כי

• IPA^(key): /kaj/

כי • (kay)

1. because, for

From Proto-Semitic *kiyā.

כִּי • (ki)

1. (archaic) so, thus
   • Mishna, שבועות, ‎6:7:

     המלוה את חברו על המשכון ואבד המשכון אמר לו סלע הלויתיך עליו ושקל היה שוה והלה אומר לא כי אלא סלע הלויתני עליו וסלע היה שוה […]

     One who lends to his friend against collateral and the collateral is gone: [If] he told him "I lent you a sela against it, and it was worth a shekel" and the other says "not so; rather, you lent me a sela against it and it was worth a sela" […]

• כך‎
• כן‎

כִּי • (kī)

1. because, for, since

   ‏הלכתי למכולת לקנות שקית חלב כי אמי ביקשה ממני.‎‎

   halákhti lamakólet liknót sakít khaláv kí 'imí bik'shá miméni.

   I went to the grocery store to buy a bag of milk because my mother asked me to.

   ‏השמש נמצאת עכשיו במזרח, כי זוהי שעת זריחתה.‎‎

   hashémesh nimtsét 'akhsháv bamizrákh, kí zóhi sh'át z'rikhatáh.

   The sun is in the east now, for this is the hour of its rising.

2. (dated or formal) that; used to introduce declarative content clauses

   ‏המורה הודיעה כי מחר יתקיים יום ספורט בית־ספרי.‎‎

   hamorá hodí'a ki makhár yitkayém yóm spórt beit-sifrí.

   The teacher announced that tomorrow will be a school sports day.

   ‏על השלט נכתב כי אסור להפריע את מנוחת הדיירים בין 2 ל־4 בצהריים.‎‎

   'al hashélet nikhtáv kí 'asúr l'hafría' 'et m'nukhát hadayarím bein 2 l'-4 batsohoráyim.

   The sign says (literally On the sign is written) that [it is] forbidden to disturb the tenants' rest between 2 and 4 in the afternoon.

3. (archaic) when, as, at the time that
4. (archaic) rather, but, but rather

• (because): בִּגְלַל שֶׁ־‎ (biglál she-), משום ש־‎ (mishúm she-), מִפְּנֵי שֶׁ־‎ (mip'néi she-)
• (that): שֶׁ־‎ (she-)
• (when): כַּאֲשֶׁר‎ (ka'ashér)
• (rather): אלא‎ (éla), אֲבָל‎ (avál)

From Ancient Greek χεῖ (kheî).

כִי • (ḵī) f

1. chi (Greek letter)
   • a. 500 C.E., Babylonian Talmud, Horayot 12a:

     ‏כֵּיצַד מוֹשְׁחִין אֶת הַמְּלָכִים? כְּמִין נֵזֶר. וְאֶת הַכֹּהֲנִים? כְּמִין כִּי. מַאי כְּמִין כִּי? אָמַר רַב מְנַשְּׁיָא בַּר גַּדָּא, כְּמִין כַּף יְוָנִי.‎‎

     Keitsad moshḥin et ha-mlakhim? K-min nézer. V-et ha-kohanim? K-min ki. Mai k-min ki? Amar Rav M'nashya bar Gadda, k-min kaf y'vani.

     In what way are kings anointed? Like a crown. And priests? Like a chi. What does "like a chi" mean? Says Rav Menashya bar Gadda, like the Greek version of kaph.

Cognate to Arabic كَيّ‎ (kayy).

כִּי • (kī) m

1. cauterization, branding
   • Isaiah 3:24, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     ‏וְהָיָה תַחַת בֹּשֶׂם מַק יִהְיֶה וְתַחַת חֲגוֹרָה נִקְפָּה וְתַחַת מַעֲשֶׂה מִקְשֶׁה קָרְחָה וְתַחַת פְּתִיגִיל מַחֲגֹרֶת שָׂק כִּי תַחַת יֹפִי‎

     Və–hayah táḥat bósem maq yihyeh, və-táḥat ḥagorah niqpah, və-táḥat ma’aseh miqsheh qorḥah, və-táḥat pətigil makhagóreth saq, ki táḥat yófi.

     And it shall come to pass, that Instead of sweet spices there shall be rottenness; And instead of a girdle rags; And instead of curled hair baldness; And instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; Branding instead of beauty.

Compared with Arabic كُي‎ (kuy, “ibis, pelican”).

כִּי • (kī) m

1. (hapax, dubious interpretation) vulture
   • Job 39:27

     ‏אִם־עַל־פִּ֭יךָ יַגְבִּ֣יהַּ נָ֑שֶׁר וְ֝כִ֗י יָרִ֥ים קִנֹּֽו‎

     Is it upon your behest that the eagle and the vulture soars and makes his nest high? Or as with the particle above: Is it upon your behest that the eagle soars, and yea, makes his nest high?

• Schoors, Anton (1981), “The Particle כי”, in Remembering All the Way … – A Collection of Old Testament Studies Published on the Occasion of the Fortieth Anniversary of the Oudtestamentisch Werkgezelschap in Nederland, Leiden: Brill, pages 240–276