אשך

Hebrew

Root
א־שׁ־ך (ʾ-sh-k)
2 terms

Etymology

Cognate with Akkadian 𒋓 (iškum), Classical Syriac ܐܫܟܬܐ (ʾeškəṯā) and Ugaritic 𐎜𐎌𐎋 (ủšk).

Pronunciation

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew, prescriptive standard) IPA^(key): /ˈ(ʔ)eʃeχ/
• (Modern Israeli Hebrew, commonly) IPA^(key): /(ʔ)aˈʃaχ/

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Noun

אֶשֶׁךְ • (éshekh) m (dual indefinite אשכיים / אֶשְׁכַּיִם, plural indefinite אֲשָׁכִים) [pattern: קֶטֶל]

1. testicle
   • Tanach, Leviticus 21:20:

     אוֹ גִבֵּן אוֹ דַק אוֹ תְּבַלֻּל בְּעֵינוֹ אוֹ גָרָב אוֹ יַלֶּפֶת אוֹ מְרוֹחַ אָשֶׁךְ:

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Usage notes

• The most common form of this word is the plural אֲשָׁכִים (ashakhím). The dual form is very rare and does not exist in modern Hebrew.
• While the proper singular is אֶשֶׁךְ (éshekh), the non-standard pronunciation אָשָׁךְ (ashákh) is far more common.

Declension

Declension of אֶשֶׁךְ

	isolated forms		with possessive pronouns
Number:	State:	form	Person:	singular		plural
				m	f	m	f
singular	indefinite	אֶשֶׁךְ	first	אַשְׁכִּי		אַשְׁכֵּנוּ
	definite	הָאֶשֶׁךְ	second	אַשְׁכְּךָ	אַשְׁכֵּךְ	אַשְׁכְּכֶם	אַשְׁכְּכֶן
	construct	אֶשֶׁךְ־	third	אַשְׁכּוֹ	אַשְׁכָּהּ	אַשְׁכָּם	אַשְׁכָּן
plural	indefinite	אֲשָׁכִים	first	אשכיי / אֲשָׁכַי		אֲשָׁכֵינוּ
	definite	הָאֲשָׁכִים	second	אֲשָׁכֶיךָ	אשכייך / אֲשָׁכַיִךְ	אַשְׁכֵיכֶם	אַשְׁכֵיכֶן
	construct	אַשְׁכֵי־	third	אֲשָׁכָיו	אֲשָׁכֶיהָ	אַשְׁכֵיהֶם	אַשְׁכֵיהֶן

Synonyms

• ביצים (beytsim) (slang)

Derived terms

• שַׂק הָאֲשָׁכִים (sak ha-ashakhim)
• כִּיס הָאֲשָׁכִים (kis-ha'ashakhím)
• מָגֵן אֲשָׁכִים (magén ashakhím)

Related terms

• מְאוּשְׁכָּן (m'ushkán)

References

• “אשך” in the Hebrew Terms Database of the Academy of Hebrew Language
• "אשך" in the Noun Declension Tables of the Academy of Hebrew Language