حَصَى
ḥaṣāmasculine
The English word "gravel" is translated into Arabic as حَصَى (ḥaṣā). Wiktionary also lists حَصْبَاء (ḥaṣbāʔ).
Meaning: small fragments of rock (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| حَصَى | ḥaṣā | masculine |
| حَصْبَاء | ḥaṣbāʔ | feminine |
The term refers to small fragments of rock.
Which one should you use?
The masculine form حَصَى is the standard translation, while the feminine form حَصْبَاء is also a recorded form. Additionally, the informal term زلط can be used to refer to gravel.
How do you pronounce it?
ḥaṣā
Did you know?
- The term حَصَى shares a root with words meaning 'to count' or 'to calculate', reflecting an ancient practice of using small pebbles as counters.
- The word حَصَى is used in Arabic medical contexts to describe kidney stones or gallstones.
- Arabic uses the word حَصَى to describe the 'grit' or small stones found in the digestive tracts of birds, known as a gizzard.
Examples in context
- يجب استخدام الحصى في بناء الطرق الريفية.Gravel should be used in rural road construction.
- عندما تمطر، يصعب القيادة على الزلط.It's difficult to drive on gravel when it rains.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gravel” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
