Quranic root
شكر
sh · k · r
The supplied lexical tradition presents four distinct branches: gratitude for a benefit, fullness or abundance, fresh growth from a plant, and a euphemistic sexual branch.
In Quranic usage, the dominant branch is gratitude: recognizing beneficence and showing it through inward acknowledgment, speech, and action. Its intensive adjective can also describe divine recognition and recompense of even small acts. Classical Arabic separately preserves the branches of abundance, emergent growth, and sexual euphemism.
- Maqāyīs · row 2680
- Mufradāt · row 781
- 6
- Quran-attested forms
- 7
- Quran senses
- 75
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
شَكَرَ
shakara
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- Quran occurrences
- 46 occurrences
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
To thank or be grateful to a benefactor for a benefit; to acknowledge beneficence and express it through praise, speech, or appropriate action.
The Quranic construction may take لِـ with the benefactor, and gratitude may be directed to God or to people who confer a benefit. The lexical notion is specifically connected with received favor, and may be realized inwardly by recognizing the benefit, verbally by praising the benefactor, or bodily through obedient and responsive action.
- Lane · entry 39020
- Mufradāt · row 781
Selected Quran examples
شَاكِر
shākir
- Part of speech
- Active participle
- Quran occurrences
- 14 occurrences
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
One who is grateful or thankful; one who acknowledges and shows appreciation for a received benefit.
An active participle of شَكَرَ, used for a person characterized by gratitude or for one who is actively expressing it. The form does not by itself specify whether gratitude is expressed in the heart, by speech, or through action.
- Lane · entry 39020
- Mufradāt · row 781
Selected Quran examples
Quran 16:121word 1
“Thankful”
Quran 3:145word 24
“the grateful ones”
شَكُور
shakūr
- Part of speech
- Adjective / substantivized adjective
- Quran occurrences
- 10 occurrences
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
Intensely or habitually grateful; one who gives abundant thanks and strives fully to show gratitude.
An intensive adjective for a person whose gratitude is extensive or persistent. The reported modes of gratitude include inward recognition, verbal acknowledgment, and action or obedience; the description may also include gratitude during trial or for what is received only in small measure.
- Lane · entry 39033
- Mufradāt · row 781
Selected Quran examples
Quran 17:3word 9
“grateful”
Of God: abundantly appreciative and recompensing, recognizing even small acts of devotion with forgiveness, favor, or multiplied reward.
A divine epithet describing divine response to servants' worship and good works, rather than human thankfulness toward a benefactor.
- Lane · entry 39033
- Mufradāt · row 781
Selected Quran examples
Quran 64:17word 11
“(is) Most Appreciative”
شُكْر
shukr
- Part of speech
- Verbal 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.
Gratitude or thanksgiving for a benefit; recognition of beneficence expressed in the heart, by the tongue, and through action.
In the Quranic construction اعْمَلُوا شُكْرًا, the noun can denote performing one's acts as an expression of gratitude, not merely uttering thanks. It is narrower than general praise because it is connected with received favor.
- Lane · entry 39026
- Lane · entry 39020
- Mufradāt · row 781
Selected Quran examples
Quran 34:13word 15
“(in) gratitude”
شُكُور
shukūr
- Part of speech
- Verbal noun
- Quran occurrences
- 2 occurrences
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
Thanksgiving or gratitude; an act or expression of giving thanks.
A verbal noun of شَكَرَ. In the classical discussion of the Quranic occurrence at 76:9, شُكُور may be understood either as an infinitive or as a plural form of شُكْر.
- Lane · entry 39020
- Lane · entry 39026
Selected Quran examples
Quran 76:9word 10
“thanks”
Quran 25:62word 13
“to be thankful”
مَشْكُور
mashkūr
- Part of speech
- Passive participle
- Quran occurrences
- 2 occurrences
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
Appreciated, thanked, or commended as deserving acknowledgment.
A passive participle describing the result of being treated with gratitude or praise; the Quranic occurrences present an action or effort as receiving appreciation.
- Lane · entry 39020
Selected Quran examples
Quran 17:19word 12
“(is) appreciated”
Quran 76:22word 8
“appreciated”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:52تَشْكُرُونَ(be) grateful
- 2:56تَشْكُرُونَ(be) grateful
- 2:152وَٱشْكُرُوا۟and be grateful
- 2:158شَاكِرٌ(is) All-Appreciative
- 2:172وَٱشْكُرُوا۟and be grateful
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 26 Classical meanings
شَكِرَ، شُكْرَةٌ، شَكِرَةٌ
To become full or abundant, especially of a lactating animal whose udder fills with milk; by extension, to become fat or yield abundant milk after good pasture.
Used of camels, ewes, goats, udders, and the period or conditions in which milk becomes plentiful. The lexical branch concerns fullness and abundance, not gratitude.
- Lane · entry 39020
- Lane · entry 39022
- Lane · entry 39024
- Lane · entry 39028
- Lane · entry 39030
شَكِرَ
To become liberal or generous, giving largely after having been niggardly.
A figurative extension from becoming abundant; used of a person who gives more freely after previous withholding.
- Lane · entry 39020
شَكِرَتِ الشَّجَرَةُ
Of a tree, palm, or vine: to put forth abundant new growth, including shoots, branches, leaves, or bark, or to grow from a planted shoot.
Used of vegetation and its emergent growth; the cited descriptions include palm offsets, branches around a tree, bark, and long or upper shoots of a vine.
- Lane · entry 39020
- Lane · entry 39034
شَكِير
Tender shoots, sprouts, small leaves, offsets, or other fresh growth arising from a plant's stem or base; also the first fresh herbage after dried growth.
The noun covers soft, new growth of trees, palms, vines, and other plants, including suckers and small leaves beneath larger ones. The Form VIII verb may describe something as becoming such growth.
- Lane · entry 39024
- Lane · entry 39034
شَكِير
Young offspring or young men, including the young of camels, by comparison with tender new growth.
A figurative application of شَكِير to immature or newly developing beings; the animal and human applications are lexical extensions, not restrictions on the Quranic gratitude senses.
- Lane · entry 39034
شَكِير، شَكَائِرُ
Fine, soft, downy, weak, or newly growing hair or feathers; in particular, hair of the forelock and hair near the face or neck.
Includes down on a fetus, hair among plaits, forelocks, and fine growth among coarser hair or feathers.
- Lane · entry 39024
- Lane · entry 39034
- Lane · entry 39035
شَاكَرَ
To show another person that one is thankful or grateful to him.
Form III expresses reciprocal or directed display of gratitude and is distinct from the Quran-attested Form I group.
- Lane · entry 39021
شَاكَرَ
To commence discourse with someone.
A conventional Form III expression, شَاكَرْتُهُ الحَدِيثَ, with the object of beginning conversation.
- Lane · entry 39021
أَشْكَرَتِ الأَرْضُ
Of land: to produce fresh herbage after earlier herbage has dried and become dusty.
A Form IV agricultural usage describing renewed vegetation.
- Lane · entry 39022
تَشَكَّرَ
To affect or make a show of thankfulness, or to seem or appear thankful.
Form V may describe an outward display or apparent state rather than asserting genuine gratitude.
- Lane · entry 39023
اشْتَكَرَتِ السَّمَاءُ
Of the sky: to rain heavily or vehemently.
A Form VIII weather usage describing abundant rainfall.
- Lane · entry 39024
اشْتَكَرَتِ الرِّيَاحُ، رِيحٌ مُشْتَكِرَةٌ
Of winds: to bring rain or to blow violently.
One reported interpretation describes a contrary wind, but that interpretation is explicitly contested; the secure descriptions are rain-bringing or violent wind.
- Lane · entry 39024
- Lane · entry 39043
اشْتَكَرَ
Of heat or cold: to become intense.
A Form VIII usage applied to the severity of temperature.
- Lane · entry 39024
اشْتَكَرَ
Of a person: to strive, exert himself, or do his utmost in running.
A figurative Form VIII usage describing maximal exertion in running.
- Lane · entry 39024
اشْتَكَرَ
Of a fetus: to put forth downy hair.
A rare Form VIII developmental usage, explicitly reported as an apparent or inferred application.
- Lane · entry 39024
شَكْر
The vulva or pudendum of a woman, including its flesh.
An anatomical noun, distinct from the verbal noun شُكْر used for gratitude.
- Lane · entry 39025
شَكْر
Sexual intercourse or marriage, used euphemistically.
A conventional euphemistic usage related to the anatomical sense; it is also attested in the expression for the price or hire of prostitution.
- Lane · entry 39025
عَيْنٌ شَكْرَى
A full or abundant spring, source, or eye.
A figurative application of the fullness branch to a source or eye containing much water.
- Lane · entry 39030
فِدْرَةٌ شَكْرَى
A fat piece of meat, especially one flowing with grease or gravy.
A figurative application of abundance or fullness to meat rich in fat or juices.
- Lane · entry 39030
شَكُور
Of a beast: one that is satisfied by little fodder and fattens on it.
A figurative intensive adjective, explained as though the beast were appreciative of a small benefit.
- Lane · entry 39033
أَشْكَرُ
More or most thankful or grateful.
A comparative or elative adjective, as in the expression “more grateful than the barūqah plant.”
- Lane · entry 39040
مَشْكَرَةٌ
Herbage that causes milk to become copious.
A rare botanical and pastoral adjective applied to vegetation productive of abundant milk.
- Lane · entry 39041
شِكُورِيَةٌ
A name for chicory, succory, or endive.
A later plant name recorded as an Arabicized or contemporary botanical usage.
- Lane · entry 39036
شَاكِرِيّ
A hired man, hireling, or servant.
An Arabicized word identified as borrowed from Persian; it is not the gratitude branch of the Quranic headword شَاكِر.
- Lane · entry 39037
شَيْكُرَان
A particular plant, identified in later usage with hemlock or a related species.
The entry records several variant spellings and a Persian connection; the plant has a slender stem and leaves compared with fennel, cucumber, or bryony.
- Lane · entry 39039
زَمَنُ الشُّكْرَةِ
The season or period when livestock have abundant milk or full udders.
A conventional time expression associated with plentiful spring herbage and milk.
- Lane · entry 39028
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The classical discussion allows شُكُور in 76:9 to be read as either an infinitive or a plural of شُكْر; it is presented publicly as a verbal noun because of its Quranic form grouping and constructional use.
The reported interpretation of مُشْتَكِرَةٌ or اشْتَكَرَتِ الرِّيَاحُ as a contrary wind is explicitly disputed in the supplied lexical evidence; the secure descriptions are rain-bringing or violent wind.