Chi (Χ/χ) – New Testament Greek words that start with chi

• Old Testament Hebrew
• New Testament Greek

Quick reference

Greek Name:

χῖ

English Name:

chi

Pronunciation:

khē’

Upper-case Letter:

Χ

Lower-case Letter:

χ

Speech Sound:

consonant

Numerical Value:

600

Pronunciation guide

In Koine Greek, the letter Chi was a voiceless velar fricative, produced by creating friction in the back of the mouth, near the soft palate, with a slight constriction of the air passage and no vocal cord vibration. It is pronounced as a “kh” sound, similar to the “ch” in the German “Bach” or the Scottish “loch.”

Numerical significance

In the Greek numeral system (isopsephy), Chi represents the number six hundred (600). Like many higher numbers, six hundred does not carry specific symbolic significance in ancient Greek culture but is recognized as a large, round number. In various contexts, such numbers can symbolize completeness or a significant quantity, often used in enumerating large totals or distances.

Cultural and symbolic meaning

The letter Chi originated from the Phoenician letter Kaph, which meant “palm of the hand.” It might have implied giving, receiving, or work done by hands.

Additionally, in Christian symbolism, Chi is significant for its use in the Chi-Rho monogram, a symbol for Christ. The Chi-Rho combines the first two letters of “Christ” in Greek (ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ), highlighting Chi’s enduring spiritual and cultural significance.