chaim
chaim — exclamation
1. A traditional Jewish expression of good wishes, said before people drink alcohol
A traditional Jewish expression of good wishes, said before people drink alcohol together. The full phrase 'L'chaim!' means 'To life!' and is used to celebrate happy occasions such as weddings, holidays, or a new achievement.
Eli raised his glass and said, 'L'chaim!' to his family at the Shabbat table.
exclamation L'chaim! used before drinking in celebration
At the wedding reception, Devorah cried 'L'chaim!' as she clinked glasses with her grandmother.
The whole group shouted 'L'chaim!' before enjoying the champagne together.
Kwame smiled and gave a cheerful 'L'chaim!' to welcome his new neighbours.
- cheers
General English toast, which is secular and not tied to Jewish tradition. 'L'chaim!' carries specific cultural and religious meaning.
- skal
Scandinavian toast, entirely unrelated culturally. Included only to show contrast with a different-language toast.
- salud
Spanish toast ('to health'), similar in spirit but from a different cultural tradition.
文法句型
often as interjection 'L'chaim!'
用法筆記
Traditional Jewish toast, used in Hebrew and Yiddish-speaking communities. The word literally means 'life' (plural form in Hebrew), and the full toast 'L'chaim!' means 'To life!' It is considered a warm and celebratory expression, not a religious command. The 'ch-' reflects a guttural /x/ sound similar to the Scottish 'loch' or German 'Bach'; many English speakers pronounce it as /hɑˈjim/ or /ˈxɑjɪm/.
常見錯誤
chaim — noun
- chaimsingular
- chaimsplural
1. An alcoholic drink shared for a toast among Jewish people, or the act of raising
An alcoholic drink shared for a toast among Jewish people, or the act of raising and drinking such a toast together on a happy occasion.
Noam invited everyone to the table for a quick l'chaim before the holiday meal began.
noun: 'a quick l'chaim' — the drink or toast itself
Shira poured whiskey and offered a warm l'chaim to the happy couple.
My aunt insisted we could not start the celebration without a proper l'chaim first.
Haruki raised his glass and joined the family for a joyful l'chaim.
文法句型
have a l'chaim
a l'chaim toast
用法筆記
Used as a countable noun in informal Jewish English ('a l'chaim', 'a quick l'chaim'). The noun sense is a back-formation from the toast expression — speakers treat 'l'chaim' as the name of the toast itself. The pronunciation /ˈxɑjɪm/ is typical in Yiddish-influenced English; younger speakers may simplify to /ˈhɑjɪm/.