צָנוּעַ
tsanúa
The English phrase "humble" can be translated into Hebrew as צָנוּעַ (tsanúa) or עָנָיו.
Meaning: thinking lowly of oneself (adj)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| צָנוּעַ | tsanúa |
| עָנָיו | anáv |
The primary way to say humble is to use צָנוּעַ, which describes a person who thinks lowly of themselves. This word is also the standard term used to describe someone or something as modest in behavior or dress.
Which one should you use?
The form צָנוּעַ is the standard word for humble. In contrast, עָנָיו is a more literary or biblical term that often carries the connotation of being low or oppressed, sometimes translating to "poor" in those contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective צָנוּעַ changes based on gender and number: the feminine singular is צְנוּעָה and the masculine plural is צְנוּעִים.
How do you pronounce it?
tsanúa
Did you know?
- In Jewish philosophical texts, the quality of צְנִיעוּת is often described as 'hiding' or 'veiling' one's brilliance to avoid overshadowing others.
- Hebrew has a distinct concept called עִנְיוּת, derived from the same root as עָנָיו, which specifically means 'poverty' but retains the connotation of being humbled by circumstance.
- In modern Hebrew, calling someone צָנוּעַ can sometimes be a subtle way to describe them as 'understated' or 'minimalist' when referring to their home or lifestyle.
Examples in context
- הוא אדם מאוד צָנוּעַ.hu adam me'od tsanua.He is a very humble person.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “humble” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
