bodily harm
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bodily harm
A criminal offense in which one person physically abuses another person or harms their health. This includes both minor and serious injuries.
Er wurde wegen gefährlicher Körperverletzung angeklagt.
He was charged with dangerous bodily harm.
The word is made up of 'der Körper' (the body) and 'die Verletzung' (the injury). It literally describes an injury to the body.
Eine Ohrfeige kann bereits als leichte Körperverletzung gelten.
A slap in the face can already count as minor bodily harm.
'Körperverletzung' (bodily harm) is a fixed term from criminal law. It is used mainly in the context of the police, courts, and laws.
Er hat Anzeige wegen Körperverletzung erstattet.
He filed a complaint for bodily harm.
Common verbs in this context are 'eine Körperverletzung begehen' (to commit bodily harm), 'jemanden wegen Körperverletzung anzeigen' (to report someone for bodily harm), or 'wegen Körperverletzung verurteilt werden' (to be convicted of bodily harm).
Der Täter wurde wegen schwerer Körperverletzung verurteilt.
The perpetrator was convicted of grievous bodily harm.
attack
'der Angriff' and 'die Körperverletzung' can both have to do with violence against a person. 'Angriff' mainly describes the action: someone acts in a hostile or violent way against someone. It does not always have to be clear how badly someone was injured. 'Körperverletzung' is more specific and legal: a person is physically abused or their health is harmed. Learners may confuse the words because an 'Angriff' can lead to 'Körperverletzung'. But not every 'Angriff' is automatically described as 'Körperverletzung'.
Nach der Schlägerei wurde der Mann wegen Körperverletzung angezeigt.
After the fight, the man was reported for bodily harm.
Am Bahnhof sprach die Polizei später von einem plötzlichen Angriff auf einen Reisenden.
At the train station, the police later spoke of a sudden attack on a traveler.