How to say "envy" in Arabic
False friendMeaningenvy
Arabic · Modern Standard Arabic
حَسَد
ḥasadחסד
حسد
Hebrew · Modern Hebrew
קנאה
kinaكِينَا
How the two words are related
False friend
Sounds like a Hebrew word but means something else — handle with care.
Arabic root
ح-س-دHebrew root
ח-ס-דThe classic trap: ḥasad is spelled letter for letter like Hebrew חֶסֶד — but חסד means 'kindness, lovingkindness', while ḥasad means 'envy'. Same three root consonants, near-opposite feelings. No genuine relation is proposed; it's a coincidence worth remembering precisely because it's so easy to mix up.
Related Hebrew word:חסדkhesedخِسِد
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In a phrase
عَيْن الْحَسَد
ʿayn al-ḥasadעין אל-חסדthe evil eye (lit. 'eye of envy')