.I want coconut in the juice.
- جَوْز الْهِنْد لَذِيذٌ جِدًّا.jawz al-hind ladhīdh jiddan.Coconut is very delicious.
Example conversation
Omar and Sarah are at a tropical fruit market.
- عمر Omarيَا سَارَةُ، هَلْ نَشْتَرِي جَوْز الْهِنْد؟yā Sāratu, hal nashtarī jawz al-hind?Sarah, shall we buy coconut?
- سارة Saraنَعَمْ، جَوْز الْهِنْد هُنَا يَبْدُو رَائِعًا.na'am, jawz al-hind hunā yabdu rā'i'an.Yes, the coconut here looks great.
- عمر Omarسَأَشْتَرِي لَكِ حَبَّةً وَاحِدَةً.sa-ashtarī laki habbatan wāḥidatan.I will buy one for you.
- سارة Saraشُكْرًا لَكَ يَا عُمَرُ.shukran laka yā 'Umar.Thank you, Omar.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coconut” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
