חכם
khakhám/χaˈχam/
The Hebrew word for wise is חכם (khakhám).
חכם is used to describe someone or something showing good judgement. While it translates to 'wise', it is also the standard word used in everyday Hebrew to mean 'smart' or 'clever'.
Meaning: showing good judgement (adj)
Which one should you use?
חכם is the standard term used for both 'wise' and 'smart/clever'. In more formal contexts, you may use נָבוֹן to express the sense of being wise.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the adjective changes based on the gender and number of the person or thing being described: use חכמה for feminine singular, חכמים for masculine plural and חכמות for feminine plural.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is khakhám and the IPA is /χaˈχam/.
Did you know?
- In modern Hebrew, if you call someone חכם in a sarcastic tone, you are actually calling them 'foolish' or 'clueless', much like the English use of 'genius'.
- The word חכם shares a common root with the Arabic word 'hakim', which is often used as a name or to describe a philosopher or doctor.
- In Jewish tradition, a חכם is not just an adjective but a title for a recognized scholar or legal expert in the community.
Examples in context
- זה נראה לך חכם?Does that seem wise?This sentence shows how to ask if something seems wise using חכם.Tatoeba #5463652 by fekundulo, translation #3730640 by CM
- את חושבת שתום חכם?Do you think Tom is wise?This sentence is useful for asking if a person is wise using חכם.Tatoeba #4678539 by fekundulo, translation #3172208 by CK
- אדם חכם לא היה נוהג כך.A wise man would not act in that way.This sentence demonstrates using חכם to describe a wise man.Tatoeba #1040221 by Eldad, translation #239389 by CM
- גילה היא חכמה מאוד.Gila is very wise.
- תומר הוא בחירה נבונה לתפקיד המנהל.Tomer is a wise choice for the managerial position.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rotem and Daniel are discussing a financial decision.
- רוטם Rotemזה יהיה חכם להשקיע עכשיו.Ze yihiye chakham lehashki'a akhshav.It would be wise to invest now.
- דניאל Danielאת תמיד נותנת עצות טובות, רוטם.At tamid notenet etzot tovot, Rotem.You always give good advice, Rotem.
- רוטם Rotemתודה, אני רק מנסה להיות חכמה.Toda, ani rak menasa lihiyot khakama.Thanks, I'm just trying to be wise.
- דניאל Danielאני מסכים איתך, דניאל חושב שזה נכון.Ani maskim itakh, Daniel khoshev sheze nakhon.I agree with you, Daniel thinks it is correct.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry חכם, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries חכם, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
