مواء
miwā'
The English word "meow" is translated into Arabic as مواء (miwā').
The term refers to the cry of a cat. The informal imitation of the sound is written as مِيَاو.
Meaning: cry of a cat (intj)
Which one should you use?
The standard form is مواء, whereas مِيَاو is used specifically to imitate the sound of a cat informally.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
miwā'
Did you know?
- Because Arabic is a root-based language, the term مواء can be conjugated into various verbs to describe the act of meowing in different tenses and moods.
- While مواء is the official term, people in the Levant often use بسبس to get a cat's attention, acting as the Arabic equivalent of 'pspsps'.
- The distinction between the formal مواء and the colloquial مياو is part of the much wider and sharper divide between 'Fusha' and spoken dialects than exists in English.
Examples in context
- سمعت مواءً عالياً من الحديقة.sumi'tu muwa'an 'aliyan min al-hadiqa.I heard a loud meow from the garden.
- مواء القطة يزعجني في الليل.muwa' al-qitta yuz'ijuni fi al-layl.The cat's meow disturbs me at night.
Example conversation
Omar and Layla are in the living room.
- عمر Omarهل تسمعين هذا المواء يا ليلى؟Hal tasma'een hadha al-muwa' ya Layla?Do you hear this meow, Layla?
- ليلى Laylaنعم، القطة تريد الطعام.Na'am, al-qittah tureed al-ta'am.Yes, the cat wants food.
- عمر Omarمواء القطة يزعجني قليلاً.Muwa' al-qittah yuz'ijuni qalilan.The cat's meowing is bothering me a bit.
- ليلى Laylaسأطعمها الآن يا عمر.Sa-ut'imuha al-aan ya Omar.I will feed her now, Omar.
