شي

See also: سی‎, سے‎, and شی‎

Arabic

Etymology

From the root ش و ي‎ (š-w-y).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃajj/

Noun

شَيّ • (šayy) m

1. verbal noun of شَوَى‎ (šawā) (form I)

Declension

Declension of noun شَيّ (šayy)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	شَيّ šayy	الشَّيّ‎ aš-šayy	شَيّ šayy
Nominative	شَيٌّ šayyun	الشَّيُّ‎ aš-šayyu	شَيُّ šayyu
Accusative	شَيًّا‎ šayyan	الشَّيَّ‎ aš-šayya	شَيَّ šayya
Genitive	شَيٍّ šayyin	الشَّيِّ‎ aš-šayyi	شَيِّ šayyi

Hijazi Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic شَيْء‎ (šayʔ).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃajj/, [ʃaj]

Noun

شي • (šayy) m (plural أشياء‎ (ʾašyāʾ))

1. thing

Derived terms

• كل شي‎ (kull šayy, “everything”)

Pronoun

شي • (šayy)

1. something, anything

North Levantine Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic شَيْء‎ (šayʔ).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʃiː/

Noun

شي • (šī) m (plural إشيا‎ (ʾišya) or أشيا‎ (ʾašya))

1. thing

   ‏هيدي اشيا كتير مهمة‎

   haydi ʾišya ktīr mhimme.

   These are very important things.

Usage notes

Only when plural or construed with the definite article. The predominant term for thing otherwise is شغلة‎ (šaḡle, “thing”).

Pronoun

شي • (šī) m

1. something, anything

   ‏بدك شي تاني، حبيبتي؟‎‎

   baddik šī tāni, ḥabībti?

   Do you want anything else, honey?

   ‏بدي عطيك شي.‎‎

   baddi ʿaṭīk šī.

   I want to give you something.

Determiner

شي • (šī)

1. some, any

   ‏في شي مشكلة؟‎‎

   fī šī miškle?

   Is there any [kind of] problem?

   ‏رح يرجع شي يوم‎

   raḥ yirjaʿ šī yōm.

   He’ll come back some day.

Adverb

شي • (šī)

1. circa, about

   ‏لازم تنطرلك شي عشرين دقيقه‎

   lāzim tunṭurlak šī ʿišrīn-i dʾīʾa.

   You have to wait for about twenty minutes.

2. just, barely

   ‏ما بدها هالقد شرح يعني شي إنك توصلهن الفكرة‎

   ma badd(h)a hal-ʾadd šarḥ yaʿni šī ʾinnak twaṣṣell(h)on l-fikra

   It doesn't need this much explaining, like it's enough just to get the idea across to them

   ‏لسا شي طلعت من البيت‎

   lissa šī ṭliʿt mni l-bēt

   (Syrian) I only just left the house.

Particle

شي • (šī)

1. Optionally marks a yes-or-no question, used with intransitive verbs or after the object of a transitive verb

   ‏عنا حليب شي؟‎‎

   ʿinna ḥalīb šī?

   Do we have milk?

South Levantine Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic شَيْء‎ (šayʔ).

Noun

شي • (šī) m (plural أشيا‎ (ʔašya) or إشيا‎ (ʔišya))

1. Alternative form of إشي‎ (ʔiši): thing

Derived terms

• كل شي‎ (kull ši, “everything”)
• ولا شي‎ (wala ši, “nothing”)

Pronoun

شي • (šī or ši)

1. Alternative form of إشي‎ (ʔiši): something; anything

Determiner

شي • (ši)

1. akin to an indefinite article: some, any, one

   ‏يا ريت أشوفه إذا برجع شي يوم.‎‎

   yā rēt ʔašūfo ʔiza birjaʕ ši yōm

   I would love to see him if he comes back someday.