חוּצְפָּה
chutzpa
Chutzpah means nerve, and in Hebrew it is rarely a compliment
What it means
Chutzpa is the Hebrew word for cheek, insolence, shameless nerve. A driver who cuts the queue has chutzpa, and ma hachutzpa, what nerve, is what people say to him.
When Israelis say it
English took the word from Yiddish and softened it: in English chutzpah can be admiring, the boldness to ask for what others would not. Israelis use it that way too when they talk about startups and their own directness, but at home it is still mostly a complaint.
Frequently asked questions
Is chutzpah a good or a bad thing?
In Hebrew mostly bad, rudeness. In English often good, daring. The same word, two sides.
How do you pronounce chutzpah?
CHUTZ-pa, starting with the throaty ch of Bach, not the ch of chair.