GLOSSARY of YIDDISH for PORTNOY’S COMPLAINT

compiled by Andrew Gordon

bonditt = bandit; clever, mischievous fellow

Boruch atoh Adonai = “Blessed art Thou, o Lord our G-d” (beginning of prayer or blessing–this is Hebrew, not Yiddish)

boychick = boy, kid

chazerai = (from chazer= pig), junk food, trafe (non-kosher)

dreck = crap, trash

flaishik, flayshedig = meat, poultry (as opposed to milchik, milchedig =dairy products; meat and milk must be kept separate in kosher cooking)

gantze k’nockers= big shots, showoffs

genug = enough

gonif = thief

goy = gentile (noun)

goyim = gentiles (plural)

goyische = gentile (adjective)

hock = strike; yammer, yak; nag

kibbitz = watching, with comments; interfering; making wisecracks, teasing

kish mir in tuchis = kiss my ass (tuchis = ass)

kishkas = intestines, guts, belly

kugel = sweet noodle casserole

kurveh = prostitute

kvell = gush, swell with pride

kvetch = complain

meshugge, meshuggeneh = crazy, nuts

milchik, milchedig = see flaishik (above)

nachas = joy, pleasure; pride in a child’s achievement

noch = yet; more, too; “There!” (said when you hit someone)

nosh = nibble, snack

nudjh = nag

oy = “oh!”–an expression, depending upon circumstance, of pain, fear, woe (oy vey!), awe, relief, pleasure, horror or astonishment (oy gevalt!)

oysgemitchet = exhausted

punim = face, visage

pisher = nothing; pisser, little squirt

pisk = mouth

plotz = burst, collapse, be aggravated beyond bearing

potch = slap, usually on the ass

putz = male organ; fool (see also shlong, shmuck, shvantz); “ven der putz shtet, ligt der sechel in drerd” (“when the penis rises, the brains get buried in the ground”)

rachmones = pity, mercy, compassion

ruggeleh = rolled pastry made with nuts (also figures in American Pastoral)

schmaltz = chicken fat; maudlin sentimentality

schmegeggy = drip, incompetent person

schmendrick = weakling, little boy, jerk

schmuck = also shmuck; male organ; fool (see also putz, shlong, shvantz)

shande = shame

shaygets = young Gentile man

shicker = a drunk

shikse = (or shiksa) gentile woman

shiva = seven days of mourning after Jewish funeral; “sitting shiva”(one sits on a stool)

shkotzim = gentile men (plural of shaygets)

shlemiel = fool, loser

shlep = drag, pull, haul; a person who is a drag or jerk

shlong = male organ (see also putz, schmuck, shvantz)

shmatta = rag, piece of cloth, a dress

shmutz = dirt

shmutzig = dirty

shnoz = nose

shtarke = tough guy, big shot

shtunk = fool, dope, jerk; stinker, mean person; scandalous mess

shtup = push, shove; slang for fornicate

shvantz = male organ (see also putz, shlong, schmuck)

shvartze = black person

shvitz = sweat

shvitz bath = Turkish bath, steam bath

tateleh = little boy

tsatskeleh = toy, plaything

trafe = (or trayf) food that is not kosher

tsura = (plural tsuris) trouble, woe, suffering

tuchis = ass

vantz = louse

zaftig = buxom, plump, well-rounded figure on a woman. Can mean “fat.” Literally means “juicy.”

With thanks to Leo Rosten, The Joys of Yiddish (NY: McGraw-Hill, 1968) and The Joys of Yinglish (NY: McGraw-Hill, 1989), and to Arthur Naiman, Every Goy’s Guide to Common Jewish Expressions (NY: Ballantine, 1981).