k-a-p-h
KAPH is the eleventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet, representing a palm or hollow of the hand. Also spelled CAPH or KAF, it's one of the valuable Hebrew letter words in Scrabble. Worth 13 base points with its high-value tiles (K=5, H=4), KAPH offers excellent scoring while expanding cultural vocabulary.
K (5 pts) and H (4 pts) drive high scoring
13
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
💡 Pro Tip:
KAPH's K (5 points) and H (4 points) make it valuable for a 4-letter word. Hebrew letter names like ALEPH, BETH, GIMEL provide excellent Scrabble vocabulary.
Kaph (also spelled caph, kaf, or khaf) is the eleventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet, carrying deep linguistic and mystical significance. Its name means "palm" or "hollow of the hand" in Hebrew, reflecting the letter's shape which resembles a bent hand ready to receive. In the Hebrew writing system, kaph represents the "k" sound, though it can soften to a "kh" sound (like the ch in "Bach") when it appears at the end of words, marked by a dot called a dagesh.
In Hebrew numerology (gematria), kaph holds the value of 20, while its final form (kaph sofit) represents 500. This numerical significance extends into Kabbalistic interpretation, where kaph symbolizes the palm that both gives and receives, embodying the divine attribute of kingship (malchut). The letter's dual nature—open palm and closed fist—represents the balance between judgment and mercy, withholding and bestowing, central themes in Jewish mystical thought.
The letter's journey into English reflects broader patterns of Hebrew alphabet adoption in Western languages. Like other Hebrew letters (aleph, beth, gimel), kaph entered English dictionaries to serve scholars studying Biblical texts, Semitic languages, and Jewish mysticism. These letter names proved invaluable for discussing Hebrew without using Hebrew script, facilitating cross-cultural religious and linguistic scholarship.
Linguistically, kaph belongs to the category of "begadkefat" letters—Hebrew consonants that can be pronounced two ways depending on context. With a dagesh (dot), it's a hard "k" sound; without, it softens to "kh." This phonetic flexibility parallels similar phenomena in other languages, like the Celtic initial consonant mutations, showing how sound changes serve grammatical functions across unrelated language families.
In religious texts, kaph appears in significant words: "kohen" (priest), "keter" (crown), "kadosh" (holy). The letter's palm symbolism extends metaphorically—the hand that blesses, the hand that creates, the hand that receives divine emanation. Medieval Jewish commentators noted that the human palm contains lines resembling the letter kaph, seeing divine signature in human anatomy.
For Scrabble players, KAPH represents a convergence of practical and cultural value. Its 13 base points come from high-value consonants K (5) and H (4), making it efficient for scoring. More importantly, Hebrew letter words like KAPH, ALEPH, BETH, GIMEL, DALETH expand players' vocabularies beyond everyday English, rewarding those who explore linguistic diversity. These words often surprise opponents unfamiliar with their validity.
The word exemplifies how Scrabble incorporates global linguistic heritage. Just as QI represents Chinese philosophy and QINDAR Albanian currency, KAPH brings Hebrew alphabet into wordplay. This inclusion reflects English's role as a global language that borrows freely, creating a game where cultural literacy translates directly into points. Knowing KAPH means understanding that English dictionaries embrace words from all traditions, making wordplay a celebration of human linguistic diversity.
"Kaph" derives directly from Hebrew כף (kaf), meaning "palm" or "hollow of the hand." The word's etymology traces back to Proto-Semitic *kapp-, sharing roots with Arabic كف (kaff) and Aramaic כפא (kap̄ā), all meaning "palm." This semantic consistency across Semitic languages suggests the hand's palm held profound significance in ancient Near Eastern cultures—as tool, measure, and symbol of human capability.
The letter's name reflects its pictographic origin. Early Proto-Sinaitic script showed kaph as a simplified drawing of a palm with fingers, later stylized into the curved shape resembling a cupped hand. This pictographic heritage links kaph to humanity's earliest writing systems, where pictures became phonetic symbols. The transformation from image (palm) to sound (k) to abstract letter demonstrates writing's evolution from concrete representation to symbolic system.
Hebrew letter names entered English through Biblical scholarship. Medieval Christian scholars studying Hebrew texts needed terminology to discuss Hebrew letters in Latin and vernacular languages. They transliterated Hebrew letter names, creating words like "aleph," "beth," and "kaph." These terms appeared in early Hebrew grammars and Biblical commentaries, gradually entering English dictionaries as specialized vocabulary for religious and linguistic discourse.
The spelling variations (kaph, caph, kaf, khaf) reflect different transliteration systems. "Kaph" follows traditional English Hebraist conventions, "kaf" represents modern Israeli pronunciation, "khaf" indicates the fricative pronunciation, and "caph" shows influence from Greek kappa. Each spelling tells a story about when and how Hebrew entered various European scholarly traditions, creating multiple valid English forms for one Hebrew letter.
The Indo-European connection appears through Greek. When Greeks adapted the Phoenician alphabet (closely related to Hebrew), they transformed kaph into kappa (Κ). Romans later borrowed kappa as C and K, meaning every K in English ultimately descends from the same Semitic palm symbol. This alphabetic genealogy shows how one culture's hand symbol became another's abstract letter, spreading across continents through trade and conquest.
Modern usage extends beyond linguistics. "Kaph" appears in comparative religion studies, Kabbalah texts, Hebrew typography discussions, and Unicode documentation. The word's journey from ancient pictograph to Scrabble tile encapsulates larger patterns: how specialized religious vocabulary becomes general knowledge, how globalization brings distant languages together, and how games like Scrabble preserve cultural literacy by making obscure words valuable. Each play of KAPH connects players to millennia of writing history.
"The Hebrew letter kaph represents the k sound in words like melekh (king)."
Linguistic context
"In Kabbalah, kaph symbolizes the palm that receives divine emanation."
Mystical context
"The student learned to write kaph as part of Hebrew alphabet studies."
Educational context
"Playing KAPH with K on a double letter score earned me 18 points!"
Word game context
Total base points: 13 (Scrabble)
Vowels: 1 | Consonants: 3
Spelling Variants:
Related Concepts:
Related Hebrew Letters:
Kaph holds the 11th position in the Hebrew alphabet, following yod and preceding lamed. In the traditional Hebrew alphanumeric system, it represents 20, making it significant for numerological calculations. The letter appears in two forms: regular kaph (כ) used at the beginning or middle of words, and final kaph (ך), an elongated form used only at word endings. This dual form reflects Hebrew's sophisticated orthographic system.
Kaph belongs to the begadkefat letters, consonants with two pronunciations. With a dagesh (dot), it's pronounced as hard "k" (like "king"). Without dagesh, especially after vowels, it becomes fricative "kh" (like German "Bach" or Scottish "loch"). Modern Hebrew tends toward the hard pronunciation, while traditional pronunciations maintain the distinction. This phonetic flexibility parallels English's hard/soft C and G, showing universal patterns in consonant evolution.
In Kabbalistic thought, kaph represents keter (crown), the highest sefirah (divine emanation) in the Tree of Life. The palm symbolism extends metaphysically—as the palm receives and gives, so divine energy flows through creation. The letter's numerical value 20 combines 10 (divine completeness) doubled, suggesting hidden and revealed aspects of divinity. Medieval mystics saw kaph's curved shape as a throne or crown, befitting its association with divine sovereignty.
KAPH combines K (5 points) and H (4 points) for exceptional value in a 4-letter word. With 13 base points, it outscores most common 4-letter words. The K and H should target premium squares—K on triple letter yields 15 points from that tile alone. The word's compact size makes it perfect for tight board situations.
Master the Hebrew alphabet series: ALEPH, BETH, GIMEL, DALETH, HE, VAV, ZAYIN, HETH, TETH, YOD, KAPH, LAMED, MEM, NUN, SAMEKH, AYIN, PE, TZADDI, QOPH, RESH, SHIN, TAV. These provide excellent vocabulary for high-value tiles. Many players don't know these words, reducing challenge risk.
💡 Championship Tip:
KAPH excels in parallel plays. Its K and H create valuable two-letter words: KA, KI, AH, HA, PA, PE. Build KAPH parallel to existing words to score in multiple directions. The Hebrew letter words also work well for "fishing"—playing off one letter hoping to draw completion tiles, since opponents rarely block these unusual words.
Hebrew letter names in English dictionaries reflect centuries of cross-cultural exchange. Christian Hebraists studying Biblical texts, Jewish scholars writing in European languages, and comparative linguists all contributed to standardizing these terms. The inclusion of KAPH and its variants in Scrabble dictionaries acknowledges English's role as a global language that incorporates specialized vocabulary from all traditions.
Academic Usage
Biblical studies, Semitic linguistics, Jewish studies departments
Religious Context
Torah study, Kabbalah texts, Hebrew prayer books, mystical writings
Modern Applications
Unicode standards, typography, computational linguistics
Forgetting Alternative Spellings
CAPH, KAF, and KHAF are all valid. If KAPH doesn't fit, try alternatives. Each spelling might open different board positions.
Wasting K and H
K (5 points) and H (4 points) are valuable tiles. Always aim for premium squares. Playing KAPH without multipliers wastes 9 points of tile value.
Missing KAPHS Plural
KAPHS is valid for discussing multiple instances of the letter. Don't forget this simple 5-letter extension worth 14 points.
Ignoring Hebrew Letter Set
If you know KAPH, learn ALEPH, BETH, GIMEL, etc. This word family provides consistent options for difficult tiles.
Explore other Hebrew letters and K-H combinations
KAPHS
14 points
KHAF
14 points
KAPH
13 points
ALEPH
10 points
PARK
10 points
BETH
9 points
PATH
9 points
HARP
9 points
Practice unscrambling letters to find more high-scoring words like KAPH