بطريق
biṭrīq
The English word "penguin" is بطريق (biṭrīq) in Arabic.
بطريق is a noun used to refer to the flightless sea bird known as a penguin.
Meaning: flightless sea bird (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
biṭrīq
Did you know?
- Some believe بطريق was used for the bird because its black and white coloring resembles the loose black robes worn by ancient nobles.
- In Arabic, the term بطريق is exclusively used for the animal, whereas in some older contexts, words with similar roots referred to high-ranking church officials.
- Despite the bird being native to the Southern Hemisphere, the Arabic name for it is rooted in the vocabulary of the Mediterranean world.
Examples in context
- انظري يا أمي، بطريق!Look, Mom! A penguin!
- أحب كل شيء له علاقة بالبطريق!I love everything penguiny!
- هل تعلم أن فراخ البطريق جميلة جدًا؟Did you know that penguin chicks are so cute?
- رأيت بطريق في حديقة الحيوان.ra'aytu batreeq fi hadiqat al-hayawan.I saw a penguin in the zoo.
Example conversation
Layla and Ahmed are looking at animals in a book.
- ليلى Laylaانظر يا أحمد، ما هذا الحيوان؟Unzur ya Ahmed, ma hadha al-hayawan?Look Ahmed, what is this animal?
- أحمد Ahmedهذا بطريق لطيف جداً.Hadha butriq latif jiddan.This is a very cute penguin.
- ليلى Laylaهل يستطيع البطريق السباحة بسرعة؟Hal yastati' al-butriq al-sibaha bi-sur'a?Can the penguin swim fast?
- أحمد Ahmedنعم، هو سباح ماهر.Na'am, huwa sabbah mahir.Yes, he is a skilled swimmer.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries بطريق, CC BY-SA 4.0.
