When analyzing an Arabic expression, first establish its intended sense and context, then proceed systematically:
1. What primary meaning is being conveyed?
2. Is a word or clause absent but recoverable from a clue?
3. If not, do the few expressed words still convey a rich meaning?
4. If the expression is expanded, what does the addition achieve: reinforcement, explanation, guarding, or completion?
5. If no gain is evident, consider hashw or tatwil—but never infer a fault from length alone.
The classification must be grounded in meaning and occasion, not bare word count.