Quranic root
شفه
sh · f · h
The supplied lexical evidence centers on the lip as the mouth's visible covering, with extensions to direct mouth-to-mouth speech, approach, speaking, thirst, and depletion through many users or seekers.
The bodily sense develops into Form III expressions for placing the lip near another and speaking directly, while further idiomatic extensions concern words, reputation, begging, water, food, and property consumed or reduced through use.
- Lane · entry 38867
- Lane · entry 38868
- Lane · entry 38869
- Lane · entry 38877
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 1
- Quran senses
- 1
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
شَفَةٌ
shafahun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 1 occurrence
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
A lip, the fleshy covering of the mouth; in the Quran, the pair of lips.
The attested Quran form is the dual شَفَتَيْنِ, “two lips.”
- Lane · entry 38869
Selected Quran examples
Quran 90:9word 2
“and two lips”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 90:9وَشَفَتَيْنِand two lips
Broader Classical Arabic meanings
Recorded for this root in the Classical lexicons beyond its Quran usage. These are secondary to the Quran senses above.
Show 16 Classical meanings
شَفَهَهُ
To strike someone on the lip.
A Form I transitive usage with the lip as the object.
- Lane · entry 38867
شُفِهَ
To be used up or reduced through many drinkers, eaters, or seekers; said of water, food, or property.
A passive or consequential usage in which numerous users or seekers result in diminished quantity.
- Lane · entry 38867
شَفَهَهُ
To importune someone by begging until his possessions are consumed; in the passive, to have one's possessions consumed by beggars.
Describes begging and its depletion of the possessor's property.
- Lane · entry 38867
شَفَهَهُ
To occupy or engage so as to divert from something; of the use of pasture or water, to keep it from another.
The usage expresses diversion or withholding through one's occupation or use.
- Lane · entry 38867
شَافَهَهُ
To put one's lip near another's; hence, to speak directly mouth-to-mouth.
A Form III construction used literally for lip-to-lip contact and conventionally for direct oral speech.
- Lane · entry 38868
شَافَهَهُ
To draw near or approach a town, country, or affair.
A figurative extension of coming near, applied to places and affairs.
- Lane · entry 38868
شَفَةٌ
A lip-like part, metaphorically the lip of a horse or a bucket.
A metaphorical extension of the bodily sense to analogous projecting or enclosing parts.
- Lane · entry 38869
شَفَةٌ
In أَهْلُ الشَّفَةِ, those entitled to drink with their lips at a water source and to water their beasts.
A conventional expression concerning rights of access to drinking water.
- Lane · entry 38869
شَفَةٌ
A word or utterance.
Used in expressions such as بِنْتُ شَفَةٍ and ذَاتُ شَفَةٍ, especially in statements about speaking or hearing no word.
- Lane · entry 38869
شَفَةٌ
In خَفِيفُ الشَّفَةِ, one who asks or begs little; the expression is also reported for one who begs much.
A conventional idiom with two opposing attested interpretations.
- Lane · entry 38869
شَفَةٌ
A person's report or reputation, or the people's speaking of that person.
Used in expressions describing favorable or unfavorable public mention and reputation.
- Lane · entry 38869
شَفَهِيٌّ
Labial; pertaining to the lips, especially letters articulated at the lips.
A relational and phonetic term; the cited labial letters include ب، ف، and م.
- Lane · entry 38872
شُفَاهِيٌّ
Thick-lipped or large in the lips.
The cited usage applies the adjective to a person.
- Lane · entry 38874
شَافِهٌ
Thirsty, lacking enough water to moisten the lip.
Describes a person in need of sufficient water.
- Lane · entry 38875
مَشْفُوهٌ
Much sought or used by many and consequently reduced or scarce; said of water, food, or property.
Of water, it may have many drinkers or be sought or restricted because scarce; of food, it has many eaters; of property, it has many seekers or has become little in quantity.
- Lane · entry 38877
مَشْفُوهٌ
Of a person, having possessions consumed by much begging or by household members and guests.
A passive participial usage describing property exhausted through importunity or domestic consumption.
- Lane · entry 38877
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Quranic occurrence is the dual شَفَتَيْنِ, while the public headword is normalized to the singular citation form شَفَةٌ.
Two Lane statements remain unassigned: the disputed reading شَفَهْتُ نَصِيبِي, which is corrected to another root by one authority, and the lip-nonclosure meaning stated under أَشْفَى rather than securely under this root.
Unassigned or ambiguous evidence
lane-unit:$fh:38867:g2:main: the unexplained phrase شَفَهْتُ نَصِيبِي is attributed to one authority but identified by another as سفهت, “I forgot,” so it is not confidently a meaning of شفه.
lane-unit:$fh:38876:g1:sub2: the statement that أَشْفَى means a person whose lips do not close together is located under a different cited headword/article and is not assigned to this root.