χαίρω G5463
To rejoice, be glad, or experience joy; also a conventional greeting meaning 'hail' or 'greetings.'
Chairō is the foundational Greek verb of joy, commanding believers to rejoice even amid suffering (Matt 5:12; Phil 4:4). From personal gladness to cosmic celebration, it appears in contexts ranging from the Magi's great joy at the star (Matt 2:10) to Paul's exhortation to 'rejoice always' (1 Thess 5:16). The imperative form also crystallized into a standard greeting — 'Hail!' or 'Greetings!' — used both sincerely (the angel to Mary, Luke 1:28) and in cruel mockery (soldiers to Jesus, Matt 27:29). Spanish captures this dual nature with 'alegraos/gozaos' for joy and 'Salve' for the greeting.
Senses
1. rejoice, be glad — To experience or express joy, gladness, and delight — the emotional core of the word across 63 occurrences. Translations emphasize rejoicing: Spanish 'regocijaos/alegraos/gozaos,' German 'sich freuen,' French 'se réjouir.' The Magi rejoiced with exceeding great joy (Matt 2:10), Jesus told the persecuted to 'rejoice and be glad' (Matt 5:12), and the shepherd rejoices over the found sheep more than the ninety-nine (Matt 18:13). Paul's letters elevate this to a programmatic command: 'Rejoice in the Lord always' (Phil 4:4). 63×
AR["أَفرَحُ", "أَفْرَحُ", "أَفْرَحُ،", "افرَحوا", "افْرَحوا", "افْرَحُوا", "اِفْرَحوا", "تَفْرَحوا", "فَرِحُوا"]·ben["আনন্দ-কর", "আনন্দ-কর।", "আনন্দ-করলেন", "আনন্দ-করি", "আনন্দ-করো", "আনন্দিত", "আনন্দিত-হই", "আনন্দিত-হই,", "আমি-আনন্দ-করি", "আমি-আনন্দিত", "আমি-আনন্দিত,"]·DE["freut-sich", "sich-freuen"]·EN["I-rejoice", "Rejoice", "rejoice", "they-rejoiced"]·FR["se-réjouir"]·heb["שִׂמְחוּ", "שִׂמְחוּ!", "שִׂמְחוּ,", "שָׂמְחוּ", "שָׂמֵחַ", "שָׂמֵחַ-אֲנִי", "שָׂמֵחַ.", "תִּשְׂמְחוּ"]·HI["अनन्द-मनअओ", "आनन्द-करो", "आनन्दित-रहो", "आनन्दित-हुए", "आनन्दित-हूँ", "आनन्दित-हूं", "आनन्दित-हो", "खुश-हूँ", "खुश-हो", "खुश-हो!", "खुश-हो,", "मैं-आनन्दित-हूँ", "मैन-अनन्द-करत-होओन", "मैन-खुश-होत-हुन", "मैन-खुश-होत-हुन."]·ID["Aku-bersukacita", "Bersukacitalah", "aku bersukacita", "aku-bersukacita", "aku-bersukacita,", "bersukacita", "bersukacitalah", "bersukacitalah!"]·IT["rallegrarsi"]·jav["Kula-bingah", "Sami-bingaha", "bingah", "bingah-bingaha", "bingaha", "bingaha,", "kawula-bingah", "kula-bingah", "kula-bingah,", "padha-bingah.", "sami-bingaha"]·KO["기뮴하라", "기믭했다", "기뻐하노라", "기뻐하노라.", "기뻐하라", "기뻐하라!", "기뻐하라,", "기뻐하라.", "기뻐하지-말고", "기뻐한다", "기뼐하노라", "기쁘하다", "기쁘하라", "나는-기뻐한다", "내가-기뻐한다"]·PT["alegrai-vos", "alegrai-vos,", "alegraram-se", "alegro-me", "alegro-me,", "me-alegro"]·RU["Радуйтесь", "возрадовались", "радуйтесь", "радуйтесь,", "радуюсь", "хочу"]·ES["Regocijaos", "alegraos", "gozaos", "me-alegro", "me-gozo", "me-regocijo", "os-gocéis", "regocijaos", "se-alegraron"]·SW["Furahini", "furahie", "furahini", "furahini.", "nafurahi", "nafurahi,", "ninafurahi", "ninafurahi,", "walifurahi"]·TR["Sevinin", "sevindiler", "sevinin", "sevinirim", "seviniyorum"]·urd["خوش-رہو", "خوش-ہو", "خوش-ہو،", "خوش-ہوئے", "خوش-ہوو", "خوش-ہوں", "خُوش-ہو", "خُوش-ہوں"]
Matt 2:10, Matt 5:12, Matt 18:13, Mark 14:11, Luke 6:23, Luke 10:20, Luke 10:20, Luke 15:5, Luke 19:6, Luke 19:37, Luke 22:5, Luke 23:8 (+38 more)
2. greet, hail — A formulaic greeting or salutation — 'Hail!' or 'Greetings!' — derived from the imperative 'rejoice' but functioning as a conventional address. Appearing in 11 occurrences, the multilingual evidence shows Spanish distinguishing this as 'Salve' or 'Alégrate' versus the emotional 'gozaos.' The angel Gabriel's 'Hail, favored one!' to Mary (Luke 1:28) is the most theologically rich instance, while the soldiers' 'Hail, King of the Jews!' (Matt 27:29; Mark 15:18) and Judas's 'Hail, Rabbi!' (Matt 26:49) deploy the greeting with bitter irony. 11×
AR["السَّلَامُ", "اِفرَحنَ", "سَلاماً", "سَلامٌ", "سَلامُ", "سَلَامٌ"]·ben["আনন্দ", "নমস্কার", "প্রণাম", "প্রণাম,", "শান্তি", "শুভেচ্ছা", "স্বাগতম"]·DE["freut-sich", "sich-freuen"]·EN["Greetings", "Hail", "Rejoice", "greetings", "hail"]·FR["se-réjouir"]·heb["הוֹאִיל", "שָׁלוֹם"]·HI["नमस्कार", "नमस्कार।", "नमस्ते", "प्रणाम"]·ID["Salam", "salam", "salam."]·IT["rallegrarsi"]·jav["Sugeng", "Sugeng!", "Sugeng,", "salam", "salam.", "sugeng"]·KO["기믭하다", "기뻐하라", "기뻝하라", "기뻝하여라", "기쁨을-빌며.", "만세", "말했다-랫비여", "문안한다", "안녕하라"]·PT["Salve", "alegrar-se", "saudações", "saudações."]·RU["Радуйся", "Радуйся,", "привет", "радоваться", "радоваться.", "радуйтесь"]·ES["Alegraos", "Alégrate", "Salve", "alegrarse", "salud", "saludos"]·SW["Salamu", "hujambo", "salamu"]·TR["Selam", "Selamlar", "hoş-geldin", "selam", "selamlama"]·urd["سلام", "سلام۔"]
Related Senses
G2309 1. want, desire (166×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H0954 1. to be ashamed, feel shame (Qal) (95×)H8057 1. joy, gladness, delight (90×)H2781 1. disgrace, shame, dishonor (68×)G2307 1. will, desire, purpose (63×)G0027 1. beloved (61×)H8130 1. Qal: to hate, detest (60×)G5479 1. (59×)G1680 1. (53×)H8130 2. Qal ptcp: hater, enemy (53×)H0014 1. be willing, want (51×)H0157 2. lover, friend (Qal participle substantive) (51×)H1945 1. woe (50×)H2654a 1. take pleasure in, delight in (48×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
χαίρω, Refs 8th c.BC+; 3rd.pers. plural imperative χαιρόντων Refs 5th c.BC+: imperfect, Epic dialect χαῖρον Refs 8th c.BC+, Ionic dialect χαίρεσκον Refs: future χαιρήσω Refs 5th c.BC+; Epic dialect reduplicate infinitive κεχᾰρησέμεν Refs 8th c.BC+; later χᾰρῶ variant in NT: aorist ἐχαίρησα Refs 1st c.AD+: perfect κεχάρηκα Refs 5th c.BC+, participle -ηκώςRefs 8th c.BC+ —middle (in same sense),…