قوس قزح
ʔōs ʔazaḥ/qaws qu.zaħ/Egyptian Arabic, masculine
The English word 'rainbow' is قوس قزح (ʔōs ʔazaḥ) in Arabic. Wiktionary also lists قَوْس قُزَح (qaws quzaḥ) and قوس النبي (qaws en-nbī, qūs en-nbī).
Meaning: multicoloured arch in the sky (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| قوس قزح | ʔōs ʔazaḥ | /qaws qu.zaħ/ | Egyptian Arabic, masculine |
| قَوْس قُزَح | qaws quzaḥ | masculine | |
| قوس النبي | qaws en-nbī, qūs en-nbī | Moroccan Arabic, masculine | |
| حزام لالة فاطمة الزهرا | ḥzām lālla fāṭima z-zuhra | Moroccan Arabic, masculine | |
| عروسة السما | ʕrūsit es-smā | Moroccan Arabic, feminine | |
| عروسة الشتا | ʕrūsit eš-štā | Moroccan Arabic, feminine |
A rainbow is a multicolored arch in the sky. The related verb قَزَّحَ means to pattern something with many colors, much like a rainbow.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Moroccan Arabic, there are several ways to refer to a rainbow: قوس النبي (the Prophet's bow), حزام لالة فاطمة الزهرا (the belt of Lady Fatima al-Zahra), عروسة السما (the bride of the sky) or عروسة الشتا (the bride of the rain).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun قوس قزح is masculine, so any adjectives used to describe it must also be in the masculine form.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is ʔōs ʔazaḥ.
When do people say it?
In Morocco, the rainbow is often described using poetic or religious imagery, such as calling it the Prophet's bow or the belt of Lady Fatima al-Zahra.
Did you know?
- The standard term قَوْس قُزَح actually contains the name of a forgotten pre-Islamic deity named قُزَح, who was the ancient god of weather.
- The word قَوْس is not just for the arch in the sky, but is the standard word for a weapon used in archery, such as a bow and arrow.
Examples in context
- يا له من قوس قزح جميل!What a beautiful rainbow!This sentence is useful for expressing admiration for a beautiful قوس قزح.Tatoeba #1245472 by saeb, translation #24877 by CK
- أحب النظر إلى قوس قزح.I love looking at the rainbow.
- تأملت قوس قزح الجميل في السماء.I admired the beautiful rainbow in the sky.
- شوف قوس قزح في السما.shouf qaws qazah fel sama.Look at the rainbow in the sky.
- قوس قزح لونه حلو أوي.qaws qazah lonoh helw awy.The rainbow is very beautifully colored.
Example conversation
A boy and a girl are standing on a balcony after a rainstorm.
- مريم Maryamيا زياد، بص هناك!ya ziad, boss honak!Ziad, look over there!
- زياد Ziadقصدك على قوس قزح؟asdak ala qaws qazah?Do you mean the rainbow?
- مريم Maryamأيوه، هو شكله روعة.aywa, hwa shakloh raw'a.Yes, it looks amazing.
- زياد Ziadفعلاً، مريم، هو جميل جداً.fe'lan, maryam, hwa gamil gedan.Indeed, Maryam, it is very beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rainbow” translations and entries قوس قزح, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries قزح, قوس, قوس قزح, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
