how to say “a solid guy” in Hebrew
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/בחור-כארז-1.m4a” /]בָּחוּר כָּאֶרֶז
The cedar tree, native to the lands of the Bible including the country known then and today as Lebanon, was venerated as beautiful, strong, majestic. It makes sense then that in the biblical poem שיר השירים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/בחור-כארז-2.m4a” /] – Song of Songs, the young woman refers to her beloved as a young man like the cedars.
Today Israelis might the expression בחור כארז[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/בחור-כארז-1.m4a” /] – a young man like the cedar – to describe a particularly solid guy, someone with physical strength, as well as strength of character.
For example:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/בחור-כארז-3.m4a” /]הוא חייל מצטיין, פשוט בחור כארז.
He’s an exemplary soldier, simply a solid young man.