biz hundert un tsvantsik

Definitions

• [may you/he/she live] "until a hundred and twenty [years]" -- often used as a birthday wish for long life, or when mentioning a person who is getting on in years.

Example Sentences

• "I'd also like to extend warmest wishes to Hasia on the occasion of her reaching her 90th year, as we say 'alevay biz hundert un tsvantsik', with hopefully many more productive years ahead on the radio." (http://www.klezmershack.com/archives/001467.html)

Languages of Origin

Yiddish

Etymology

• ביז הונדערט און צװאַנציק

Who Uses This

• Older: Jews who are middle-aged and older
• Ashkenazim: Jews with Ashkenazi heritage
• Yiddishists

Regions

• North America

Dictionaries

• Yiddish and English: A Century of Yiddish in America, by Sol Steinmetz (Tuscaloosa, 1986).

Alternative Spellings

biz hundert un tsvantsik yor, biz hundred and tsvansik

Notes

• refers to the length of Moses' life. The parallel Hebrew expression - ad me'ah v'esrim - is also used in Jewish English.