ענווה
anaváfeminine
Humility in Hebrew is translated as ענווה (anavá) or צְנִיעוּת.
Meaning: characteristic of being humble (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ענווה | anavá | feminine |
| צְנִיעוּת | tsniút | feminine |
The term ענווה refers to the internal psychological or spiritual quality of being humble. The term צְנִיעוּת refers more to outward modesty or discretion, such as behavior or dress.
Which one should you use?
ענווה is used to describe the general virtue of humility. In contrast, צְנִיעוּת is often used to mean modesty in terms of behavior or dress.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both ענווה and צְנִיעוּת are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
anavá
Did you know?
- צְנִיעוּת is derived from a root meaning 'hidden' or 'secret', implying that humility is the act of keeping one's true self or assets out of public view.
- The word ענווה shares a root with the word for 'poor' or 'afflicted' עני. This suggests a historical link between spiritual humility and the social status of the marginalized.
- The term צְנִיעוּת is used in legal and formal contexts in Israel to describe 'discretion' in handling sensitive information.
Examples in context
- ענווה יתרה היא גאווה.Too much humility is pride.This sentence shows how ענווה can be contrasted with pride.Tatoeba #1444716 by Eldad, translation #282846 by shekitten
- ענווה היא מעלה נשכחת.Humility is a forgotten virtue.This sentence illustrates ענווה as a virtue.Tatoeba #5998690 by fekundulo, translation #3752967 by cromwellt
- בלי ענווה, אומץ הוא משחק מסוכן.Without humility, courage is a dangerous game.This sentence demonstrates the importance of ענווה in relation to courage.Tatoeba #5784880 by fekundulo, translation #1637374 by dimitris
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Noam and Rotem are discussing a colleague's professional character.
- נועם Noamיש לו הרבה ענווה.yesh lo harbe anavah.He has a lot of humility.
- רוטם Rotemזה באמת תכונה מרשימה.ze be'emet tkhuna marshima.That is truly an impressive trait.
- נועם Noamהענווה שלו עוזרת לו להצליח.ha'anavah shelo osheret lo lehatzli'ach.His humility helps him succeed.
- רוטם Rotemאני מסכימה איתך לגמרי.ani maskima itkha legamrei.I completely agree with you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “humility” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
