جن

See also: خن

Arabic

Root
ج ن ن (j-n-n)

Etymology 1

Compare Hebrew גָּנַן (gānán, “to defend, to cover”).

Verb

جَنَّ • (janna) I, non-past يَجُنُّ‎ (yajunnu)

1. (transitive) to cover, to hide, to conceal, to veil
2. (transitive) to envelop, to enshroud, to cloak, to screen
3. (transitive) to descend, to fall, to become night
   • 11 Century CE, Wallada bint al-Mustakfi, ترقب إذا جن الظلام زيارتي

     تَرَقَّبْ إِذَا جَنَّ الظَّلَامُ زِيَارَتِي / فَإِنِّي رَأَيْتُ اللَّيْلَ أَكْتَمَ لِلسِّرِّ

     taraqqab ʔiḏā janna ẓ-ẓalāmu ziyāratī / fa-ʔinnī raʔaytu l-layla ʔaktama li-s-sirri

     Await, when darkness falls, my visit. For I found the night to be a better keeper of secrets.

Conjugation

Conjugation of

جَنَّ

(form-I geminate, verbal nouns جَنّ or جُنُون)

verbal nouns الْمَصَادِر						جَنّ or جُنُون jann or junūn
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						جَانّ jānn
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مَجْنُون majnūn
active voice الْفِعْل الْمَعْلُوم
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	جَنَنْتُ janantu	جَنَنْتَ jananta	جَنَّ janna		جَنَنْتُمَا janantumā	جَنَّا jannā		جَنَنَّا janannā	جَنَنْتُمْ janantum	جَنُّوا jannū
	f		جَنَنْتِ jananti	جَنَّتْ jannat			جَنَّتَا jannatā			جَنَنْتُنَّ janantunna	جَنَنَّ jananna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَجُنُّ ʔajunnu	تَجُنُّ tajunnu	يَجُنُّ yajunnu		تَجُنَّانِ tajunnāni	يَجُنَّانِ yajunnāni		نَجُنُّ najunnu	تَجُنُّونَ tajunnūna	يَجُنُّونَ yajunnūna
	f		تَجُنِّينَ tajunnīna	تَجُنُّ tajunnu			تَجُنَّانِ tajunnāni			تَجْنُنَّ tajnunna	يَجْنُنَّ yajnunna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَجُنَّ ʔajunna	تَجُنَّ tajunna	يَجُنَّ yajunna		تَجُنَّا tajunnā	يَجُنَّا yajunnā		نَجُنَّ najunna	تَجُنُّوا tajunnū	يَجُنُّوا yajunnū
	f		تَجُنِّي tajunnī	تَجُنَّ tajunna			تَجُنَّا tajunnā			تَجْنُنَّ tajnunna	يَجْنُنَّ yajnunna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَجُنَّ or أَجُنِّ or أَجْنُنْ ʔajunna or ʔajunni or ʔajnun	تَجُنَّ or تَجُنِّ or تَجْنُنْ tajunna or tajunni or tajnun	يَجُنَّ or يَجُنِّ or يَجْنُنْ yajunna or yajunni or yajnun		تَجُنَّا tajunnā	يَجُنَّا yajunnā		نَجُنَّ or نَجُنِّ or نَجْنُنْ najunna or najunni or najnun	تَجُنُّوا tajunnū	يَجُنُّوا yajunnū
	f		تَجُنِّي tajunnī	تَجُنَّ or تَجُنِّ or تَجْنُنْ tajunna or tajunni or tajnun			تَجُنَّا tajunnā			تَجْنُنَّ tajnunna	يَجْنُنَّ yajnunna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		جُنَّ or جُنِّ or اُجْنُنْ junna or junni or ujnun			جُنَّا junnā				جُنُّوا junnū
	f		جُنِّي junnī							اُجْنُنَّ ujnunna
passive voice الْفِعْل الْمَجْهُول
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	جُنِنْتُ junintu	جُنِنْتَ juninta	جُنَّ junna		جُنِنْتُمَا junintumā	جُنَّا junnā		جُنِنَّا juninnā	جُنِنْتُمْ junintum	جُنُّوا junnū
	f		جُنِنْتِ juninti	جُنَّتْ junnat			جُنَّتَا junnatā			جُنِنْتُنَّ junintunna	جُنِنَّ juninna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُجَنُّ ʔujannu	تُجَنُّ tujannu	يُجَنُّ yujannu		تُجَنَّانِ tujannāni	يُجَنَّانِ yujannāni		نُجَنُّ nujannu	تُجَنُّونَ tujannūna	يُجَنُّونَ yujannūna
	f		تُجَنِّينَ tujannīna	تُجَنُّ tujannu			تُجَنَّانِ tujannāni			تُجْنَنَّ tujnanna	يُجْنَنَّ yujnanna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُجَنَّ ʔujanna	تُجَنَّ tujanna	يُجَنَّ yujanna		تُجَنَّا tujannā	يُجَنَّا yujannā		نُجَنَّ nujanna	تُجَنُّوا tujannū	يُجَنُّوا yujannū
	f		تُجَنِّي tujannī	تُجَنَّ tujanna			تُجَنَّا tujannā			تُجْنَنَّ tujnanna	يُجْنَنَّ yujnanna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُجَنَّ or أُجَنِّ or أُجْنَنْ ʔujanna or ʔujanni or ʔujnan	تُجَنَّ or تُجَنِّ or تُجْنَنْ tujanna or tujanni or tujnan	يُجَنَّ or يُجَنِّ or يُجْنَنْ yujanna or yujanni or yujnan		تُجَنَّا tujannā	يُجَنَّا yujannā		نُجَنَّ or نُجَنِّ or نُجْنَنْ nujanna or nujanni or nujnan	تُجَنُّوا tujannū	يُجَنُّوا yujannū
	f		تُجَنِّي tujannī	تُجَنَّ or تُجَنِّ or تُجْنَنْ tujanna or tujanni or tujnan			تُجَنَّا tujannā			تُجْنَنَّ tujnanna	يُجْنَنَّ yujnanna

Related terms

• جَنِين (janīn, “embryo, germ”)
• مِجَنّ (mijann, “shield”)

Etymology 2

Formally from the root ج ن ن (j-n-n), though most likely a back-formation from جِنِّي (jinnī), derived from Classical Syriac ܓܢܝ (gnē, “spirit, genie”), or its emphatic form Aramaic גניא (ginnāyā) or Classical Syriac ܓܢܝܐ (genyā), also meaning "a tutelary deity" or "Astaroth idols". Compare Latin genius.

Noun

جِنّ • (jinn) m (collective, singulative جَانّ m or f (jānn) or جِنِّيّ m (jinniyy) or جِنِّيَّة f (jinniyya), plural جِنّ (jinn) or جِنَّة (jinna) or جِنَّان (jinnān) or جَوَان (jawān))

1. (collective) spiritual or otherwise unseen, undetectable, masked, or morphed beings that may be benevolent or helpful (agathodaemons, eudaemons), neutral, or malevolent (cacodemons); jinn, genies, genii, demons.

   Synonyms: جِنَّة (jinna), جَوَان (jawān), جِنَّان (jinnān)

2. (collective) any mythical beings in general (such as fairies, satyrs, nymphs, elves, goblins, and sprites)
3. (informal, in the singular) a genie, a jann, one of the jinn(s).

Usage notes

In Arabian and Islamic mythology and demonology, the genies (alternatively referred to in English using the transliteration jinn), are conceptualized as a race that lives on earth alongside humans and beasts. Genies, like humans, are not deemed wholly evil or good, but they are said to possess powers that screen them from humankind, such as shapeshifting, which allows them to take up the form of animals (usually snakes and serpents) or even humans. Evil, godless, malicious, or otherwise harmful genies may influence the world indirectly (often through the works of human agents, such as sorcerers and witches) or directly (through the actions of the genies themselves). For example, Saʿd ibn ʿUbādah, one of the companions of Muhammad, is said to have been supposedly assassinated by a genie who shot him with an arrow while he was urinating alone in the desert, and the second Caliph ʽUmar ibn al-Ḵaṭṭāb, as reported by Al-Munāwi in his Fayḍ al-Qadīr ("The Flow of the Ablest"), struck dead a غُول (ḡūl) (a kind of جِنّ (jinn)) with his sword, describing the creature as being "with a form like a human but with legs like those of a donkey". The جِنّ (jinn) are therefore not to be confused with the race of otherworldly creatures trapped in oil lamps as popularized in English, which, in Arabic, would be only a subtype of جِنّ (jinn), like the قُطْرُب (quṭrub, “lycanthrope”) and the سِعْلَاء (siʕlāʔ, “succubus”) and the chiefly Egyptian نَدَّاهَة (“a kind of murderous enchanting river-nymphs or succubi”). For more information, see the Wikipedia article on Jinn.

The word is also sometimes indiscriminately used when translating the non-Arabic names of other mythological beings (especially fairies and elves). This, however, often creates much confusion, and so various Arabicized forms of the original denominations may be used to avoid this.

Declension

Declension of noun جِنّ (jinn)‎; جِنَّة (jinna)

Collective	basic collective triptote‎; collective triptote in ـَة (-a)
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	جِنّ‎; جِنَّة jinn‎; jinna	الْجِنّ‎; الْجِنَّة al-jinn‎; al-jinna	جِنّ‎; جِنَّة jinn‎; jinnat
Nominative	جِنٌّ‎; جِنَّةٌ jinnun‎; jinnatun	الْجِنُّ‎; الْجِنَّةُ al-jinnu‎; al-jinnatu	جِنُّ‎; جِنَّةُ jinnu‎; jinnatu
Accusative	جِنًّا‎; جِنَّةً jinnan‎; jinnatan	الْجِنَّ‎; الْجِنَّةَ al-jinna‎; al-jinnata	جِنَّ‎; جِنَّةَ jinna‎; jinnata
Genitive	جِنٍّ‎; جِنَّةٍ jinnin‎; jinnatin	الْجِنِّ‎; الْجِنَّةِ al-jinni‎; al-jinnati	جِنِّ‎; جِنَّةِ jinni‎; jinnati
Singulative	basic singulative triptote‎; singulative triptote in ـَة (-a)
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	جان‎; جِنِّي‎; جِنِّيَّة jān‎; jinnī‎; jinniyya	الْجان‎; الْجِنِّي‎; الْجِنِّيَّة al-jān‎; al-jinnī‎; al-jinniyya	جان‎; جِنِّي‎; جِنِّيَّة jān‎; jinnī‎; jinniyyat
Nominative	جانٌ‎; جِنِّيٌّ‎; جِنِّيَّةٌ jānun‎; jinniyyun‎; jinniyyatun	الْجانُ‎; الْجِنِّيُّ‎; الْجِنِّيَّةُ al-jānu‎; al-jinniyyu‎; al-jinniyyatu	جانُ‎; جِنِّيُّ‎; جِنِّيَّةُ jānu‎; jinniyyu‎; jinniyyatu
Accusative	جانًا‎; جِنِّيًّا‎; جِنِّيَّةً jānan‎; jinniyyan‎; jinniyyatan	الْجانَ‎; الْجِنِّيَّ‎; الْجِنِّيَّةَ al-jāna‎; al-jinniyya‎; al-jinniyyata	جانَ‎; جِنِّيَّ‎; جِنِّيَّةَ jāna‎; jinniyya‎; jinniyyata
Genitive	جانٍ‎; جِنِّيٍّ‎; جِنِّيَّةٍ jānin‎; jinniyyin‎; jinniyyatin	الْجانِ‎; الْجِنِّيِّ‎; الْجِنِّيَّةِ al-jāni‎; al-jinniyyi‎; al-jinniyyati	جانِ‎; جِنِّيِّ‎; جِنِّيَّةِ jāni‎; jinniyyi‎; jinniyyati
Dual	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	جانَيْن‎; جِنِّيَّيْن‎; جِنِّيَّتَيْن jānayn‎; jinniyyayn‎; jinniyyatayn	الْجانَيْن‎; الْجِنِّيَّيْن‎; الْجِنِّيَّتَيْن al-jānayn‎; al-jinniyyayn‎; al-jinniyyatayn	جانَيْ‎; جِنِّيَّيْ‎; جِنِّيَّتَيْ jānay‎; jinniyyay‎; jinniyyatay
Nominative	جانَانِ‎; جِنِّيَّانِ‎; جِنِّيَّتَانِ jānāni‎; jinniyyāni‎; jinniyyatāni	الْجانَانِ‎; الْجِنِّيَّانِ‎; الْجِنِّيَّتَانِ al-jānāni‎; al-jinniyyāni‎; al-jinniyyatāni	جانَا‎; جِنِّيَّا‎; جِنِّيَّتَا jānā‎; jinniyyā‎; jinniyyatā
Accusative	جانَيْنِ‎; جِنِّيَّيْنِ‎; جِنِّيَّتَيْنِ jānayni‎; jinniyyayni‎; jinniyyatayni	الْجانَيْنِ‎; الْجِنِّيَّيْنِ‎; الْجِنِّيَّتَيْنِ al-jānayni‎; al-jinniyyayni‎; al-jinniyyatayni	جانَيْ‎; جِنِّيَّيْ‎; جِنِّيَّتَيْ jānay‎; jinniyyay‎; jinniyyatay
Genitive	جانَيْنِ‎; جِنِّيَّيْنِ‎; جِنِّيَّتَيْنِ jānayni‎; jinniyyayni‎; jinniyyatayni	الْجانَيْنِ‎; الْجِنِّيَّيْنِ‎; الْجِنِّيَّتَيْنِ al-jānayni‎; al-jinniyyayni‎; al-jinniyyatayni	جانَيْ‎; جِنِّيَّيْ‎; جِنِّيَّتَيْ jānay‎; jinniyyay‎; jinniyyatay
Paucal (3-10)	paucal unknown‎; sound masculine paucal‎; sound feminine paucal
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	?‎; جِنِّيِّين‎; جِنِّيَّات ?‎; jinniyyīn‎; jinniyyāt	?‎; الْجِنِّيِّين‎; الْجِنِّيَّات ?‎; al-jinniyyīn‎; al-jinniyyāt	?‎; جِنِّيِّي‎; جِنِّيَّات ?‎; jinniyyī‎; jinniyyāt
Nominative	?‎; جِنِّيُّونَ‎; جِنِّيَّاتٌ ?‎; jinniyyūna‎; jinniyyātun	?‎; الْجِنِّيُّونَ‎; الْجِنِّيَّاتُ ?‎; al-jinniyyūna‎; al-jinniyyātu	?‎; جِنِّيُّو‎; جِنِّيَّاتُ ?‎; jinniyyū‎; jinniyyātu
Accusative	?‎; جِنِّيِّينَ‎; جِنِّيَّاتٍ ?‎; jinniyyīna‎; jinniyyātin	?‎; الْجِنِّيِّينَ‎; الْجِنِّيَّاتِ ?‎; al-jinniyyīna‎; al-jinniyyāti	?‎; جِنِّيِّي‎; جِنِّيَّاتِ ?‎; jinniyyī‎; jinniyyāti
Genitive	?‎; جِنِّيِّينَ‎; جِنِّيَّاتٍ ?‎; jinniyyīna‎; jinniyyātin	?‎; الْجِنِّيِّينَ‎; الْجِنِّيَّاتِ ?‎; al-jinniyyīna‎; al-jinniyyāti	?‎; جِنِّيِّي‎; جِنِّيَّاتِ ?‎; jinniyyī‎; jinniyyāti
Plural of variety	basic broken plural triptote‎; broken plural triptote in ـَة (-a)
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	جِنّ‎; جِنَّة‎; جِنَّان‎; جَوَان jinn‎; jinna‎; jinnān‎; jawān	الْجِنّ‎; الْجِنَّة‎; الْجِنَّان‎; الْجَوَان al-jinn‎; al-jinna‎; al-jinnān‎; al-jawān	جِنّ‎; جِنَّة‎; جِنَّان‎; جَوَان jinn‎; jinnat‎; jinnān‎; jawān
Nominative	جِنٌّ‎; جِنَّةٌ‎; جِنَّانٌ‎; جَوَانٌ jinnun‎; jinnatun‎; jinnānun‎; jawānun	الْجِنُّ‎; الْجِنَّةُ‎; الْجِنَّانُ‎; الْجَوَانُ al-jinnu‎; al-jinnatu‎; al-jinnānu‎; al-jawānu	جِنُّ‎; جِنَّةُ‎; جِنَّانُ‎; جَوَانُ jinnu‎; jinnatu‎; jinnānu‎; jawānu
Accusative	جِنًّا‎; جِنَّةً‎; جِنَّانًا‎; جَوَانًا jinnan‎; jinnatan‎; jinnānan‎; jawānan	الْجِنَّ‎; الْجِنَّةَ‎; الْجِنَّانَ‎; الْجَوَانَ al-jinna‎; al-jinnata‎; al-jinnāna‎; al-jawāna	جِنَّ‎; جِنَّةَ‎; جِنَّانَ‎; جَوَانَ jinna‎; jinnata‎; jinnāna‎; jawāna
Genitive	جِنٍّ‎; جِنَّةٍ‎; جِنَّانٍ‎; جَوَانٍ jinnin‎; jinnatin‎; jinnānin‎; jawānin	الْجِنِّ‎; الْجِنَّةِ‎; الْجِنَّانِ‎; الْجَوَانِ al-jinni‎; al-jinnati‎; al-jinnāni‎; al-jawāni	جِنِّ‎; جِنَّةِ‎; جِنَّانِ‎; جَوَانِ jinni‎; jinnati‎; jinnāni‎; jawāni

Descendants

• → Swahili: jini
• → Kazakh: жын (jyn)

See also

• نَسْنَاس (nasnās, “nasnas”)
• غُول (ḡūl, “ghoul”)

Etymology 3

Denominal verb from جِنّ (jinn, “jinn; spirit, demon”), leveled to the root ج ن ن (j-n-n).

Verb

جُنَّ • (junna) I, non-past يُجَنُّ‎ (yujannu)

1. (passive voice) to be possessed
   1. (passive voice) to seem or act as if possessed, to be insane, to be crazy, to be mad, to be deranged
   2. (passive voice) to be obsessed; to be infatuated

Conjugation

Conjugation of

جُنَّ

(form-I geminate passive, verbal nouns جَنّ or جُنُون or جِنَّة)

verbal nouns الْمَصَادِر						جَنّ or جُنُون or جِنَّة jann or junūn or jinna
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مَجْنُون majnūn
passive voice الْفِعْل الْمَجْهُول
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	جُنِنْتُ junintu	جُنِنْتَ juninta	جُنَّ junna		جُنِنْتُمَا junintumā	جُنَّا junnā		جُنِنَّا juninnā	جُنِنْتُمْ junintum	جُنُّوا junnū
	f		جُنِنْتِ juninti	جُنَّتْ junnat			جُنَّتَا junnatā			جُنِنْتُنَّ junintunna	جُنِنَّ juninna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُجَنُّ ʔujannu	تُجَنُّ tujannu	يُجَنُّ yujannu		تُجَنَّانِ tujannāni	يُجَنَّانِ yujannāni		نُجَنُّ nujannu	تُجَنُّونَ tujannūna	يُجَنُّونَ yujannūna
	f		تُجَنِّينَ tujannīna	تُجَنُّ tujannu			تُجَنَّانِ tujannāni			تُجْنَنَّ tujnanna	يُجْنَنَّ yujnanna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُجَنَّ ʔujanna	تُجَنَّ tujanna	يُجَنَّ yujanna		تُجَنَّا tujannā	يُجَنَّا yujannā		نُجَنَّ nujanna	تُجَنُّوا tujannū	يُجَنُّوا yujannū
	f		تُجَنِّي tujannī	تُجَنَّ tujanna			تُجَنَّا tujannā			تُجْنَنَّ tujnanna	يُجْنَنَّ yujnanna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُجَنَّ or أُجَنِّ or أُجْنَنْ ʔujanna or ʔujanni or ʔujnan	تُجَنَّ or تُجَنِّ or تُجْنَنْ tujanna or tujanni or tujnan	يُجَنَّ or يُجَنِّ or يُجْنَنْ yujanna or yujanni or yujnan		تُجَنَّا tujannā	يُجَنَّا yujannā		نُجَنَّ or نُجَنِّ or نُجْنَنْ nujanna or nujanni or nujnan	تُجَنُّوا tujannū	يُجَنُّوا yujannū
	f		تُجَنِّي tujannī	تُجَنَّ or تُجَنِّ or تُجْنَنْ tujanna or tujanni or tujnan			تُجَنَّا tujannā			تُجْنَنَّ tujnanna	يُجْنَنَّ yujnanna

Related terms

• جِنَّة (jinna, “possession, mania; spirits and demons”)
• جُنُون (junūn, “madness”)
• جُنُونِيّ (junūniyy, “crazy”)
• مَجَنَّة (majanna, “madness, insanity”)
• مَجْنُون (majnūn, “crazy, demoniac”)

Etymology 4

Noun

جَنّ • (jann) m

1. verbal noun of جُنَّ (junna) (form I)
2. verbal noun of جَنَّ (janna) (form I)

Declension

Declension of noun جَنّ (jann)

Singular	basic singular triptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	جَنّ jann	الْجَنّ al-jann	جَنّ jann
Nominative	جَنٌّ jannun	الْجَنُّ al-jannu	جَنُّ jannu
Accusative	جَنًّا jannan	الْجَنَّ al-janna	جَنَّ janna
Genitive	جَنٍّ jannin	الْجَنِّ al-janni	جَنِّ janni

Baluchi

Etymology

From Proto-Iranian *ǰánHh, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *ǰánHs, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷḗn.

Noun

جن • (jan)

1. woman

Persian

Etymology 1

From Arabic جِنّ (jinn).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [ˈd͡ʒinn]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [d͡ʒɪ́nn]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [d͡ʒɪ́nn]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [d͡ʒɪ́nn]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [d͡ʒínn]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [d͡ʒénn]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [d͡ʒínn]

Readings
Classical reading?	jinn
Dari reading?	jinn
Iranian reading?	jenn
Tajik reading?	jinn

Noun

Dari	جن
Iranian Persian
Tajik	ҷин, ҷинн

جن • (jenn) (plural جن‌ها (jenn-hâ))

1. jinn, genie, demon, ghost

Related terms

• دیو (div, “daeva”)
• غول (ğul, “ghoul”)

Etymology 2

From or cognate with Avestan 𐬫𐬀𐬊𐬥𐬀 (yaona, “way”), from Proto-Iranian *Háy (cognate with Pashto يون (yūn, “movement; walking; going”), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *Háy, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ey-.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [ˈd͡ʒan]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [d͡ʒǽn]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [d͡ʒǽn]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [d͡ʒǽn]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [d͡ʒǽn]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [d͡ʒǽn]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [d͡ʒǽn]

Readings
Classical reading?	jan
Dari reading?	jan
Iranian reading?	jan
Tajik reading?	jan

Noun

جن • (jan) (plural جن‌ها (jan-hâ))

1. side
2. way

   Synonyms: راه (râh), سو (sū)

   • c. 1000, Abul-Qâsem Ferdowsi Tusi, The Book of Kings :

     پرندوش از این جن سواری گذشت
     که لرزید ازو سر به سر بوم و دشت

     parandôš az ên jan savârê guzašt
     ka larzîd azô sar-ba-sar bûm u dašt

Punjabi

Etymology

Inherited from Sanskrit जन (jana, “race; people”), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *ȷ́ánHas, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh₁os.

Noun

جن • (jan) m (Gurmukhi spelling ਜਨ)

1. people, populace; nation
2. race, stock
3. person, individual

Declension

Declension of جن
dir. sg.	جَن (jan)
dir. pl.	جَن (jan)
	singular	plural
direct	جَن (jan)	جَن (jan)
oblique	جَن (jan)	جَناں (janāṉ)
vocative	جَنا (janā)	جَنو (jano)
ablative	جَنوں (janoṉ)	—
locative	جَنے (jane)	جَنِیں (janīṉ)
instrumental	جَنے (jane)	جَنِیں (janīṉ)

References

• “جن”, in Punjabi-English Dictionary, Patiala: Punjabi University, 2024
• Iqbal, Salah ud-Din (2002) “جن”, in vaḍḍī panjābī lughat‎ (in Punjabi), Lahore: ʻAzīz Pablisharz
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “jána”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 281

Urdu

Pronunciation

• (Standard Urdu) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒɪn/, /d͡ʒɪnn/

Noun

جن • (jin, jinn) m (formal plural جنات, Hindi spelling जिन्न)

1. jinn
2. demon

See also

• دیو (dev)
• آسیب (āseb)