Quranic root
ثقب
th · q · b
The root centers on making something pass through or penetrate another thing.
From literal piercing and perforation, the semantic field extends to penetrating light, blazing fire, penetrating judgment, and figurative or conventional passages through difficult terrain.
- Maqāyīs · row 1030
- Mufradāt · row 203
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 1
- Quran senses
- 2
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
ثَاقِبٌ
thāqibun
- Part of speech
- Active participle (adjectival)
- 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.
Piercingly luminous; shining with a light that penetrates the darkness.
Used in the Quran of a shooting flame or meteor-like firebrand and of a star. The piercing quality refers to the penetrating force of its radiance, not necessarily to literal perforation.
- Lane · entry 27354
- Mufradāt · row 203
Selected Quran examples
Quran 37:10word 7
“piercing”
Quran 86:3word 2
“the piercing”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
View all 2 occurrencesBroader Classical Arabic meanings
Recorded for this root in the Classical lexicons beyond its Quran usage. These are secondary to the Quran senses above.
Show 25 Classical meanings
ثَقَبَ
To make a hole in something; to pierce, perforate, or bore it.
Includes puncturing a pustule so that its fluid issues, and piercing skin, pearls, ears, or face-veils.
- Lane · entry 27345
ثَقَبَ
To shine or blaze brightly, as a star, flame, or fire; to emit a bright spark.
A figurative extension of piercing through darkness by brightness; it may also describe a fire-producing implement that emits fire.
- Lane · entry 27345
ثَقَبَ
Of an odor, to diffuse and rise.
- Lane · entry 27345
ثَقَبَ
Of judgment, to be penetrating or discerning.
A figurative use describing the effectiveness and penetration of one's judgment.
- Lane · entry 27345
ثَقَبَ
Of a she-camel, to abound in milk.
A conventional description of exceptional milk production.
- Lane · entry 27345
ثَقُبَ
To be or become very red, like the flame of fire.
Applied to a person in an explicitly figurative comparison with fire.
- Lane · entry 27345
ثَقَّبَ
Of a bird, to soar high, piercing the air toward the region of the clouds or the midst of the sky.
- Lane · entry 27346
ثَقَّبَ
Of hoariness, to appear, spread, or become intermixed in a person's hair.
Also used of hoariness beginning at the sides of the beard.
- Lane · entry 27346
ثَقَّبَ
Of a plant stalk, to soften as sap runs through it and it begins to put forth leaves.
A botanical usage describing the stalk's development after rain.
- Lane · entry 27346
ثَقَّبَ
To make a lamp or fire burn, blaze, shine, or gleam very brightly; to kindle a fire or cause a spark to fall.
A causative or intensive fire-making construction, including kindling with tinder, dung, or similar fuel.
- Lane · entry 27346
انْثَقَبَ
To be or become perforated, bored, or pierced with holes.
A passive or inchoative construction, including skin becoming pierced by ticks.
- Lane · entry 27349
ثَقْبٌ
A hole, perforation, or bore that passes through a thing.
The term may denote a small or non-deep hole; larger holes may be distinguished by another word in some lexical accounts.
- Lane · entry 27350
ثَقُوبٌ
Fuel or a material used to kindle fire or make it burn brightly.
Includes small sticks, camel dung, and tinder.
- Lane · entry 27352
ثَقِيبٌ
A person who is very red, like the flame of fire.
A figurative description of exceptionally red coloring.
- Lane · entry 27353
ثَاقِبٌ
Of a firestick, emitting fire when struck.
An adjectival use describing an implement that produces a spark.
- Lane · entry 27354
ثَاقِبٌ
Of lineage, grounds of honor, or reputation, famous and exalted; bright or brilliant.
A figurative use applied to hasab or comparable grounds of social distinction.
- Lane · entry 27354
ثَاقِبٌ
Of knowledge or judgment, brilliant, penetrating, sagacious, or intelligent.
Used in constructions such as ثَاقِبُ العِلْمِ and ثَاقِبُ الرَّأْىِ.
- Lane · entry 27354
ثَاقِبٌ
Certain or sure, when describing information or news.
The expression عَيْنٌ ثَاقِبَةٌ can denote information that is reliable or certain.
- Lane · entry 27354
ثَاقِبٌ
Of a she-camel, abounding in milk and surpassing other camels in its abundance.
A conventional adjectival description of exceptionally productive milk-giving.
- Lane · entry 27354
أَثْقَبُ
More or most piercing or penetrating; of firewood, best at yielding fire.
A comparative or superlative form with a related specialization in the quality of firewood.
- Lane · entry 27355
أُثْقُوبٌ
A person who enters or penetrates deeply into affairs.
A figurative description of someone greatly involved in matters.
- Lane · entry 27356
مَثْقَبٌ
A great road, conceived as being pierced or worn through by the tread of travelers.
A conventional road-name usage distinct from the instrument noun مِثْقَبٌ.
- Lane · entry 27357
مِثْقَبٌ
An instrument used to perforate, bore, or pierce; a drill or similar tool.
Its plural is مَثَاقِبُ.
- Lane · entry 27358
مِثْقَبٌ
A road passing through a mountain or a stony, rugged tract, as though perforating it.
It can refer to particular named routes and occurs in طَلَّاعُ المَثَاقِبِ, describing one who ascends difficult mountain passes.
- Lane · entry 27358
مُثَقَّبٌ
Pierced or perforated; having holes made through it.
Applied to pearls, hides, reeds, and other objects that have been pierced.
- Lane · entry 27359
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Quranic form ثَاقِبٌ is an active participle used adjectivally; in its Quranic contexts, “piercing” refers to penetrating radiance. Other literal perforation and fire-making branches are broader Classical Arabic evidence, not additional Quranic senses.