Quranic root
شكو
sh · k · w
The root centers on experiencing pain or distress and making that inner condition known through complaint or lament.
Its lexical imagery is associated with opening a small skin vessel and revealing what is inside; this develops metaphorically into revealing grief, sorrow, or a grievance.
- Maqāyīs · row 2685
- Mufradāt · row 780
- Lane · entry 39087
- 3
- Quran-attested forms
- 3
- Quran senses
- 3
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
شَكَا
shakā
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- 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.
To complain or disclose one's grief, sorrow, distress, or condition.
The complaint may be directed to a recipient with إِلَى and may concern one's grief, sorrow, or situation. The Quranic occurrence presents the speaker as disclosing his grief to God.
- Lane · entry 39087
- Mufradāt · row 780
Selected Quran examples
Quran 12:86word 3
“I complain”
اِشْتَكَى
āishtakā
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form VIII
- Form
- VIII
- 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.
To express or direct a complaint, lament, or grief.
The derived verb is used for voicing a complaint to a recipient; its Quranic occurrence describes a complaint being directed to God.
- Lane · entry 39087
- Mufradāt · row 780
Selected Quran examples
Quran 58:1word 9
“and she directs her complaint”
مِشْكَاةٌ
mishkāhun
- 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 niche or recessed hollow in a wall, especially one used to hold or enhance the light of a lamp.
The Quranic expression uses the word in the parable of the lamp. The principal lexical interpretation is a non-through wall niche; other interpretations construe it as a lamp receptacle, tube, or support within the same lamp-related image.
- Lane · entry 39106
- Mufradāt · row 780
Selected Quran examples
Quran 24:35word 7
“(is) like a niche”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 12:86أَشْكُوا۟I complain
- 24:35كَمِشْكَوٰةٍۢ(is) like a niche
- 58:1وَتَشْتَكِىٓand she directs her complaint
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 27 Classical meanings
شَكَا
Of a camel, to stretch out its neck and make prolonged moaning or a complaining sound.
A specialized usage associated with fatigue from travel.
- Lane · entry 39087
شَكَا
To complain of a disease, sickness, or pain in a bodily member.
The object may be the illness itself or the affected member.
- Lane · entry 39087
اِشْتَكَى / تَشَكَّى
To be or become diseased or sick.
This is a Classical usage distinct from merely expressing a complaint.
- Lane · entry 39087
يُشْكَى
To be accused or suspected of something.
Used with بِـ for the matter of which one is accused or suspected.
- Lane · entry 39087
شَكِيَ / شَكَا
In a rare reported usage concerning a person's nails, to become split in several places.
The reported reading and vocalization are uncertain in the lexical source.
- Lane · entry 39087
شَكَّى
To make or take for oneself a شَكْوَة, a small skin vessel.
The attested construction is associated particularly with making a small vessel for churning milk.
- Lane · entry 39088
شَاكَى
To complain of someone, or to report his deceit, guile, vices, or faults.
This Form III usage is directed against a person whose conduct is being reported.
- Lane · entry 39089
أَشْكَى
To cause someone to complain, especially by increasing his annoyance or giving him cause for complaint.
The construction is causative: the subject does something that makes another person need to complain.
- Lane · entry 39090
أَشْكَى
To remove or relieve someone's complaint and make him content.
This is the opposite causative sense, in which a person's complaint is brought to an end or his grievance is satisfied.
- Lane · entry 39090
أَشْكَى
To tell someone one's complaint, desire, or longing.
The object is the complaint or inner desire communicated to another person.
- Lane · entry 39090
أَشْكَى
To find someone complaining.
A reported construction in which the subject encounters a friend or beloved in a complaining state.
- Lane · entry 39090
تَشَكَّى
To express complaint or lamentation, including pain, grief, or sorrow.
A Classical Form V expression of complaint or distress.
- Lane · entry 39091
- Lane · entry 39087
تَشَكَّى
Figuratively, for sheep or goats, to forsake a land and avoid going near it as though complaining of it.
A specialized figurative construction rather than a general meaning of abandoning.
- Lane · entry 39091
تَشَاكَوْا
To complain to one another.
The reciprocal Form VI construction distributes the act of complaint among the participants.
- Lane · entry 39092
شَكْوٌ
Grief, mourning, or sorrow.
A nominal use distinct from the verbal act of making a complaint.
- Lane · entry 39094
شَكْوٌ
A complaint in the sense of a disease, malady, or sickness.
The noun may denote the illness that gives rise to a complaint.
- Lane · entry 39094
شَكْوٌ
A small or young lamb or camel.
A rare Classical nominal meaning reported with variant wording in the lexical tradition.
- Lane · entry 39094
شَكْوَى
A complaint or expression of grievance.
Also used as a simple noun or verbal noun; شَكَاةٌ, شِكَايَةٌ, and شَكِيَّةٌ are attested as related complaint nouns.
- Lane · entry 39095
- Lane · entry 39097
- Lane · entry 39101
- Lane · entry 39102
شَكَاةٌ
A vice, fault, or defect.
A specialized nominal use, distinct from شَكَاةٌ meaning complaint.
- Lane · entry 39095
شَكْوَةٌ
A small skin or leather vessel for water or milk.
It may refer specifically to the skin of a sucking kid or to a small receptacle in which water is kept or milk is stored.
- Lane · entry 39096
- Lane · entry 39087
شَكِيٌّ
A complaining person or complainer.
The adjective can describe one who complains or expresses distress.
- Lane · entry 39100
شَكِيٌّ
Pained or affected by pain.
An adjectival use in which the form has passive force.
- Lane · entry 39100
شَكِيٌّ
Causing pain or painful.
An adjectival use in which the form has active force.
- Lane · entry 39100
شَكِيٌّ
Affected by a complaint, disease, or sickness, including one of a slight kind.
This adjective may be used of someone affected by illness rather than merely voicing a complaint.
- Lane · entry 39100
مَشْكُوٌّ / مَشْكِيٌّ
Complained of; also, less commonly, complained to.
These are passive-participial uses related to شَكَا, with the sense complained of reported as the usual one.
- Lane · entry 39100
- Lane · entry 39107
شَكِيَّةٌ
A thing complained of or made the subject of a complaint.
A substantive use distinct from شَكِيَّةٌ as a verbal noun; its plural is reported as شَكَايَا.
- Lane · entry 39102
شَكِيَّةٌ
A remainder or remaining portion of something.
A separate rare nominal use.
- Lane · entry 39102
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
مِشْكَاةٌ has several reported Quranic interpretations concerning the precise lamp-related referent; the core lexical presentation follows the wall-niche explanation while noting the receptacle and support interpretations.
Several rare Classical meanings, including the split-nails usage and the young-animal meaning of شَكْوٌ, are reported with lexical or manuscript uncertainty.