פיקח
pikéakh/piˈke.aχ/
The English word "shrewd" is translated to Hebrew as פיקח (pikéakh).
The word is used to describe someone showing clever resourcefulness in practical matters.
Meaning: showing clever resourcefulness in practical matters (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular form is פיקח. To describe a female, use the feminine form פיקחית. For a group of males, use the masculine plural form פיקחים.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced [piˈke.aχ]. It has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd of 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- In Biblical Hebrew, the root of פיקח is related to the act of opening one's eyes. To be 'shrewd' in this context is literally to be 'wide-awake' or 'alert' to the reality of a situation.
- The concept of being פיקח is central to the 'Pirkei Avot' (Ethics of the Fathers), an ancient text where being 'shrewd' is viewed as a tool for moral discernment rather than just material gain.
- While פיקח is positive, using it to describe a person in a business context can sometimes carry a subtle hint of being 'too sharp', almost bordering on being tricky.
Examples in context
- אדם עָרוּם בעסקיםA shrewd businessman
- הוא איש עסקים פיקח מאוד.hu ish iskim pikach me'od.He is a very shrewd businessman.
- החלטה פיקחת תחסוך לנו זמן.hachlata pikachat tachsokh lanu zman.A shrewd decision will save us time.
Example conversation
Maya and Noam are discussing a colleague's successful negotiation.
- מאיה Mayaראית איך הוא סגר את העסקה?rait eich hu sagar et ha-iska?Did you see how he closed the deal?
- נועם Noamכן, הוא באמת מאוד פיקח.ken, hu be'emet meod pikach.Yes, he is really very shrewd.
- מאיה Mayaהוא ידע בדיוק מה להגיד.hu yada bidyuk ma lehagid.He knew exactly what to say.
- נועם Noamזה דורש כישרון כזה.ze doresh kisharon kaze.That takes that kind of talent.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry פיקח, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
