01
eiskalt
ice-cold
Very cold, having a temperature close to freezing.
example
Das Wasser im Bergsee war selbst im Sommer eiskalt.
The water in the mountain lake was ice-cold even in summer.
eiskalt
ice-cold
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word composition
'Eiskalt' (ice-cold) is a compound adjective made from 'Eis' (ice) and 'kalt' (cold). It literally means 'as cold as ice' and expresses a very high intensity of cold.
EXAMPLE
Im Winter wehte oft ein eiskalter Wind aus dem Osten.
In winter, an ice-cold wind often blew from the east.
Fixed expression
The expression 'jemanden eiskalt erwischen' means to catch someone completely unprepared. The structure is fixed and is often used in the passive ('eiskalt erwischt werden' — to be caught completely off guard).
EXAMPLE
Die Nachricht von der Schließung der Firma hat die Mitarbeiter eiskalt erwischt.
The news of the company's closure caught the employees completely off guard.
Typical collocations
In the figurative meaning 'emotionless', 'eiskalt' (ice-cold) often describes a person's actions, looks, or voice. Typical combinations are: 'ein eiskalter Blick' (an ice-cold look), 'eine eiskalte Berechnung' (ice-cold calculation), or 'jemanden eiskalt anlügen' (to lie to someone coldly).
EXAMPLE
Sie sah ihn mit eiskaltem Blick an und sagte nichts.
She looked at him with an ice-cold stare and said nothing.
Use as an adverb
'Eiskalt' (ice-cold) can also be used as an adverb to modify a verb. It then means something like 'completely', 'unscrupulously', or 'without hesitation'.
EXAMPLE
Er hat sie vor allen Leuten eiskalt ignoriert.
He coldly ignored her in front of everyone.
Compare with
eiskalt vs heiß
hot
'heiß' and 'eiskalt' are clear opposites when talking about temperature. 'heiß' is used for something with a very high temperature, such as tea, water, or a summer day. 'eiskalt' is used for something very cold, often almost like ice. Both words can also be used figuratively: 'heiß' can stand for strong feelings or an intense situation, while 'eiskalt' can stand for unfeeling or calculating behavior. The simple rule to remember is: 'heiß' is very warm, 'eiskalt' is very cold.
eiskalt
Nach dem Spaziergang waren meine Hände eiskalt.
After the walk, my hands were ice-cold.
heiß
Vorsicht, die Suppe ist noch sehr heiß.
Careful, the soup is still very hot.
In real life
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