חֲזִיר
masculine
The Hebrew word for pork is חֲזִיר. Wiktionary also lists בָּשָׂר לָבָן (basár laván).
Meaning: meat of a pig (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| חֲזִיר | masculine | |
| בָּשָׂר לָבָן | basár laván | euphemistic, masculine |
The word חֲזִיר literally refers to the animal pig, but it is the most standard and common way to say "pork" when referring to the meat in a culinary context. You may also encounter the term בָּשָׂר לָבָן (basár laván) as a euphemism.
Which one should you use?
While חֲזִיר is the standard term for both the animal and the meat, בָּשָׂר לָבָן serves as a euphemistic way to refer to pork.
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms חֲזִיר and בָּשָׂר לָבָן are both masculine nouns.
Did you know?
- In modern Israeli slang, the word חֲזִיר can be used to describe something overwhelmingly large or impressive, such as a 'pig of a burger'.
- In certain Israeli slang contexts, calling someone a חֲזִיר can be a severe insult, implying they are greedy or acting in a vulgar manner.
- The euphemism בָּשָׂר לָבָן literally translates to 'white meat' in Hebrew. This term is often used to avoid the social or religious discomfort of naming the animal directly.
Examples in context
- הוא לא אוכל בשר של חֲזִיר.hu lo okhel basar shel chazir.He does not eat pork.
- האם יש כאן מנת חֲזִיר?ha'im yesh kan menat chazir?Is there a pork dish here?
- אני לא אוהבת טעם של חֲזִיר.ani lo ohevet ta'am shel chazir.I don't like the taste of pork.
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at a restaurant menu.
- דניאל Danielהאם את רוצה להזמין חֲזִיר?Ha-im at rotza le-hazmin khazir?Do you want to order pork?
- עגור Adiלא, אני לא אוכלת חֲזִיר.Lo, ani lo okhelet khazir.No, I don't eat pork.
- דניאל Danielאז נזמין עוף במקום.Az nazmin of bimkom.Then we will order chicken instead.
- עגור Adiזה נשמע מצוין, דניאל.Ze nishma metzuyan, Daniel.That sounds great, Daniel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pork” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
