חן

Hebrew

Root
ח־נ־ן (kh-n-n)
6 terms

Pronunciation

  • Audio:(file)

Noun

חֵן • (chénm (plural indefinite חינים / חִנִּים or חינות / חִנּוֹת, singular construct חֵן־, plural construct חיני / חִנֵּי־ or חינות / חִנּוֹת־) [pattern: קֵטֶל]

  1. charm, grace, likeability
    • Tanach, Exodus 3:21, with translation of the King James Version:
      וְנָתַתִּי אֶת חֵן הָעָם הַזֶּה בְּעֵינֵי מִצְרָיִם וְהָיָה כִּי תֵלֵכוּן לֹא תֵלְכוּ רֵיקָם
      v'natatí ét chén haám hazé b'ené mitsráyim v'hayá kí telechún ló tel'chú rekám
      And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty

Usage notes

In Modern Hebrew, this word is often used in the expression מָצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי (matsá khén b'einéi, literally to find likeability in the eyes of).

Declension

Declension of חֵן
isolated forms with possessive pronouns
Number: State: form Person: singular plural
m f m f
singular indefinite חֵן first חיני / חִנִּי חיננו / חִנֵּנוּ
definite הַחֵן second חינך / חִנְּךָ חינך / חִנֵּךְ חינכם / חִנְּכֶם חינכן / חִנְּכֶן
construct חֵן־ third חינו / חִנּוֹ חינה / חִנָּהּ חינם / חִנָּם חינן / חִנָּן

Derived terms

Proper noun

חֵן • (chénm or f [pattern: קֵטֶל]

  1. a male or female given name

References

Yiddish

Etymology

From Hebrew חֵן.

Pronunciation

Noun

חן • (kheynm, plural חנען (kheynen)

  1. grace, charm, appeal

Derived terms

  • חנעוודיק (kheynevdik)
  • האָבן דעם זיבעטן חן (hobn dem zibetn kheyn)
  • געפֿינען חן בײַ (gefinen kheyn bay)
  • מאַכן חן (makhn kheyn)

References

  • Steven A. Jacobson (1998), A Guide to the More Common Hebraic Words in Yiddish, 5th edition, Fairbanks, AK: National Yiddish Book Center, →ISBN, page 70