witchcraft
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witchcraft
The practice of magic or sorcery traditionally attributed to witches. The term often has a negative connotation and is associated with supernatural powers and rituals.
Im Mittelalter wurden viele unschuldige Frauen der Hexerei beschuldigt.
In the Middle Ages, many innocent women were accused of witchcraft.
The word consists of 'Hexe' (witch) and the ending '-erei'. The ending '-erei' often denotes an activity and, as here, can have a negative or pejorative connotation.
Früher glaubten die Menschen, dass schlechtes Wetter durch Hexerei verursacht wurde.
In the past, people believed that bad weather was caused by witchcraft.
The colloquial meaning is used almost exclusively in the fixed expression 'Das ist keine Hexerei' (That's not witchcraft / That's not rocket science). It expresses that something is much easier than it initially seems.
Du musst nur den Anweisungen folgen, das ist wirklich keine Hexerei.
You just have to follow the instructions; it's really not rocket science.
The expression 'keine Hexerei sein' (to not be witchcraft / to not be rocket science) clearly belongs to colloquial speech. It is used to reassure or encourage someone to tackle a task.
Ein Fahrradreifen zu wechseln ist keine Hexerei, ich zeige dir, wie es geht.
Changing a bicycle tire isn't rocket science; I'll show you how to do it.
magic
'die Magie' and 'die Hexerei' both belong to the area of supernatural powers and rituals. 'Magie' is the more general expression and can sound neutral or even positive. 'Hexerei' is narrower: it refers to magic traditionally associated with witches. The word often sounds darker, more old-fashioned, or negative. In addition, 'Hexerei' is used colloquially in expressions like 'Das ist keine Hexerei' (it's not rocket science) when something is not as difficult as it first seems. Learners may confuse the words because both have to do with magic. For the general concept, you usually use 'Magie'; for witches or the fixed expression, 'Hexerei' is more appropriate.
Keine Sorge, die neue App zu bedienen ist keine Hexerei.
Don't worry, using the new app isn't rocket science.
Im Museum geht es heute um Magie in alten Kulturen.
Today, the museum is focusing on magic in ancient cultures.