צ׳חלה

From Judeo-Iraqi Arabic צ׳חלה (čāḥla), which is a pet form of the given name רָחֵל (rakhél). The sense "bimbo, chick" comes from the popularity of the name among Iraqi Jewish women in the mid-20th century.

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ʃaχ.la/ [ˈt͡ʃäʀ̥.lä]

צַ׳חְלָה • (chákhla) f (plural indefinite צַ׳חְלוֹת, singular construct צַ׳חְלַת־, plural construct צַ׳חְלוֹת־)

1. (derogatory, slang, ethnic slur) bimbo, hoochie, chick (a woman with a striking appearance, predominantly of Mizrahi origin, who lacks intelligence, uses a limited vocabulary, or acts in a flamboyant or mean way)

   Synonym: פְרֵחָה (frekha)

   • 2025 November 2, @BarkolAmir, Twitter‎^[1]:

     מִתְגַּעְגֵּעַ לַתְּקוּפָה שֶׁהַדָּבָר הֲכִי מַסְעִיר בַּמְּדִינָה הָיָה שֶׁאֵיזוֹ צַ׳חְלָה עָלְתָה עַל בָּמָה עִם שִׂמְלַת כַּלָּה חוֹשְׂפָנִית וְצָעֲקָה אֵיזוֹ שָׁוָה אֲנִי.

     Missing the time when the most exciting thing in the country was some chick going up on stage in a revealing wedding dress and yelling how hot she is.

The term may be perceived as sexist or racist depending on the context or point of view. It is normally not used towards Ashkenazi women.

צַ׳חְלָה • (Chákhla) f

1. (Mizrahi Hebrew, predominantly Iraqi) a diminutive, Chakhla, of the female given name רָחֵל (rakhél), equivalent to English Rae or Rach
2. a surname, Chakhla, from Iraqi Arabic צ׳חלה [in turn from רָחֵל (rakhél)]

• “צ׳חלה”, in Milog (in Hebrew)
• רוביק רוזנטל, 17 במרץ 2017 — מילים חדשות בסלנג העברי, ויומולדת למאיר אריאל
• “Chakhla”, in Urban Dictionary, launched 1999.

• צ׳חלה on the Hebrew Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^he