15 Hebrew Words That Have Weird Double Meanings

1 min read
Yonatan Engler
Yonatan Engler

Hebrew is an ancient language, and it has resulted in many words having multiple meanings.

1. כִּיכָּר

Transliteration: kee-kar

Meanings: roundabout, loaf of bread, square (place)

2. לְפַצֵּחַ

Transliteration: leh-fah-tzeh-ahch

Meanings: to figure out who your mutual friends are (slang), to crack open

3. הוֹרֵס / הוֹרֶסֶת

Transliteration: hoh-res (m), hoh-res-et (f)

Meanings: destroys, someone or something wonderful/terrific/great (slang)

4. מִבְצָע

Transliteration: meev-tzah

Meanings: military operation, sale

5. לְבַקֵּר

Transliteration: leh-vah-ker

Meanings: to visit, to critique

6. תּוֹתָח / תּוֹתָחִית

Transliteration: toh-tahch (m), toh-tah-cheet (f)

Meanings: canon, someone or something outstanding (slang)

7. לְהַזְמִין

Transliteration: leh-hahz-meen

Meanings: to order, to invite

8. כַּדּוּר

Transliteration: kah-door

Meanings: ball, pill, scoop of ice cream, bullet

9. שָׁוֶוה / שָׁוָוה

Transliteration: shah-veh (m), shah-vah (f)

Meanings: equal, worthy (slang), attractive

10. לְסַפֵּר

Transliteration: leh-sah-per

Meanings: to tell, to cut hair

11. לִשְׁאֹוף

Transliteration: leesh-ohf

Meanings: to aspire, to inhale

12. לְקַשְׁקֵשׁ

Transliteration: leh-kahsh-kesh

Meanings: to scramble, to gossip/babble

13. לַחְפֹּור

Transliteration: lahch-for

Meanings: to dig, to talk too much about something (slang)

14. הָפוּךְ

Transliteration: hah-fooch

Meanings: opposite/reversed, cappuccino

15. לָמוּת

Transliteration: lah-moot

Meanings: to die, to be crazy about someone or something

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