ע
ʿsymbol
The English phrase "ayin" refers to the Hebrew letter ע (ʿ). Wiktionary also lists עַיִן (áyin).
Meaning: Semitic letter (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ע | ʿ | symbol |
| עַיִן | áyin | feminine |
The term refers to a Semitic letter. The word עַיִן is a feminine noun.
What does it mean word for word?
The word עַיִן literally means "eye".
Which one should you use?
ע is used as the symbol for the letter itself.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of עַיִן is the dual form עֵינַיִם, which is used specifically for a pair of eyes.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of the letter is ʿ.
Did you know?
- In the Jewish mystical tradition of Kabbalah, the letter ע is associated with the concept of 'divine providence' and the 'eye' that sees all.
- The letter ע is one of the few remaining sounds in Hebrew that allows linguists to trace the language's ancestral connection to Arabic, where the equivalent letter ع is still strongly pronounced.
- In Hebrew, the word for 'eye', which is עַיִן, is used metaphorically to describe the 'source' or 'spring' of a water stream.
Examples in context
- האות ע היא האות השלוש-עשרה.Ha'ot ayin hi ha'ot ha-shlosh-esre.The letter ayin is the thirteenth letter.
- האות ע מופיעה במילה פעם אחת.Ha'ot ayin mofia ba'mila pa'am akhat.The letter ayin appears in the word once.
Example conversation
Noam and Maya are studying the Hebrew alphabet together.
- נועם Noamמאיה, את יודעת איך כותבים את האות ע?Maya, at yoda'at eikh kotevim et ha'ot ayin?Maya, do you know how to write the letter ayin?
- מאיה Mayaכן, אני יודעת לכתוב את האות ע.Ken, ani yoda'at likhtov et ha'ot ayin.Yes, I know how to write the letter ayin.
- נועם Noamזה נראה לי קצת קשה.Ze nir'a li ktzat kashe.It looks a little difficult to me.
- מאיה Mayaאל תדאג נועם, זה קל.Al tid'ag Noam, ze kal.Don't worry Noam, it's easy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ayin” translations and entries ע, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
