תאנה

Hebrew

Figs on a fig tree

Etymology

Root
ת־א־ן (t-ʾ-n)
1 term

From Proto-Semitic *tiʔin-. Cognate to Arabic تين (tīn).

Pronunciation

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Noun

תְּאֵנָה • (te'ená) f (plural indefinite תְּאֵנִים, singular construct תְּאֵנַת־, plural construct תְּאֵנֵי־) [pattern: קְטֵלָה]

1. A fig tree.
   • Tanach, Song of Songs 2:13, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     הַתְּאֵנָה֙ חָֽנְטָ֣ה פַגֶּ֔יהָ וְהַגְּפָנִ֥ים ׀ סְמָדַ֖ר נָ֣תְנוּ רֵ֑יחַ ק֥וּמִי לכי [לָ֛ךְ] רַעְיָתִ֥י יָפָתִ֖י וּלְכִי־לָֽךְ׃

     Ha-teená ḥanṭá fagéha, v-ha-gfaním smadár nátnu ré-akh; qúmi lakh ra'yatí yafatí u-lkhí lakh.

     The fig tree has produced its green figs, and the grapevines tender grapes give out their fragrance; arise my beloved, my fair one, and go forth.

   • Tanach, Jeremiah 8:13, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     אָסֹ֥ף אֲסִיפֵ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה אֵין֩ עֲנָבִ֨ים בַּגֶּ֜פֶן וְאֵ֧ין תְּאֵנִ֣ים בַּתְּאֵנָ֗ה וְהֶֽעָלֶה֙ נָבֵ֔ל וָאֶתֵּ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם יַעַבְרֽוּם׃

     Asóf asifém n'um Adonai; ein anavím ba-géfen, v-ein t'einím ba-teená, v-he'alé navél va-etéin lahém ya'avrúm.

     I will utterly consume them, saith the LORD; there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig-tree, and the leaf is faded; and I gave them that which they transgress.

   • a. 217 C.E., Mishnah, Kil'ayim 6:4:

     מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהָלַךְ רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֵצֶל רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל לִכְפַר עָזִיז, וְהֶרְאָהוּ גֶפֶן מֻדְלֶה עַל מִקְצָת תְּאֵנָה

     Ma'aséh she-halákh Rabbí Yehoshuá' étsel Rabbí Yishma'él li-Khfar Azíz, v-har'éhu géfen mudlé al miqtsát teená.

     There was a matter where Rabbi Yehoshua went to Rabbi Yishmael in Kfar Aziz, and was shown a grape vine suspended on part of a fig tree.

2. fig (the fruit of the fig tree, pear-shaped and containing many small seeds)
   • Tanach, Jeremiah 8:13, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     אָסֹ֥ף אֲסִיפֵ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה אֵין֩ עֲנָבִ֨ים בַּגֶּ֜פֶן וְאֵ֧ין תְּאֵנִ֣ים בַּתְּאֵנָ֗ה וְהֶֽעָלֶה֙ נָבֵ֔ל וָאֶתֵּ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם יַעַבְרֽוּם׃

     Asóf asifém n'um Adonai; ein anavím ba-géfen, v-ein teeiním ba-teená, v-he'alé navél va-etéin lahém ya'avrúm.

     I will utterly consume them, saith the LORD; there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig-tree, and the leaf is faded; and I gave them that which they transgress.

   • Tanach, Jeremiah 24:2, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     הַדּ֣וּד אֶחָ֗ד תְּאֵנִים֙ טֹב֣וֹת מְאֹ֔ד כִּתְאֵנֵ֖י הַבַּכֻּר֑וֹת וְהַדּ֣וּד אֶחָ֗ד תְּאֵנִים֙ רָע֣וֹת מְאֹ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־תֵֽאָכַ֖לְנָה מֵרֹֽעַ׃

     Ha-dúd eḥád teeiním ṭovót m'ód, ki-teeinéi ha-bakurót, v-ha-dud eḥád teeiním ra'ót m'ód ashér lo te'akhálna me-róa'.

     One basket had very good figs, like the figs that are first-ripe; and the other basket had very bad figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.

   • a. 217 C.E., Mishnah, Berachot 6:8:

     אָכַל תְּאֵנִים עֲנָבִים וְרִמּוֹנִים, מְבָרֵךְ אַחֲרֵיהֶן שָׁלשׁ בְּרָכוֹת, דִּבְרֵי רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל.

     Akhál teeiním anavím v-rimoním, m'varékh aḥareihén shalósh berakhót, divréi Rabbán Gamliél.

     If one ate figs, grapes, or pomegranates, one blesses three blessings after it, according to Rabban Gamaliel.

Declension

Declension of תְּאֵנָה

	isolated forms		with possessive pronouns
Number:	State:	form	Person:	singular		plural
				m	f	m	f
singular	indefinite	תְּאֵנָה	first	תְּאֵנָתִי		תְּאֵנָתֵנוּ
	definite	הַתְּאֵנָה	second	תְּאֵנָתְךָ	תְּאֵנָתֵךְ	תְּאֵנַתְכֶם	תְּאֵנַתְכֶן
	construct	תְּאֵנַת־	third	תְּאֵנָתוֹ	תְּאֵנָתָהּ	תְּאֵנָתָם	תְּאֵנָתָן
plural	indefinite	תְּאֵנִים	first	תאניי / תְּאֵנַי		תְּאֵנֵינוּ
	definite	הַתְּאֵנִים	second	תְּאֵנֶיךָ	תאנייך / תְּאֵנַיִךְ	תְּאֵנֵיכֶם	תְּאֵנֵיכֶן
	construct	תְּאֵנֵי־	third	תְּאֵנָיו	תְּאֵנֶיהָ	תְּאֵנֵיהֶם	תְּאֵנֵיהֶן

Derived terms

• עֲלֵה תְאֵנָה (alé-te'ená)

References

• “תאנה” in the Hebrew Terms Database of the Academy of Hebrew Language
• H8384 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible

Further reading

• תאנה on the Hebrew Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^he