حشيش
ḥašīš/ħa.ʃiːʃ/
The English word 'weed' can be translated into Arabic as حشيش (ḥašīš) or أعشاب ضارة depending on the context.
While حشيش is a common term for weed, it is most frequently used in many Arabic dialects to refer specifically to cannabis or marijuana. If you are speaking about unwanted plants in a botanical or agricultural context, such as in a garden, you should use the phrase أعشاب ضارة.
Meaning: unwanted plant (noun)
Which one should you use?
حشيش is a slang term used to refer to the drug cannabis, whereas أعشاب ضارة refers to the literal botanical sense of harmful plants or weeds in a garden.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ħa.ʃiːʃ/ (ḥašīš). It has two syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using حشيش if you are talking about gardening, as this will likely be understood as a reference to marijuana rather than an unwanted plant.
Did you know?
- The English word 'hashish' is a direct loanword from the Arabic حشيش. It entered English via French and Spanish in the 19th century to describe the resin produced from the plant.
- In some Arabic dialects, calling a person حشيش can be a slang way to suggest they are spaced out or acting under the influence.
- The phrase أعشاب ضارة literally translates to 'harmful herbs', which is how many Arabic speakers conceptually define a weed.
Examples in context
- تم استخدام نبات القنب لغرض طبي لآلاف السنين.Hemp plant has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years.
- معروف إنه في شحنة كبيرة من الحشيش في المنطقة الليلة الماضيةIt is known that there was a large stash of weed in the area last night.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry حشيش, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
