character
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character
The totality of a person's personal qualities and traits that determine their behavior and moral attitude.
Sie hat einen starken Charakter und lässt sich nicht unterkriegen.
She has a strong character and doesn't let herself be defeated.
Although 'Charakter' (character) often corresponds to the English 'character', there is an important difference. For a written character or symbol (as in a password), the German word 'Zeichen' (character/symbol) is much more common. The use of 'Charakter' in this context is limited to technical language.
Bitte geben Sie ein Passwort mit mindestens 12 Zeichen ein.
Please enter a password with at least 12 characters.
The context makes clear which meaning is intended. If it is about a person, their personality is meant. In books or films, it is a figure or character. With places or things, it describes their essence.
Er ist ein Mensch mit festem Charakter.
He is a person of firm character.
When referring to personality, 'Charakter' (character) is often combined with adjectives like 'stark' (strong), 'schwach' (weak), 'fest' (firm), or 'gut' (good). Another common phrase is 'Charakter zeigen' (to show character), which means to be steadfast and principled.
In schwierigen Situationen zeigt sich der wahre Charakter eines Menschen.
A person's true character shows itself in difficult situations.
In literary or film contexts, people often speak of the 'Hauptcharakter' (main character/protagonist) or a 'Nebencharakter' (supporting character). The compound 'Charakterentwicklung' (character development) is also very typical here.
Der Hauptcharakter macht im Laufe der Geschichte eine interessante Entwicklung durch.
The main character undergoes an interesting development over the course of the story.
This meaning is often used to describe the special atmosphere of a place. Typical verbs here are 'bewahren' (to preserve), 'erhalten' (to maintain), or 'verlieren' (to lose).
Das Dorf hat seinen ländlichen Charakter über die Jahre erhalten.
The village has maintained its rural character over the years.
human / person
'der Mensch' and 'der Charakter' are connected when you are talking about qualities and behavior. In this sense, 'Mensch' means the whole person, often with an evaluation such as 'ein guter Mensch' (a good person) or 'ein schwieriger Mensch' (a difficult person). 'Charakter' does not mean the person themselves, but their inner qualities, for example whether someone is honest, calm, or brave. Learners may confuse the words because both appear in descriptions of people. You say: a person is 'ein freundlicher Mensch' (a friendly person), but they have 'einen freundlichen Charakter' (a friendly character).
Beim Termin hat sie gezeigt, dass sie einen starken Charakter hat.
At the appointment, she showed that she has a strong character.
Frau Kaya ist ein geduldiger Mensch, auch wenn es viel Stress gibt.
Ms. Kaya is a patient person, even when there is a lot of stress.