חַי
𐤇𐤉
chay
I live
Living, alive; that which possesses life, animate as opposed to inanimate. Used adjectivally to describe living beings—human, animal, plant—or living conditions. As a substantive (noun), designates life itself, a living being or creature, those who are alive, or vitality. By extension, can denote raw, fresh, vigorous, or lively aspects (as in raw meat, fresh plants, or flowing water).
hī "alive" (Kikuyu) · hai "alive, living" (Swahili)Ezekiel 5:11 · Word #2
Lexicon H2416
| Lemma | חַי |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤇𐤉 |
| Transliteration | chay |
| Strong's | H2416 |
| Definition | Living, alive; that which possesses life, animate as opposed to inanimate. Used adjectivally to describe living beings—human, animal, plant—or living conditions. As a substantive (noun), designates life itself, a living being or creature, those who are alive, or vitality. By extension, can denote raw, fresh, vigorous, or lively aspects (as in raw meat, fresh plants, or flowing water). |
Morphology HAamsa
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | A — Adjective — Describes a noun |
| Subtype | a — Adjective — Adjective |
| Gender | m — Masculine — Masculine |
| Number | s — Singular — Singular |
| State | a — Absolute — The noun stands independently |
Common Translation
| Phrase | I live |
SIBI-P1 Translation H2416-10
living
| Morphological Notes | Adjective, masculine singular, absolute state. |
| Rendering Rationale | The adjective חַי derives directly from the root חיה (“to live”) and in masculine singular absolute form denotes one who is alive or possessing life. "Living" preserves the adjectival force and root connection without importing contextual nuance. |
View full lexicon entry for H2416 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
as I live
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | In context (formal divine oath), חַי functions as part of an oath formula ('as I live'); 'living' would be incorrect in context. P1 does not match usage here. |
Bantu Hebrew
חַי (chay) — Living, alive; that which possesses life, animate as opposed to inanimate. Used adjectivally to describe living beings—human, animal, plant—or living conditions. As a substantive (noun), designates life itself, a living being or creature, those who are alive, or vitality. By extension, can denote raw, fresh, vigorous, or lively aspects (as in raw meat, fresh plants, or flowing water).