bitsiiʼ
/pɪ̀t͡sʰìːʔ/
Hair in Navajo is bitsiiʼ, meaning the hair on a person's head.
bitsiiʼ means his or her hair. Navajo body part words are normally said with a possessor, so the word changes depending on whose hair it is.
Meaning: mass of such filaments on the human head (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The prefix bi means his or her. To say my hair, the prefix changes and the word becomes Sitsiiʼ.
How do you pronounce it?
bitsiiʼ is pronounced /pɪ̀tsʰìːʔ/, with a long vowel and a glottal stop at the end.
Did you know?
- In traditional Navajo culture, cutting hair is often associated with periods of mourning or significant life transitions. The act is treated with deep spiritual intention rather than just as a grooming choice.
- The word bitsiiʼ is related to the Navajo word for 'wool'. This reflects the cultural importance of sheep and weaving in the Navajo way of life.
- The Navajo language has distinct words for different types of hair based on its texture or location, meaning 'hair' is not a single generic category.
Examples in context
- Sitsiiʼ łizhin.I have black hair.Sitsiiʼ means my hair and łizhin means it is black.
- Bitsiiʼ yáʼátʼééh.Your hair is beautiful.
Example conversation
Jessica and Justin are talking about a haircut.
- JessicaJustin, bitsiiʼ łizhin.Justin, your hair is black.
- JustinÁáʼá, bitsiiʼ tʼáá ákótʼé.Yes, my hair is very short.
- JessicaShitsiiʼ tʼáá ííní.My hair is very long.
- JustinTʼáá áko bitsiiʼ.Your hair is beautiful.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bitsiiʼ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
