צבי
tsví/sˤəbiː/
The Hebrew word for deer is צבי (tsví).
צבי is the general noun used to refer to an animal of the family Cervidae.
Meaning: animal of the family Cervidae (noun)
Which one should you use?
While צבי is the general term for deer, you can use more specific words to denote gender: אייל is often used to refer specifically to a male deer, such as a stag or buck and צביה is the specific feminine form used for a female deer.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of צבי is צבאים.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as tsví (IPA: /sˤəbiː/).
Did you know?
- The word צבי is a cognate of the Arabic word ظَبْي and the Aramaic טַבְיָא, both of which also refer to deer or gazelles.
- The word צבי is also a common Hebrew male given name, which evokes qualities of grace and speed.
- Jewish mystical poetry often uses the צבי as a symbol for the soul's longing for the divine.
Examples in context
- כלב הציד שלנו החל לרדוף אחרי צבי גדול.Our hunting dog took off after a big deer.This sentence shows how to describe a dog chasing a big צבי.Tatoeba #1783504 by MrShoval, translation #838885 by Scott
- תום נראה כמו צבי מסונוור באורות מכונית.Tom looks like a deer caught in headlights.This sentence uses צבי in the idiom 'like a deer caught in headlights'.Tatoeba #5656108 by fekundulo, translation #3727594 by CM
- הרגשתי כמו צבי המהופנט על ידי אורות המכונית.I felt like a deer in the headlights.This sentence illustrates the feeling of being like a צבי in headlights.Tatoeba #5656106 by fekundulo, translation #3727593 by CM
- ראיתי צבי יפה ביער הקרוב.I saw a beautiful deer in the nearby forest.
- לפעמים אפשר לראות איילים בפארק העיר.Sometimes you can see deer in the city park.
- איילים התבודדו ביער.The deer isolated themselves in the forest.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are walking in a nature reserve.
- עידו Idoראיתי צבי קטן ליד העץ.Ra'iti tzevi katan leyad ha'etz.I saw a small deer near the tree.
- רוטם Rotemאיפה? אני רוצה לראות אותו.Eifo? Ani rotza lir'ot oto.Where? I want to see it.
- עידו Idoהוא רץ עמוק אל תוך היער.Hu ratz amok el tokh ha'ya'ar.It ran deep into the forest.
- רוטם Rotemאיזה חבל, הצבי נעלם.Eize chaval, ha'tzevi ne'elam.What a shame, the deer disappeared.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry צבי, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries צבי, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
