adjective

kühn

bold · daring

Beschreibt eine Person, die mutig handelt und sich etwas traut, auch wenn es riskant ist.

Definition & meaning

The German adjective kühn describes a person or an action characterized by courage, boldness, or a daring spirit. It implies a willingness to take risks or to face challenges, often going beyond what is considered cautious or conventional.

Depending on the context, it can have two slightly different nuances:

Daring/Bold: Used for someone who shows initiative and is not afraid of danger or resistance. For example, a "kühner Plan" (a bold plan) or a "kühner Entdecker" (a daring explorer).
Audacious/Presumptuous: In some contexts, it can imply a boldness that borders on being cheeky, impertinent, or overly self-confident.

Grammar & Word origin

kühn is an adjective that can be used attributively (e.g., "ein kühner Schritt") or predicatively (e.g., "Der Plan war kühn"). Like other German adjectives, it follows standard inflection patterns when used before a noun.

Etymologically, the word traces back to the Old High German kuoni, which originally meant "knowledgeable," "experienced," or "able." Over time, the meaning shifted from "knowing how to do something" to the modern sense of "daring" or "bold," based on the idea that an experienced person has the confidence to act courageously.