malicious glee
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malicious glee
Malicious pleasure in another person's misfortune, harm, or mishap. It is often accompanied by mockery and contempt.
Er konnte die Häme in der Stimme seines Konkurrenten nicht überhören.
He couldn't fail to hear the malicious glee in his competitor's voice.
'Die Häme' (malicious glee) is the noun related to the adjective 'hämisch' (maliciously mocking). If someone is 'hämisch', that person feels or shows 'Häme' (malicious glee).
Sein Kommentar war voller Häme.
His comment was full of malicious glee.
'Häme' (malicious glee) is an abstract noun and is used almost exclusively in the singular. It describes the feeling itself and is not countable.
Nach seiner Niederlage musste er viel Häme ertragen.
After his defeat, he had to endure a lot of malicious glee.
'Häme' (malicious glee) is often combined with certain verbs and prepositions: 'Häme empfinden' (to feel malicious glee), 'voller Häme sein' (to be full of malicious glee), 'etwas mit Häme sagen' (to say something with malicious glee). A very common fixed expression is 'Häme und Spott' (malicious glee and mockery).
Sie konnte ihre Häme kaum verbergen, als ihr Kollege einen Fehler machte.
She could hardly hide her malicious glee when her colleague made a mistake.
pity / compassion
'Mitleid' and 'Häme' both describe a reaction to another person's misfortune. But the difference is opposite: with 'Mitleid', you feel for the person and find their suffering sad. With 'Häme', you take malicious pleasure in their mishap or make fun of it. 'Mitleid' fits when you want to help or comfort someone. 'Häme' fits when someone reacts coldly, mockingly, or meanly.
Als der Spieler den Elfmeter verpasste, hörte man Häme von einigen Zuschauern.
When the player missed the penalty, malicious glee could be heard from some spectators.
Nach dem Unfall hatte die ganze Nachbarschaft Mitleid mit der Familie.
After the accident, the whole neighborhood felt pity for the family.