阿拉 (ā lā) — Allah (the Islamic God)

Definition

Arabic name for the one God in Islam, used by Chinese Muslims and in Islamic texts. In Mandarin, 普通话语 (gǔlánjīng) is more common in mainland contexts.

noun
Allah (the Islamic God)

Examples

  • 阿拉。
    Mù sī lín měi tiān dōu yào xiàng ā lā qí dǎo.
    Muslims pray to Allah every day.
  • 《》阿拉。
    《Gǔ lán jīng》 zhōng duō cì tí dào ā lā de rén cí.
    The Quran frequently mentions Allah's mercy.
  • 阿拉。
    Zhè wèi xué zhě zhuān mén yán jiū ā lā de jiǔ shí jiǔ gè měi míng.
    This scholar specializes in the 99 beautiful names of Allah.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阜阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
可
可kě阿ā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The part 阜 points to a mound, and 可 gives the pronunciation; 阿 originally meant a big mound.

Open 阿 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
立
立lì拉lā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拉 pairs 手 (hand) with 立, a component that supplies the sound.

Open 拉 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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