nounnoun

das Bauchgefühl, -e

gut feeling

Ein Gefühl, das dir sagt, was richtig oder falsch ist, ohne dass du genau weißt, warum.

Definition & meaning

Bauchgefühl means gut feeling, intuition, or an immediate sense that something is right or wrong, without necessarily being able to explain why. It often refers to a personal impression or instinctive judgment.

Grammar & word origin

Bauchgefühl is a neuter noun: das Bauchgefühl. Its plural is die Bauchgefühle.

It is a compound of Bauch (“belly”) and Gefühl (“feeling”). The image is of a feeling or judgment that seems to come from the “gut” rather than from conscious reasoning.

Synonyms & antonyms

Intuition is a close synonym, often emphasizing an immediate understanding or insight.
Instinkt is also similar, but can suggest a more basic, innate impulse.
Eingebung means a sudden idea or insight and is often more momentary than a Bauchgefühl.

There is no exact antonym. Nüchterne Analyse (“sober analysis”) and rationales Abwägen (“rational weighing of options”) contrast with relying on an intuitive feeling, though they are approaches to judgment rather than direct opposites.