ḏbꜥ

Egyptian

Egyptian numbers ^(edit)

←  10	←  1,000	𓂭 10,000	100,000  →	1,000,000 (106)  →
Cardinal: ḏbꜥ     Ordinal: mḥ-ḏbꜥ

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

 

• (reconstructed) IPA^(key): /cʼaˈbaʕ/ → /tʼaˈbaʕ/ → /tʼəˈbaʕ/ → /tʼəˈβaʕ/

• (Old Egyptian, c. 2500 BCE) IPA^(key): /cʼaˈbaʕ/
• (Middle Egyptian, c. 1700 BCE) IPA^(key): /tʼaˈbaʕ/
• (Amarna-period Late Egyptian, c. 1350 BCE) IPA^(key): /tʼəˈbaʕ/
• (latest Late Egyptian, c. 800 BCE) IPA^(key): /tʼəˈβaʕ/

• (modern Egyptological) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒɛbɑː/
  • Conventional anglicization: djeba

Numeral

1. ten thousand

Inflection

	masculine	feminine
singular	ḏbꜥ	—

Descendants

• Akhmimic Coptic: ⲧⲃⲁ (tba)
• Bohairic Coptic: ⲑⲃⲁ (thba)
• Fayyumic Coptic: ⲧⲃⲉ (tbe)
• Lycopolitan Coptic: ⲧⲃⲁ (tba)
• Sahidic Coptic: ⲧⲃⲁ (tba)

Etymology 2

Compare with Arabic إصبع (ʔiṣbaʕ, “finger”) and Mina dzəbuŋ (“five”).

Pronunciation

 

• (reconstructed) IPA^(key): /ˈcʼuːbaʕ/ → /ˈtʼuːbaʕ/ → /ˈtʼuːbəʕ/ → /ˈtʼeːβəʕ/

• (Old Egyptian, c. 2500 BCE) IPA^(key): /ˈcʼuːbaʕ/
• (Middle Egyptian, c. 1700 BCE) IPA^(key): /ˈtʼuːbaʕ/
• (Amarna-period Late Egyptian, c. 1350 BCE) IPA^(key): /ˈtʼuːbəʕ/
• (latest Late Egyptian, c. 800 BCE) IPA^(key): /ˈtʼeːβəʕ/

• (modern Egyptological) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒɛbɑː/
  • Conventional anglicization: djeba

Noun

 m

1. (anatomy) finger (inclusive of the thumb) [since the Pyramid Texts]
2. (anatomy, Late Egyptian) digit: a finger, thumb, or toe
3. (units of measure) digit: a measure of length equal to ¹⁄₂₈ cubit (about 1.88 cm). [since the Old Kingdom]
4. small quantity (of a substance such as fat or honey), the amount that can be scooped up by a fingertip [Medical Papyri]

Usage notes

In Old Egyptian the sign in this word was generally mirrored compared to the orientation shown here. Later writings use the unmirrored orientation.

The dual form of this word is commonly used with plural meaning. Furthermore, in the 19th and 20th Dynasties the dual form of the suffix pronoun .fj is often found with this word, even when the word itself is in plural form.

Inflection

Declension of ḏbꜥ (masculine)

singular	ḏbꜥ
dual	ḏbꜥwj
plural	ḏbꜥw

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of ḏbꜥ  

ḏbꜥ	ḏbꜥ	ḏbꜥ
[Old Kingdom and Late Period]	[chiefly since the Middle Kingdom]	[chiefly since the New Kingdom]
		in hieratic

Derived terms

• jr ḏbꜥwj (“next to, at one’s side”)
• ḏbꜥwt (“signet”)

Descendants

• Akhmimic Coptic: ϯⲉⲓⲃⲉ (tieibe)
• Bohairic Coptic: ⲧⲏⲃ (tēb)
• Fayyumic Coptic: ⲧⲉⲉⲃⲉ (teebe)
• Lycopolitan Coptic: ⲧⲏⲃⲉ (tēbe)
• Sahidic Coptic: ⲧⲏⲏⲃⲉ (tēēbe)

Verb

 3-lit.

1. (intransitive, with m) to point one’s finger at, especially in reproach or objection [Middle Kingdom]
   • c. 1900 BCE, The Instructions of Kagemni (pPrisse/pBN 183) lines 1.4–1.5:

     ꜣt pw ktt dꜣjr jb ḫw(w) pw ꜣfꜥ jw ḏbꜥ.t(w) jm

     Controlling oneself (lit. Subduing the heart) is a little moment; gluttony is something to be precluded, as it is pointed to in reproach.

2. (transitive, with the heart as object) to rebuke (one’s heart) [Book of the Dead]
3. (intransitive) to adulate, to pay homage (+ n: to) [Greco-Roman Period]

Inflection

Conjugation of ḏbꜥ (triliteral / 3-lit. / 3rad.) — base stem: ḏbꜥ, geminated stem: ḏbꜥꜥ

infinitival forms imperative infinitive negatival complement complementary infinitive1 singular plural ḏbꜥ ḏbꜥw, ḏbꜥ ḏbꜥt ḏbꜥ ḏbꜥ ‘pseudoverbal’ forms stative stem periphrastic imperfective2 periphrastic prospective2 ḏbꜥ ḥr ḏbꜥ m ḏbꜥ r ḏbꜥ suffix conjugation aspect / mood active passive contingent aspect / mood active passive perfect ḏbꜥ.n ḏbꜥw, ḏbꜥ consecutive ḏbꜥ.jn active + .tj1, .tw2 active + .tj1, .tw2 terminative ḏbꜥt perfective3 ḏbꜥ active + .tj1, .tw2 obligative1 ḏbꜥ.ḫr active + .tj1, .tw2 imperfective ḏbꜥ active + .tj1, .tw2 prospective3 ḏbꜥ ḏbꜥꜥ potentialis1 ḏbꜥ.kꜣ active + .tj1, .tw2 active + .tj1, .tw2 subjunctive ḏbꜥ active + .tj1, .tw2 verbal adjectives aspect / mood relative (incl. nominal / emphatic) forms participles active passive active passive perfect ḏbꜥ.n active + .tj1, .tw2 — — perfective ḏbꜥ active + .tj1, .tw2 ḏbꜥ ḏbꜥ, ḏbꜥw5, ḏbꜥy5 imperfective ḏbꜥ, ḏbꜥy, ḏbꜥw5 active + .tj1, .tw2 ḏbꜥ, ḏbꜥj6, ḏbꜥy6 ḏbꜥ, ḏbꜥw5 prospective ḏbꜥ, ḏbꜥtj7 — ḏbꜥtj4, ḏbꜥt4 1 Used in Old Egyptian; archaic by Middle Egyptian. 2 Used mostly since Middle Egyptian. 3 Archaic or greatly restricted in usage by Middle Egyptian. The perfect has mostly taken over the functions of the perfective, and the subjunctive and periphrastic prospective have mostly replaced the prospective. 4 Declines using third-person suffix pronouns instead of adjectival endings: masculine .f/.fj, feminine .s/.sj, dual .sn/.snj, plural .sn. 5 Only in the masculine singular. 6 Only in the masculine. 7 Only in the feminine.

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of ḏbꜥ  

ḏbꜥ

[Greco-Roman Period]

Derived terms

• ḏbꜥw (“reproach, rebuke”)

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

 

• (reconstructed) IPA^(key): /ˈcʼaːbaʕ/ → /ˈtʼaːbaʕ/ → /ˈtʼaːbəʕ/ → /ˈtʼoːβəʕ/

• (Old Egyptian, c. 2500 BCE) IPA^(key): /ˈcʼaːbaʕ/
• (Middle Egyptian, c. 1700 BCE) IPA^(key): /ˈtʼaːbaʕ/
• (Amarna-period Late Egyptian, c. 1350 BCE) IPA^(key): /ˈtʼaːbəʕ/
• (latest Late Egyptian, c. 800 BCE) IPA^(key): /ˈtʼoːβəʕ/

• (modern Egyptological) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒɛbɑː/
  • Conventional anglicization: djeba

Verb

 3-lit.

1. (transitive) to seal up (wine, grain, etc.)
2. (transitive) to seal, to place a seal upon (+ m or (rarely) + ḥr: to seal with)

Inflection

Conjugation of ḏbꜥ (triliteral / 3-lit. / 3rad.) — base stem: ḏbꜥ, geminated stem: ḏbꜥꜥ

infinitival forms imperative infinitive negatival complement complementary infinitive1 singular plural ḏbꜥ ḏbꜥw, ḏbꜥ ḏbꜥt ḏbꜥ ḏbꜥ ‘pseudoverbal’ forms stative stem periphrastic imperfective2 periphrastic prospective2 ḏbꜥ ḥr ḏbꜥ m ḏbꜥ r ḏbꜥ suffix conjugation aspect / mood active passive contingent aspect / mood active passive perfect ḏbꜥ.n ḏbꜥw, ḏbꜥ consecutive ḏbꜥ.jn active + .tj1, .tw2 active + .tj1, .tw2 terminative ḏbꜥt perfective3 ḏbꜥ active + .tj1, .tw2 obligative1 ḏbꜥ.ḫr active + .tj1, .tw2 imperfective ḏbꜥ active + .tj1, .tw2 prospective3 ḏbꜥ ḏbꜥꜥ potentialis1 ḏbꜥ.kꜣ active + .tj1, .tw2 active + .tj1, .tw2 subjunctive ḏbꜥ active + .tj1, .tw2 verbal adjectives aspect / mood relative (incl. nominal / emphatic) forms participles active passive active passive perfect ḏbꜥ.n active + .tj1, .tw2 — — perfective ḏbꜥ active + .tj1, .tw2 ḏbꜥ ḏbꜥ, ḏbꜥw5, ḏbꜥy5 imperfective ḏbꜥ, ḏbꜥy, ḏbꜥw5 active + .tj1, .tw2 ḏbꜥ, ḏbꜥj6, ḏbꜥy6 ḏbꜥ, ḏbꜥw5 prospective ḏbꜥ, ḏbꜥtj7 — ḏbꜥtj4, ḏbꜥt4 1 Used in Old Egyptian; archaic by Middle Egyptian. 2 Used mostly since Middle Egyptian. 3 Archaic or greatly restricted in usage by Middle Egyptian. The perfect has mostly taken over the functions of the perfective, and the subjunctive and periphrastic prospective have mostly replaced the prospective. 4 Declines using third-person suffix pronouns instead of adjectival endings: masculine .f/.fj, feminine .s/.sj, dual .sn/.snj, plural .sn. 5 Only in the masculine singular. 6 Only in the masculine. 7 Only in the feminine.

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of ḏbꜥ  

ḏbꜥ

[Late Period]

Descendants

• Akhmimic Coptic: ⲧⲟⲩⲃⲉ (toube)
• Bohairic Coptic: ⲧⲱⲃ (tōb), ⲧⲱⲃⲓ (tōbi)
• Sahidic Coptic: ⲧⲱⲱⲃⲉ (tōōbe)

References

• “ḏbꜥ (lemma ID 183450)”, “ḏbꜥ (lemma ID 183430)”, “ḏbꜥ (lemma ID 183480)”, “ḏbꜥ (lemma ID 183470)”, and “ḏbꜥ (lemma ID 183460)”, in Thesaurus Linguae Aegyptiae‎^[2], Corpus issue 18, Web app version 2.1.5, Tonio Sebastian Richter & Daniel A. Werning by order of the Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften and Hans-Werner Fischer-Elfert & Peter Dils by order of the Sächsische Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig, 2004–26 July 2023
• Erman, Adolf, Grapow, Hermann (1931) Wörterbuch der ägyptischen Sprache‎^[3], volume 5, Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, →ISBN, pages 562.11–566.4, 566.12–567.3
• Faulkner, Raymond Oliver (1962) A Concise Dictionary of Middle Egyptian, Oxford: Griffith Institute, →ISBN, page 321
• James P[eter] Allen (2010) Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs, 2nd edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, pages 101–102, 105.
• Vycichl, Werner (1983) Dictionnaire Étymologique de la Langue Copte, Leuven: Peeters, →ISBN, page 211