chʼį́įdii
/t͡ʃʼĩ̂ː.tìː/
The Navajo word for "devil" is chʼį́įdii.
The term chʼį́įdii is used to refer to an evil creature.
Meaning: evil creature (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the word means "the one who is at the end" or "the one who is at the edge," combining a root for "end" or "edge" with a suffix that denotes a person or an entity.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /tʃʼĩ̂ː.tìː/.
Did you know?
- In many Navajo communities, saying the word chʼį́įdii out loud is considered dangerous because it might actually summon the entity you are naming.
- The Navajo word chʼį́įdii shares a linguistic ancestor with the Hupa word chʼind, which means 'corpse' or 'dead thing'.
- To counteract the influence of a chʼį́įdii, Navajo practitioners focus on restoring 'Hózhó', which means beauty, balance, and cosmic order.
Example conversation
Jessica and Tyler are discussing a scary story.
- JessicaDíísáá chʼį́įdii yáá.The devil is in this story.
- TylerHíshjééh, tʼáá ááko.I am afraid, really.
- JessicaTʼáá chʼį́įdii łichíį́h.The devil is just scary.
- TylerÁíshą́ą́, tʼáá ááko.I think so, really.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry chʼį́įdii, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chʼį́įdii, CC BY-SA 4.0.
