<p>Yes, 希 can refer to Greek, 希腊； or 希伯来 Hebrew; But I would be very carful in using it as it may causes confusion unless the context is very clear. For example, 他會説英德希三種語言。is confusing, definitely not Spanish (西 would be used).  But is it 希腊 or 希伯来？ For minor languages (in the sense of not many people use it), we tend to use the full name: 希伯来语，希腊语，意迪绪语，... etc.  Alas, this so happened in human history: &quot;The last Mohigan&quot;; the 莫歇语 (the only person who know it passed 10 years ago), especially the languages spoken without writting.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-20T05:53:17.013Z
2020-09-20T05:53:17.013Z
James Liu 刘老师
<p><strong>Greece</strong>.</p>
<p>This is just a theory in process but I believe that there is some merit to it.</p>
<p>If we look at the other abbreviations we can see a slight pattern:</p>
<ul>
<li>英 = 英国 / 英语</li>
<li>德 = 德国 / 德语</li>
</ul>
<p>I have to assume that these abbreviations were first used for the countries themselves rather than for their languages.</p>
<p>Likewise:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>希中 = Greece－China</p>
</li>
<li><p>希中商务理事会 = Greece－China Business Council</p>
</li>
<li><p>中希 also works for China－Greece.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Conversely, there is no country called <em>Hebrew</em>. 以 is the abbreviation for Israel. Hebrew can even be referred to as 以色列语. I would expect 以 to be the abbreviation if Hebrew was being spoken of here, just out for the sake of clarity.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-20T10:00:34.377Z
2020-09-20T10:24:20.140Z
2020-09-20T10:24:20.140Z
Mou某
<p><strong>Most like Hebrew.</strong></p>
<p>I searched &quot;希语&quot; via Baidu. Most results on top show &quot;Hebrew&quot;.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/X6L92.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/X6L92.jpg" alt="Search Result" /></a></p>
<p>It means when a Chinese person uses &quot;希语&quot;, he/she'd probably mean &quot;Hebrew&quot;. Hebrew isn't popular in China, but still more popular than Greek. They're 小语种.</p>
<p>Actually, it's the writer's wrong. It will make reader feel confused. There are many example of this kind of wrong:</p>
<p>促进中阿关系发展</p>
<p>&quot;阿&quot;? &quot;阿尔巴尼亚(Albania)&quot;? &quot;阿根廷(Argentina)&quot;? &quot;阿尔及利亚(Algeria)&quot;? So, usually, we don't use &quot;阿&quot; instead name of anyone of these countries <strong>without context</strong>. If you can post the context, that's better.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-20T11:52:40.510Z
2020-09-20T11:52:40.510Z
T-Pioneer
<p>For example:</p>
<p>他會説英德希三種語言。</p>
<p>Which of the following translation is correct?</p>
<ol>
<li>He speaks English, German and Greek.</li>
</ol>
<p>or</p>
<ol start="2">
<li>He speaks English, German and Hebrew.</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-20T04:35:09.630Z
It's probably 英德西. 西 refers to Spanish. 英德西 is often put together.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-20T04:36:27.700Z
@dan, then what if he knows exactly English, German and Greek? How do you say this in Chinese? How about English, German and Hebrew?
Zuriel
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-20T04:40:38.820Z
If the term can't be well identified, we should not brief it as a single character. When 英，德，西 is presented, we all know what it refers to. But with 希，it's hard to figure it out. you can say 他会说英语，德语，希腊语 instead.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-20T04:42:24.190Z
@dan, so people abbreviate English or German or Spanish as a single character in Chinese but never Greek or Hebrew?
Zuriel
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-20T04:46:17.600Z
There isn't a rule to block you abbreviate anything. However, people might ask you to clarify if they are not easily identified from the context.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-20T04:58:20.160Z
@Zurielz With 英，德，西 as languages, there is no ambiguity, but 希 can be 希臘語 or 希伯來語, so you need to use the unabbreviated term. Same in any language.
monalisa
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-20T06:47:13.407Z
Doesn't 他會説......三種語言 tells you he could speak three languages?
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-20T12:00:42.107Z
@Zuriel Usually yes. English, German and Spanish are all popular and not controversial. If the example isn't popular("克语". Croatian? They'll be confused), or controversial("印语" Indian? Indonesian?), we won't use without context. We would say "克罗地亚语" "印地语" and "印尼语".
T-Pioneer
<meaning-in-context><abbreviations>
Does "希" mean Greek or Hebrew?
# Does "希" mean Greek or Hebrew?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-09-20)

For example:

他會説英德希三種語言。

Which of the following translation is correct?

1. He speaks English, German and Greek.

or

2. He speaks English, German and Hebrew.

**Tags:** meaning-in-context, abbreviations

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It's probably 英德西. 西 refers to Spanish. 英德西 is often put together.  
> **username_0**: @username_1, then what if he knows exactly English, German and Greek? How do you say this in Chinese? How about English, German and Hebrew?  
> **username_1**: If the term can't be well identified, we should not brief it as a single character. When 英，德，西 is presented, we all know what it refers to. But with 希，it's hard to figure it out. you can say 他会说英语，德语，希腊语 instead.  
> **username_0**: @username_1, so people abbreviate English or German or Spanish as a single character in Chinese but never Greek or Hebrew?  
> **username_1**: There isn't a rule to block you abbreviate anything. However, people might ask you to clarify if they are not easily identified from the context.  
> **username_2**: @Zurielz With 英，德，西 as languages, there is no ambiguity, but 希 can be 希臘語 or 希伯來語, so you need to use the unabbreviated term. Same in any language.  
> **username_3**: Doesn't 他會説......三種語言 tells you he could speak three languages?  
> **username_4**: @username_0 Usually yes. English, German and Spanish are all popular and not controversial. If the example isn't popular("克语". Croatian? They'll be confused), or controversial("印语" Indian? Indonesian?), we won't use without context. We would say "克罗地亚语" "印地语" and "印尼语".  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2020-09-20. Score: 1

Yes, 希 can refer to Greek, 希腊； or 希伯来 Hebrew; But I would be very carful in using it as it may causes confusion unless the context is very clear. For example, 他會説英德希三種語言。is confusing, definitely not Spanish (西 would be used). But is it 希腊 or 希伯来？ For minor languages (in the sense of not many people use it), we tend to use the full name: 希伯来语，希腊语，意迪绪语，... etc. Alas, this so happened in human history: "The last Mohigan"; the 莫歇语 (the only person who know it passed 10 years ago), especially the languages spoken without writting.


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2020-09-20. Score: 1

**Greece**.

This is just a theory in process but I believe that there is some merit to it.

If we look at the other abbreviations we can see a slight pattern:

* 英 = 英国 / 英语
* 德 = 德国 / 德语

I have to assume that these abbreviations were first used for the countries themselves rather than for their languages.

Likewise:

* 希中 = Greece－China
* 希中商务理事会 = Greece－China Business Council
* 中希 also works for China－Greece.

Conversely, there is no country called *Hebrew*. 以 is the abbreviation for Israel. Hebrew can even be referred to as 以色列语. I would expect 以 to be the abbreviation if Hebrew was being spoken of here, just out for the sake of clarity.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2020-09-20. Score: 1

**Most like Hebrew.**

I searched "希语" via Baidu. Most results on top show "Hebrew".

[![Search Result](https://i.sstatic.net/X6L92.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/X6L92.jpg)

It means when a Chinese person uses "希语", he/she'd probably mean "Hebrew". Hebrew isn't popular in China, but still more popular than Greek. They're 小语种.

Actually, it's the writer's wrong. It will make reader feel confused. There are many example of this kind of wrong:

促进中阿关系发展

"阿"? "阿尔巴尼亚(Albania)"? "阿根廷(Argentina)"? "阿尔及利亚(Algeria)"? So, usually, we don't use "阿" instead name of anyone of these countries **without context**. If you can post the context, that's better.


---

