chochem

English

Alternative forms

• chacham, chocham, haham, hakham

Etymology

From Yiddish חכם (khokhem), from Hebrew חָכָם (khakhám, “wise, smart”).

Pronunciation

• (Ashkenazi) IPA^(key): /ˈxʌxəm/, /ˈxʌxʊm/, /ˈxɑːxəm/, /ˈxɔːxəm/
• (some alternative forms) IPA^(key): /xɑːˈxɑːm/

Noun

chochem (plural chochem or chochems or chochomim)

1. A wise and learned man
   • 1968, Martin Marcus, Yiddish for Yankees: Or, Funny, You Don't Look Gentile, page 9:

     In acknowledgment to the wise old bearded scholars who helped make this book possible . . . Jerry Barnbaum Morrie Korcngold Gert Korengold Raymond B. Young . . . and several minor chochems their feelings shouldn't be hurt but they didn't help that much.

   • 1998, Dovid Rossoff, Where Heaven Touches Earth, page ix:

     Undoubtedly, many chachamim and tzaddikim of Jerusalem have gone unmentioned in this book. The author begs their forgiveness.

   • 2015, Maureen Earl, Boat of Stone: A Novel, →ISBN:

     She is from California, flown halfway across the globe to gather a group of fifteen chochem together on this otherwise perfectly lovely Saturday morning.

2. (ironic) A know-it-all.
   • 2005, Gregg Keizer, The Longest Night, →ISBN, page 21:

     "Who the fuck you think you are, chochem, talking to Mr. Lansky like — " Lansky held up a hand to stop Mouse.

German

Adjective

chochem (strong nominative masculine singular chochemer, not comparable)

1. cunning

Declension

Positive forms of chochem (uncomparable)

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist chochem	sie ist chochem	es ist chochem	sie sind chochem
strong declension (without article)	nominative	chochemer	chocheme	chochemes	chocheme
	genitive	chochemen	chochemer	chochemen	chochemer
	dative	chochemem	chochemer	chochemem	chochemen
	accusative	chochemen	chocheme	chochemes	chocheme
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der chocheme	die chocheme	das chocheme	die chochemen
	genitive	des chochemen	der chochemen	des chochemen	der chochemen
	dative	dem chochemen	der chochemen	dem chochemen	den chochemen
	accusative	den chochemen	die chocheme	das chocheme	die chochemen
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein chochemer	eine chocheme	ein chochemes	(keine) chochemen
	genitive	eines chochemen	einer chochemen	eines chochemen	(keiner) chochemen
	dative	einem chochemen	einer chochemen	einem chochemen	(keinen) chochemen
	accusative	einen chochemen	eine chocheme	ein chochemes	(keine) chochemen