what does chai mean in hebrew

In Hebrew, "chai" (חי) means "life" and is a Jewish symbol that frequently appears on pendants and other jewelry). The word consists of two Hebrew letters, chet (ח) and yud (י), and is pronounced with the same "kh" sound as in challah. The number 18 is also associated with chai because each Hebrew letter has a numerical equivalent, and the sum of chet (numerical value of 8) and yud (numerical value of 10) is 18. As a result of its connection to the word for life, the number 18 is considered a special number in Jewish tradition, and Jews frequently make gifts or charitable contributions in multiples of $18. In Hebrew, chai is often referred to in the plural form, chaim (חים), hence the boy’s name Chaim and the toast l’chaim (לחים), which means “to life”. The chai symbol can be worn by Jews as a medallion around the neck, similarly to other Jewish symbols, such as the Star of David and the Hamsa).