לחיים

Hebrew

Etymology 1

From לְ־ (l'-, “to, for”) + חַיִּים (khayím, “life”); hence literally “to life”.

Pronunciation

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /leχaˈjim/ (prescriptivist pronunciation), IPA^(key): /leˈχajim/ (common Israeli and Ashkenazi pronunciation), IPA^(key): /leħaˈjim/ (Sephardic, Mizrahi and historic pronunciation)

Phrase

לְחַיִּים • (lekhayím)

1. A blessing, a toast, and an expression of goodwill.

Usage notes

• Note that, due to Yiddish influence, this phrase is commonly stressed on its second syllable, rather than its final one.

Etymology 2

Noun

לְחָיַיִם • (lekhayáyim)

1. dual indefinite form of לֶחִי (lékhi)‎.

Yiddish

Etymology

From Hebrew לְחַיִּים (“to life”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɫəˈχaɪ̯əm/

Phrase

לחיים • (lekhayem)

1. A blessing, a toast, and an expression of goodwill.

Related terms

• חיים (khayem)