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Kühnheit

audacity, boldness, daring

noun KUEN-heyt Rare

Usage Note

Kühnheit implies daring that may border on recklessness, setting it apart from steady Tapferkeit. It is used both admiringly (kühne Visionen) and with a hint of warning (eine Kühnheit, die ihn ruinierte). Common in literary and journalistic registers.

Examples

"Die Kühnheit seiner Entscheidung überraschte selbst seine engsten Mitarbeiter."

Natural Translation

The audacity of his decision surprised even his closest colleagues.

Literal Translation

The boldness of his decision surprised even his closest colleagues.

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