Root · 0 in the Quran · 1 in 1 text of the library
وقص (root wqs)
الواو والقاف والصاد : كلمة تدل على كسر شيء منه الوقص : دق العنق ، وقصت عنقه فه موقوصة أما قول الهذلي : — فبعثتها تقص …
Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-lugha
The family of the root
Patterns computed · our dataThe words of و ق ص that our sources attest: the root's letters in green, the added letters in gold.
12 words5 verbs3 verbal nouns1 participle1 intensive or elative2 other nouns
- وَقَصَhe broke his neck, and the thing
- وَقَّصَhe threw fragments, or broken pieces, of sticks upon his fire
- أَوْقَصَhe made him to be short in the neck
- تَوَقَّصَsuch a one passed along, his horse bounding, and making short steps, with him
- تَوَاقَصَhe made himself like, or imitated, him who is short in the neck
The whole family5 groups, by pattern; tap a pattern to see what it does
Verbs5وَقَصَ · وَقَّصَ · أَوْقَصَ
The root as an action: the bare Form I, and the Forms made by adding letters before, inside or after the root.grammar →
Form I vowels: فَعَلَ يَفْعِلُ (a – i; the imperfect from Lane's “aor.”)
- وَقَصَhe broke his neck, and the thingLaneForm Ilibrary ×1LaneIbn Fāris
- وَقَّصَhe threw fragments, or broken pieces, of sticks upon his fireLaneForm IILaneIbn Fāris
- أَوْقَصَhe made him to be short in the neckLaneForm IVLane
- تَوَقَّصَsuch a one passed along, his horse bounding, and making short steps, with himLaneForm VLaneIbn Fāris
- تَوَاقَصَhe made himself like, or imitated, him who is short in the neckLaneForm VILane
Verbal nouns3وَقَص · وَقْص · تَوْقِيص
The action itself, named as a noun (maṣdar).grammar →
Participles1مَوْقُوص
The one who does it, and the one it is done to.grammar →
- مَوْقُوصman having his neck brokenLanepassive, Form ILane
Reference
Why this shape?What each of the 10 patterns does
What each pattern does. The pattern gives a tendency, not a rule: many words have drifted into meanings of their own.
The pattern machinePour the root into a pattern; see whether the word exists
Choose a pattern; the root's letters pour into it. Then see whether the word exists in our sources. The machine makes shapes; only usage makes words.
Not in our sources. A possible shape, not a word we can show: the Quran, the library and Lane do not have it for this root.
Place noun with -a. The place noun with the feminine -a. Sometimes it is only a variant of mafʿal; often it names the place where a thing is found in abundance (maʾsada, 'a place full of lions'). So maktab is the place of writing, and maktaba, where writings are gathered: a library, a bookshop. Our summary AI
But: maktaba is not in our classical dictionaries for k-t-b: Lane and al-Jawharī give maktab ('a school'), none gives maktaba. Its sense of 'library, bookshop' fits the pattern of abundance, but that is our reading of the pattern, not a classical entry. Many mafʿala words are single items of usage (maqbara 'cemetery'), which the grammarians call heard, not formed by rule.
The grammarians on this pattern (4)
ما يكون مفعلة لازمة لها الهاء والفتحة … وذلك إذا أردت أن تكثر الشيء بالمكان، وذلك قولك: أرض مسبعة، ومأسدة
Chapter on what is mafʿala, with the -a and the a-vowel always: that is when you mean that a thing abounds in a place, as you say 'a land of many beasts of prey (masbaʿa), of many lions (maʾsada)' AI
Sībawayh (d. c. 180/796), al-Kitāb, ed. ʿAbd al-Salām Hārūn, 3rd ed. (Cairo: al-Khānjī, 1988), 4:94 · OpenITI line 21027–21028 ↗ · on this site · OpenITI RELEASE v2025.1.9, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
و نحو المظنة و المقبرة فتحا و ضما ليس بقياس
and words like maẓinna and maqbara (with a or u) are not by rule AI
Ibn al-Ḥājib (d. 646/1249), al-Shāfiya fī ʿilm al-taṣrīf, ed. Ḥasan Aḥmad al-ʿUthmān (Mecca: al-Maktaba al-Makkiyya, 1995), 1:30 · OpenITI line 223 ↗ · on this site · OpenITI RELEASE v2025.1.9, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
- “designate the place where the object signified by the noun from which they are formed, is found in large numbers or quantities” Wright, Grammar I, §247, p. 148 ↗ · on nouns of abundance, maf'ala · 3rd ed. (Cambridge, 1896) · public domain
- “Nouns of time and place not unfrequently take the feminine form” Wright, Grammar I, §225, p. 128 ↗ · on maf'ala as a variant of maf'al · 3rd ed. (Cambridge, 1896) · public domain
This root has a weak or doubled letter, so real words change shape (qāla → qāʾil, not qāwil); the machine pours the letters in as they are, and matches attested words by their regular pattern.
About thisWhat “attested” means here; the sources
Attested means found in our data: the Quranic Arabic Corpus (lemmas, verb Forms, participles, verbal nouns, plurals), the library's words (automatic analysis), Lane's Lexicon (his headwords, the Forms he numbers, the verbal nouns and plurals he names) and Ibn Fāris's entry. Nothing is generated for this list. Meanings are Lane's first gloss in his entry, or else the analyser's gloss (“auto”). Vowelling follows the corpus, then Lane, then the analyser; verbs are given in the regular perfect. Lane's Lexicon thins out after qāf, and a few of his entries cover several roots at once: those roots show no Lane. The patterns, written with ف ع ل, are computed by us.
The dictionaries
Ibn Fāris · 395الواو والقاف والصاد : كلمة تدل على كسر شيء منه الوقص : دق العنق ، وقصت عنقه فه موقوصة أما قول الهذلي : — فبعثتها تقص المقاصر بعد ما … كربت حياة النارش للمتنور — فمن وقص الدابة إذا سار في رؤوس الآكام فيقصها ومنه التوقص في
Ibn Fāris (d. 395/1004), Maqāyīs al-Lugha. Seeks each root's original sense (aṣl).
The same letters, turned
The same three letters in all six orders. Choose one.
و ق ص
الواو والقاف والصاد : كلمة تدل على كسر شيء منه الوقص : دق العنق ، وقصت عنقه فه موقوصة أما قول الهذلي : فبعثتها تقص المقاصر بعد ما كربت حياة النارش للمتنور فمن وقص الدابة إذا سار في رؤوس الآكام فيقصها ومنه التوقص في المشي …
w-q-ṣ: a word indicating the breaking of a thing; from it al-waqṣ: breaking the neck, and waqaṣat 'unuquhu, so it is mawqūṣa. As for the saying of al-Hudhalī: 'fa-ba'athtuhā taquṣṣu al-maqāṣira ba'da mā karibat ḥayāt al-nārish lil-mutanawwir', this is from waqaṣa al-dābba when it travels over the tops of hills, so it waqaṣahā; and from it al-tawaqquṣ in walking… AI
an entry in Ibn Fārislater sources onlyin none of them
Do these six share one core meaning?
Reference
About thisal-Khalīl, Ibn Jinnī, Ibn Fāris; the counts across the dictionary
al-Khalīl (d. c. 170/786), Kitāb al-ʿAyn, as transmitted by al-Layth: a two-letter word “turns in two ways”, a three-letter word “in six ways” (masdūsa), four letters in 24, five in 120; “its used forms are written down and its unused ones dropped” (line 975 ↗). The dictionary is built on this: each chapter takes a set of letters and names which orders are used (mustaʿmal) and which unused (muhmal). The ring shows that verdict, from the chapter heading as edited (documented in the text; how much of the book is al-Khalīl's own is disputed).
A reported total. al-Suyūṭī transmits, from Ḥamza al-Iṣfahānī, that al-Khalīl put the possible forms, used and unused, of two to five letters at 12,305,412 (al-Muzhir, line 1347 ↗). It is reported, not found in the ʿAyn. It equals exactly the arrangements of 2 to 5 different letters out of 28 (756 + 19,656 + 491,400 + 11,793,600); the breakdown printed beside it is corrupt, and al-Zubaydī's count, given next, differs (6,659,400).
Ibn Jinnī (d. 392/1002), al-Khaṣāʾiṣ, names the greater derivation (al-ishtiqāq al-akbar): bind a three-letter root and its six orders to one meaning, and bring stray members back “by the subtlety of the craft and interpretation” (line 7536 ↗). He says himself that it does not hold for every root (line 167 ↗; line 7603 ↗).
Ibn Fāris (d. 395/1004) gives each root its own aṣl and treats a rearranged word as maqlūb, “turned round”, and so not a root of its own: “j-b-dh is not a root, because it is a single word, turned round” (Maqāyīs, line 6147 ↗). The ring sets his aṣl for each order side by side; whether they meet is the question.
Neighbours on the ring differ by one swap of two letters.
The critique. A source quoted by al-Suyūṭī calls the greater derivation Ibn Jinnī's innovation, “not relied on in the language” (al-Muzhir, line 6159 ↗).
The other axis. The root's letters also go into patterns that keep their order and change the frame: the patterns (awzān) and the verb Forms I–X.
Across Ibn Fāris's dictionary. Of the 2,300 possible sets of three different sound letters (no hamza, w or y), 1,021 have at least one order as an entry. How many of their six orders are entries:
- 1 of 6319
- 2 of 6218
- 3 of 6164
- 4 of 6155
- 5 of 6107
- 6 of 658
- 1 of 6148
- 2 of 6108
- 3 of 6157
- 4 of 6179
- 5 of 6111
- 6 of 643
Of the orders al-Khalīl calls used, 2,097 are entries in Ibn Fāris and 267 are not; 17 that he calls unused are entries in Ibn Fāris.
Attested here means found in our digital texts (Ibn Fāris, Lisān al-ʿArab, Lane, the Quranic Arabic Corpus), with w and y kept apart and hamza spellings merged; it is our data, not a classical verdict. English beside the Arabic is AI translation. Sources and grades: docs/research/root-permutations.md.
Letters & sound
- وwāwbetween the lips · voiced, in betweenSīb. · I. Jinnī
- قqāffar back of the tongue · voiced, stopSīb. · I. Jinnī
- صṣādtongue-tip, by the front teeth · voiceless, continuant, velarisedSīb. · I. Jinnī
How each letter is made, in brief, from Sībawayh's and Ibn Jinnī's own sentences (linked); their words are under Reference.
Sharing two of its three letters (computed; kinship of form, not of meaning)
Reference
How it is madeSībawayh and Ibn Jinnī · phonetics
English throughout: AI translation of the Arabic AI
و
ومما بين الشفتين مخرج الباء، والميم، والواو
From between the two lips is the place of the bāʾ, the mīm and the wāw. Sībawayh, line 26563 ↗
ومما بين الشفتين مخرج الباء والميم والواو
From between the two lips is the place of the bāʾ, the mīm and the wāw. Ibn Jinnī, line 986 ↗
ق
ومن أقصى اللسان وما فوقه من الحنك الأعلى مخرج القاف
From the furthest part of the tongue and the upper palate above it is the place of the qāf. Sībawayh, line 26550 ↗
ومما فوق ذلك من أقصى اللسان، مخرج القاف
From above that, at the furthest part of the tongue, is the place of the qāf. Ibn Jinnī, line 972 ↗
ص
ومما بين طرف اللسان وفويق الثنايا مخرج الزاي، والسين، والصاد
From between the tip of the tongue and just above the front teeth is the place of the zāy, the sīn and the ṣād. Sībawayh, line 26560 ↗
ومما بين الثنايا وطرف اللسان، مخرج الصاد والزاي والسين
From between the front teeth and the tip of the tongue is the place of the ṣād, the zāy and the sīn. Ibn Jinnī, line 983 ↗
Sībawayh, al-Kitāb (ed. Hārūn) and Ibn Jinnī, Sirr ṣināʿat al-iʿrāb; OpenITI digital texts (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). Full credits on each letter's page.
In the Breath of the All-MercifulIbn ʿArabī · metaphysics
English throughout: AI translation of the Arabic AI
و
Level of existence: تعيين الرتب والمقامات والمنازل · the determination of ranks, stations and waystations
Divine Name: رفيع الدرجات · Rafīʿ al-Darajāt, Exalted in Degrees
Lunar mansion: الرشا · al-Rashāʾ
Futūḥāt ch. 198, line 62121Spheres of its simples (ch. 2): 10 line 2573 ↗
Nature (ch. 2)
المرتبة العشرية فحروفها حارة يابسة
The tenfold rank: its letters are hot and dry.
Ibn ʿArabī, al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya, line 2582ق
Spheres of its simples (ch. 2): 10 line 2573 ↗
Nature (ch. 2)
المرتبة العشرية فحروفها حارة يابسة
The tenfold rank: its letters are hot and dry.
Ibn ʿArabī, al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya, line 2582ص
Level of existence: التراب · earth
Divine Name: المميت · al-Mumīt, the Death-Giver
Lunar mansion: البلدة · al-Balda
Futūḥāt ch. 198, line 62111Spheres of its simples (ch. 2): 8 line 2571 ↗
Nature (ch. 2)
الثمانية فحروفها حارة يابسة
The eightfold [rank]: its letters are hot and dry.
Ibn ʿArabī, al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya, line 2580Meaning by vowelal-Dabbāgh · a visionary claim about a primordial “Syriac”, not historical Syriac
English throughout: AI translation of the Arabic AI
و
With fatḥa ـَ
فهي الأشياء المشتبكة في الإنسان مثل العروق والأصابع وما أشبه ذلك.
It is the intertwined things in the human being, such as veins, fingers and the like.
With ḍamma ـُ
فهي الأشياء المباينة لبني آدم مثل الأفلاك والجبال وما أشبه ذلك
It is things distinct from the children of Adam, such as the celestial spheres, mountains and the like.
With kasra ـِ
فهي الأشياء المشتبكة المستقذرة أو المبغوضة كالأمعاء ونحوها.
It is intertwined things that are filthy or detested, such as the intestines and the like.
ق
With fatḥa ـَ
فهي إشارة إلى حيازة الخيرات أو إلى جميع الأنوار.
It is an indication of the acquisition of goods, or of all lights.
With ḍamma ـُ
فهي إشارة إلى النشأة الأصلية أو العلم القديم وما أشبه ذلك.
It is an indication of the original creation, or eternal knowledge, and the like.
With kasra ـِ
فهي إشارة إلى الذل.
It is an indication of abasement.
ص
With fatḥa ـَ
فهي جميع غبار الأرض في الموقف بين يدي الله عز وجل.
It is all the dust of the earth at the Standing (on the Day of Judgement) before God, Mighty and Majestic.
With ḍamma ـُ
فهي جميع نباتاتها.
It is all its (the earth's) plants.
With kasra ـِ
فهي الأرضون السبع.
It is the seven earths.
Two-letter nucleus14 roots in Ibn Fāris’s chapterو ق
Ibn Fāris groups his roots under two-letter chapters (“the X and the Y and what makes them three”). These are the roots of this root's chapter with the core sense he gives each. Setting them side by side is our juxtaposition; he does not himself draw a shared meaning. His chapter heading, line 34679 ↗
- وقلالواو والقاف واللام : كلمة تدل على علو في جبل وتوقل في الجبل : علا وكل صاعد في شيء متوقل وفرس وقل : حسن السير في الجبال والوقل : شجر المقل .L34681
- وقمالواو والقاف والميم يدل على غلبة وإذلال ووقم الله العدو وقما : أذله وتوقم فلان العلم : قتله خبرا وتوقمت الصيد : ختلته وقال الكسائي : الموقوم : الشديد L34685
- وقهالواو والقاف والهاء : كلمة واحدة استيقه القوم أطاعوا من وقهت .L34689
- وقىالواو والقاف والياء : كلمة واحدة تدل على دفع شيء عن شيء بغيره ووقيته أقيه وقيا والوقاية : ما بقي الشيء واتق الله : توقه ، أي اجعل بينك وبينه كالوقايةQ 258 · L34691
- وقبالواو والقاف والباء : كلمة تدل على غيبة شيء في مغابQ 1 · L34697
- وقتالواو والقاف والتاء : أصل يدل على حد شيء وكنهه في زمان وغيره من الوقت : الزمان المعلوم والموقوت : الشيء المحدود والميقات : المصير للوقت وقت له كذا ووقQ 13 · L34703
- وقحالواو والقاف والحاء : كلمة تدل على صلابة في الشيء والحافر الصلب وقاح ، شبه به الرجل القليل الحياء فقيل وقاح ووقح : بين القحة والوقاحة والتوقيح : أن يوL34708
- وقدالواو والقاف والدال : كلمة تدل على اشتعال نار وقدت النار تقد واتقدت وتوقدت ، وأوقدتها أنا والوقود : الحطب والوقود : فعل النار إذا وقدت والوقد : نفس الQ 11 · L34713
- وقذالواو والقاف والدال : كلمة تدل على ضرب بخشب منه الوقذ : الإيلام بالضرب وشاة موقوذة : ضربت بالخشب حتى ماتت .Q 1 · L34717
- وقرالواو والقاف والراء : اصل يدل على ثقل في الشيء منه الوقر : الثقل في الأذنQ 9 · L34720
- وقصالواو والقاف والصاد : كلمة تدل على كسر شيء منه الوقص : دق العنق ، وقصت عنقه فه موقوصة أما قول الهذلي : — فبعثتها تقص المقاصر بعد ما … كربت حياة النارشL34731
- وقطالواو والقاف والطاء : كلمة تدل على وقع شيء بشيء ووقط الديك الدجاجة : سفدها ويقال : أصابتنا سماء فوقطت الأرض ، كأنها وقعت بها ، وذلك المكان الذي يستنقعL34739
- وقعالواو والقاف والعين أصل واحد يرجع إليه فروعه ، يدل على سقوط شيءQ 24 · L34743
- وقفالواو والقاف والفاء : أصل واحد يدل على تمكث في شيء ثم يقاس عليه منه وقفت اقف وقوفا ووقفت وقفي ، ولاQ 4 · L34760
In the sister scriptsHebrew ו ק צSyriac ܘ ܩ ܨ
| Arabic | و ق ص |
| Hebrew | ו ק צ |
| Syriac | ܘ ܩ ܨ |
| Ancient South Arabian (musnad) | 𐩥 𐩤 𐩮 |
| Phoenician | 𐤅 𐤒 𐤑 |
Letter for letter, by the regular sound correspondences of the Semitic languages (Arabic keeps several sounds the others merged). This shows how the root would be spelled; whether a related word exists is a separate question, answered in the Semitic lens. Where an Arabic sibilant (s, sh) continues two older sounds, both spellings are shown.
Reference