how to enclose variable in single quote php

Question

I want to enclose PHP variable in single quote because, I can not access double quoted variables in my JQUERY plugin (X-Editable)

PHP

$countries = array();
foreach($countries as $c){
    $country_id = $c['country_id'];
    $short_name = $c['short_name'];
    array_push($countries, array('value' => '$country_id', 'text' => '$short_name'));    <-- I want something like this...
}

I can not use:

array('value' => $country_id, 'text' => $short_name) OR
array('value' => "$country_id", 'text' => "$short_name")

JQUERY

$('#cus_country').editable({
type: 'select',
pk: '1',
url: '/user/inline_edit',
title: 'Enter Country',
source: '<?=json_encode($countries)?>',
display: function(value) {
    if (value !== "Add Country"){
         $(this).html('<i class="fa fa-pencil"></i>' + value);
     }
    },
success: function(response, newValue) {
    //alert(response);
    if(response.status == 'error') return response.msg;
}
});

EDIT When I use as static values it comes in dropdown menu without any error. But when I put variable in array then there is a problem.

For example:

CASE # 1
$countries = array('value'=>'some', 'text'=>'thing');
output of this variable:
Array([0]=>Array([value]=>some [text]=>thing))

CASE # 2
$countries = array('value'=>$some, 'text'=>$thing);
output of this variable:
Array([0]=>Array([value]=>some [text]=>thing))

As you can see, both of the cases are giving me same output. But, first case generates the dropdown and second not.

Answer 1

I found the problem.

It was incorrect form of variable. In database, variables were stored in this format: People's thing, etc.

Thanks to @jonathan Kuhn for help.

Answer 2

array_push($countries, array('value' => "'.$country_id.'", 'text' => '$short_name'));  

You have to use the . . syntax in php to define where to derefence a variable. By using '$test', you are you not using the variable, but a string with a dollar sign and the letters test.