Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| النقد الساخر | ||
| سُخْرِيَّة | suḵriyya | feminine |
| تَهَكُّم | tahakkum | masculine |
In Arabic, there are several ways to refer to sarcasm depending on whether you are describing the general concept, the act of mockery or the rhetorical device. تَهَكُّم is the most common way to refer to the literary or rhetorical device of sarcasm, particularly in formal or academic contexts.
What does it mean word for word?
The term تَهَكُّم is derived from a root meaning to mock or to ridicule.
Which one should you use?
While both سُخْرِيَّة and تَهَكُّم mean sarcasm, they have different nuances. سُخْرِيَّة often carries a connotation of mockery or derision, whereas تَهَكُّم is more specifically the act of ironic or biting sarcasm.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase النقد الساخر is a noun phrase where النقد means 'the criticism' and الساخر means 'the mocking/sarcastic'. سُخْرِيَّة is a feminine noun and تَهَكُّم is a masculine noun.
Did you know?
- While النقد الساخر is the literal term for sarcasm, Arabic speakers often signal irony using the word يا سلام, which literally means 'Oh peace' but is used as a sarcastic exclamation.
- The root of تَهَكُّم is related to the word for 'bridling' or 'controlling' a horse, implying that the speaker is 'reining in' their true meaning.
- In traditional Arabic poetry, a specific form of تَهَكُّم involves praising an enemy so excessively that the praise becomes an obvious and biting insult.
Examples in context
- بالطبع، هذا هو أفضل الحلول لمشكلتك.Of course, this is the best solution for your problem.
- طبعاً، نسيت أنك أعظم عالم في الكون!Of course, I forgot that you're the greatest scientist in the universe!
- واو، فعلاً، أنت عبقري!Wow, really, you're a genius!
- لا أحب أسلوب النقد الساخر في العمل.Lā uḥibbu uslūba al-naqdi al-sākhiri fī al-'amal.I do not like the style of sarcasm at work.
- هل كان هذا النقد الساخر مقصوداً؟Hal kāna hādhā al-naqdu al-sākhiru maqṣūdan?Was that sarcasm intentional?
- استخدم الكاتب النقد الساخر لتوضيح الفكرة.Ista'khada al-kātibu al-naqda al-sākhira li-tawḍīḥ al-fikra.The writer used sarcasm to clarify the idea.
Example conversation
Layla and Omar are discussing a colleague's comments during a meeting.
- ليلى Laylaهل لاحظت كيف تحدث المدير معنا؟Hal lahazta kayfa tahaddatha al-mudir ma'ana?Did you notice how the manager spoke to us?
- عمر Omarنعم، كان يستخدم النقد الساخر طوال الوقت.Na'am, kana yastakhdimu al-naqd al-sakhir tiwal al-waqt.Yes, he was using sarcasm the whole time.
- ليلى Laylaأجد هذا الأسلوب محبطاً جداً.Ajidu hadha al-uslub muhbitan jiddan.I find this style very frustrating.
- عمر Omarأنا أتفق معكِ يا ليلى.Ana attafiqu ma'aki ya Layla.I agree with you, Layla.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sarcasm” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
