self-defense
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self-defense
The act of defending oneself against an attack, often by physical means. It is the right to defend oneself against an unlawful attack.
Sie besucht einen Kurs für Selbstverteidigung, um sich sicherer zu fühlen.
She is taking a self-defense course to feel safer.
self-defense
The justification or defense of one's own actions, opinions, or positions in response to criticism or accusations.
Seine lange Rede war im Grunde nur eine Selbstverteidigung für seine umstrittenen Entscheidungen.
His long speech was basically just self-defense for his controversial decisions.
The word is made up of 'Selbst' (self) and 'Verteidigung' (defense). So it literally means defending oneself, which makes it easier to understand.
Im Kurs lernt man Techniken zur Selbstverteidigung.
In the course, you learn techniques for self-defense.
The noun 'Selbstverteidigung' is derived directly from the reflexive verb 'sich verteidigen' (to defend oneself). When you defend yourself, you practice self-defense.
Der Angeklagte sagte, er habe aus reiner Selbstverteidigung gehandelt.
The defendant said he had acted purely in self-defense.
In the context of physical defense, the word is often combined with verbs like 'lernen' (to learn) or 'üben' (to practice). The phrase 'einen Kurs für Selbstverteidigung besuchen' (to take a self-defense course) is also very common.
Viele Frauen möchten Selbstverteidigung lernen.
Many women want to learn self-defense.
You can recognize the figurative meaning from the context. If it is about criticism, accusations, or decisions, it means justification. If it is about a physical attack, it means physical defense.
Seine E-Mail war weniger eine Erklärung als eine lange Selbstverteidigung.
His email was less an explanation than a long self-defense.
defense
Both words can refer to defending against a physical attack. „Selbstverteidigung“ explicitly indicates that one’s own person is being protected, while „Verteidigung“ can also mean protecting other people or something else. When the focus is on one’s own safety, „Selbstverteidigung“ is therefore especially appropriate.
Lena besucht einen Kurs, um sich in der Selbstverteidigung gegen einen Angriff zu schützen.
Lena is taking a self-defense course to protect herself against an attack.
Der Trainer übte mit den Jugendlichen die Verteidigung gegen einen Angriff auf einen Mitschüler.
The coach practiced defending against an attack on a teammate with the teenagers.
