Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| בַּעַל חַיִּים | baʻál ḥayyím | masculine |
| חַיָּה | ḥayyá | feminine |
The term refers to any organism other than a human. The word חַיָּה mainly refers to wild animals or animals in the context of nature. The related adjective חַיָּתִי can be used to describe something as "animalistic" or "wild" in a behavioral sense. Note that the term בַּהֲמִי can also be used to describe being unhindered by social codes.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase בַּעַל חַיִּים literally means "owner of life" or "possessor of life".
Which one should you use?
While both בַּעַל חַיִּים and חַיָּה mean "animal", בַּעַל חַיִּים is more formal and is often used in scientific, biological or legal contexts, whereas חַיָּה is the common, everyday word.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine noun חַיָּה has the plural form חַיּוֹת. The masculine formal term בַּעַל חַיִּים has the plural form בַּעֲלֵי חַיִּים. Additionally, the adjective חַיָּתִי means "of animals".
How do you pronounce it?
baʻál ḥayyím
Did you know?
- Hebrew distinguishes between חַיָּה for wild animals and בְּהֵמָה for livestock, though both are translated as 'animal' in English.
- The term חַיָּה can be used as an insult to describe a person who is cruel or lacks human empathy, similar to the English phrase 'beast of a man'.
- The word בַּעַל in בַּעַל חַיִּים can also mean 'husband' or 'master'. In this context, it describes the animal as the 'master' or 'possessor' of its own life.
Examples in context
- כל בַּעַל חַיִּים זקוק למים.kol ba'al chayim zakuk lamayim.Every animal needs water.
- האם זה בַּעַל חַיִּים מסוכן?ha'im ze ba'al chayim masaken?Is this a dangerous animal?
- ראיתי בַּעַל חַיִּים מוזר ביער.ra'iti ba'al chayim muzar ba'ya'ar.I saw a strange animal in the forest.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “animal” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
