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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɫəˈχaɪ̯əm/

Etymology 1

From Hebrew לְחַיִּים (“to life”).

Phrase

לחיים • (lekhayem)

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

Etymology 2

Derived metonymically from the former.

Noun

לחיים • (lekhayem) m, plural לחיימס (lekhayems)

1. toast (e.g. "cheers")
2. drink (alcoholic)

Related terms

• חיים (khayem)

References

• Justus van de Kamp et al., “לחיים” in Jiddisch-Nederlands Woordenboek [Yiddish-Dutch Dictionary], Amsterdam: Stichting Jiddische Lexicografie, 1987-present (ongoing). [1].