die Kuh
cow
The adult female bovine animal, kept especially for producing milk.
EXAMPLE
Auf der Weide grasten friedlich mehrere Kühe.
Several cows were grazing peacefully in the pasture.
die Kuh
cow
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Meanings
die Kuh
cow
A derogatory insult for a woman who is perceived as stupid, clumsy, or unpleasant.
EXAMPLE
Im Streit nannte er sie eine blöde Kuh.
During the argument, he called her a stupid cow.
die Kuh vom Eis holen
to save the day
An idiom meaning to solve a difficult problem or defuse a delicate situation.
EXAMPLE
Wir müssen schnell eine Lösung finden und die Kuh vom Eis holen, bevor der Kunde sich beschwert.
We need to find a solution quickly and save the day before the customer complains.
Usage tips
Context clue
You can tell from context whether 'Kuh' (cow) means the animal or an insult. If people are talking about agriculture, farms, or milk, the animal is meant. In an argument or emotional situation, it is probably an insult.
EXAMPLE
Die Kühe auf der Weide sehen sehr gesund aus.
The cows in the pasture look very healthy.
Register and style
As an insult for a woman, 'Kuh' (cow) is very derogatory, offensive, and colloquial. It is often intensified with negative adjectives, such as 'blöde Kuh' (stupid cow) or 'dumme Kuh' (dumb cow).
EXAMPLE
Hör auf, mich eine blöde Kuh zu nennen!
Stop calling me a stupid cow!
Fixed expression
The idiom 'die Kuh vom Eis holen' (literally: to get the cow off the ice) is a fixed unit. It is used metaphorically and means to successfully deal with a very difficult or dangerous situation.
EXAMPLE
Der Projektmanager muss jetzt irgendwie die Kuh vom Eis holen, nachdem der Hauptsponsor abgesprungen ist.
The project manager now somehow has to save the day after the main sponsor pulled out.
Compare with
Kuh vs Ziege
goat
Kuh and Ziege can be colloquial, derogatory terms for an unpleasant woman. Ziege tends to emphasize bitchy or stubborn behavior, while Kuh suggests crude stupidity, clumsiness, or general unpleasantness. Choose Ziege for a difficult attitude and Kuh for a harsher, more general insult.
Kuh
Diese Kuh hat den ganzen Einkauf umgestoßen und sich nicht einmal entschuldigt.
This cow knocked over all the groceries and didn't even apologize.
Ziege
Diese Ziege wird sofort wütend, wenn jemand ihr widerspricht.
This nasty woman gets angry immediately when anyone contradicts her.
In real life
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