---
title: "حَيّ (ḥayy) meaning in Arabic: alive; neighbourhood"
description: "حَيّ (ḥayy) means “alive; neighbourhood”. Root ح·ي·ي, pattern , level A2: forms, related words and how to read it letter by letter, from the Fasaha dictionary."
canonical: "https://fasaha.app/w/hayy"
language: "en"
direction: "ltr"
---

# حَيّ

*ḥayy* · **alive; neighbourhood**

حَيّ (ḥayy) is an Arabic adjective meaning “alive; neighbourhood”. It is built on the root ح·ي·ي. Fasaha’s library first uses it at level A2.

- Part of speech: Adjective
- Root: ح·ي·ي
- Level: A2

## Words from the root ح·ي·ي

Arabic builds families of words on one root. These share the root ح·ي·ي with حَيّ; each opens its own entry.

- [حَيَاة](https://fasaha.app/w/hayat) — ḥayāt, life (A1)
- [حَيَوَان](https://fasaha.app/w/hayawan) — ḥayawān, animal (A1)

## How to read حَيّ, letter by letter

2 letters, read from right to left. The marks above and below the letters are the short vowels.

- ح — حاء (ḥāʾ): a breathy h from deep in the throat
- ي — ياء (yāʾ): y, or a long i

## Questions about حَيّ

### What is the root of حَيّ?

The root of حَيّ is ح·ي·ي. Words built on the same root include حَيَاة (life), حَيَوَان (animal).

### What level is حَيّ?

Fasaha first uses حَيّ at level A2, on a scale from A0 (first words) to C2 (classical prose).


[All words in the Fasaha dictionary](https://fasaha.app/w)