atsʼíís
The Navajo word for body is atsʼíís. If unsure, use atsʼíís. Wiktionary also lists hatsʼíís.
Meaning: physical structure of a human or animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Navajo |
|---|
| atsʼíís |
| hatsʼíís |
The term refers to the physical structure of a human or an animal.
Which one should you use?
atsʼíís is the singular form, while hatsʼíís is the plural form.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of atsʼíís is hatsʼíís.
Did you know?
- Navajo is a polysynthetic language, so while atsʼíís means 'body', it can be combined with other roots to create a single long word that describes a specific state or condition of the 'body'.
- In Navajo culture, the 'body' is not viewed as a separate shell but as an integrated part of the 'Hózhó' philosophy, which balances the physical self with the spiritual and natural world.
- The glottal stop represented by the apostrophe in atsʼíís is not an optional decoration but a vital consonant that changes the word's meaning entirely.
Example sentences for Navajo are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Justin and Jessica are talking about exercising.
- JustinShí atsʼíís tʼáá ááshį́į́ʼ.My body is very tired.
- JessicaDoo tʼáá ááshį́į́ʼ da.It is not that tired.
- JustinHózhǫ́ǫ́ aatʼé.It is just a feeling.
- JessicaÁtsʼíís tʼáá ákwááʼnaá.The body is very strong.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “body” translations and entries atsʼíís, hatsʼíís, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
