noun

der Zug, ¨-e

train

Ein Fahrzeug auf Schienen, das viele Wagen hintereinander zieht oder schiebt und Menschen oder Güter von einem Ort zum anderen bringt.

Definition & meaning

Zug is a masculine German noun with several meanings, depending on context:

Train: A vehicle or set of connected vehicles that travels on railway tracks.
Example: Der Zug fährt ab. — “The train is leaving.”
A pull or draught: The act or force of pulling something; it can also mean a current of air.
Example: Ein Zug kalte Luft — “A draught of cold air.”
A move or turn: In games such as chess, it means a move; more generally, it can mean someone’s turn.
Example: Du bist am Zug. — “It’s your turn.”
A procession or group in motion: A line or group of people, vehicles, or animals moving together.
A feature or trait: A characteristic, especially of someone’s face or personality.
Example: ein freundlicher Zug — “a friendly feature” or “a friendly trait.”
A draw or gulp: One inhalation or one pull from a cigarette, or a single gulp or swallow of a drink.

Grammar & Word origin

Zug is masculine: der Zug. Its plural is Züge. The noun is related to the verb ziehen (), meaning “to pull” or “to draw.” Its various meanings developed around ideas of pulling, movement, and taking a turn.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms depend on the intended meaning:

For “train,” Bahn () can refer to rail transport or a train in everyday speech, while Eisenbahn () usually refers to the railway system rather than specifically to a train.
For “a move in a game,” Spielzug ( makes the game context explicit.
For “a trait,” Merkmal ( means a characteristic or distinguishing feature; Eigenschaft ( more broadly means a quality or property.
For “a procession,” Umzug ( often means an organized procession or parade.

There is no single antonym for all meanings of Zug. In the sense of movement, Stillstand ( means “standstill.” In the sense of pulling, Drücken ( means “pushing,” an opposite action in many contexts.