زَنْبَق
zanbaqmasculine
The English word lily can be translated into Arabic as زَنْبَق (zanbaq) or سَوْسَن.
Meaning: flower in the genus Lilium (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| زَنْبَق | zanbaq | masculine |
| سَوْسَن | sawsan |
Both terms are used to refer to lily-type flowers, though they describe different botanical groups.
Which one should you use?
There is a botanical distinction between the two: زَنْبَق (zanbaq) specifically refers to flowers in the genus Lilium, while سَوْسَن (sawsan) refers to the iris or lily-like flowers of the genus Iris.
How does it change in a sentence?
زَنْبَق is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
zanbaq
Did you know?
- The word سَوْسَن is a popular feminine given name in many Arabic speaking countries.
- In traditional Arabic medicine, derivatives of the سَوْسَن plant were historically used as treatments for various ailments.
- The term سَوْسَن is often used in Arabic poetry to symbolize both beauty and fragility, much like the iris in Western literature.
Examples in context
- حملت العروس باقة من السوسن الأبيض خلال حفل الزفاف.The bride carried a bouquet of white lilies during the wedding ceremony.
- أنا أعشق الألوان الزاهية للزنابق في حديقتي.I adore the vibrant colors of lilies in my garden.
- هذا زَنْبَق أبيض جميل.hadha zanbaq abyad jamil.This is a beautiful white lily.
- اشتريتُ زَنْبَقاً لغرفة المعيشة.ishtaraytu zanbaqan li-ghurfat al-ma'isha.I bought a lily for the living room.
Example conversation
Ziad and Sarah are looking at flowers in a florist shop.
- زياد Ziadهل أعجبكِ هذا الـزَنْبَق؟hal a'jabaki hadha al-zanbaq?Do you like this lily?
- سارة Saraنعم، إنه زَنْبَق رائع يا زياد.na'am, innahu zanbaq ra'i' ya Ziad.Yes, it is a wonderful lily, Ziad.
- زياد Ziadسأشتري هذا الـزَنْبَق لكِ.sa-ashtari hadha al-zanbaq laki.I will buy this lily for you.
- سارة Saraشكراً لك، هذا لطيف جداً.shukran lak, hadha latif jiddan.Thank you, that is very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lily” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
