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As you probably know, the hadith is classified based on the soundness of the chain of narration and the documented degree of trustworthiness of each link in the chain (i.e. the narrators). The classification can vary in its detail from one scholar of hadith (muhaddith) to another, but the following main levels of authenticity are common among them are:
صحيح حسن ضعيف موضوع

Meaning: authentic, sound, weak, and forged

Islamic jurisprudence uses the Sahih Hadith as a source of Sharia in addition to the Quran. That is why the text refers more frequently to Sahih hadith than to any of the other categories. The frequency led to a shorthand where the following two expressions are equivalent:

وفي الحديث الصحيح أن ألله إذا أحب عبداً كان سمعه الذي يسمع به إلخ
وفي الصحيح أن ألله إذا أحب عبداً كان سمعه الذي يسمع به إلخ

So the answer to your question is that صحيح and حديث صحيح can be used interchangeably. However, if the word حديث is used without the classification, the reader cannot assume that the hadith is sahih. A scholarly text will usually provide a footnote that mentions a reference to the hadith collection and classification.


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Note added at 22 mins (2004-10-11 03:41:17 GMT)
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Therefore, if the word Sahih is used as a nound, you can therefore translate it as \"authentic hadith\", but if the word hadith is used without qualification, you leave it without qualification.

I hope this clarifies the subject.

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Note added at 51 mins (2004-10-11 04:10:27 GMT)
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As usual, please pardon the typos.