German word

pochen

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈpɔxən/

Meaning

  • verbthrob

Example

Mein Herz pocht schnell.

My heart is throbbing rapidly.

Illustration for pochen (throb)

More examples

Nach dem lauten Knall pocht mein Ohr.

After the loud bang, my ear is throbbing.

Core concept

A strong repeated beat comes from within a body or against a surface, while a forceful claim keeps pressing in the same way.

Common phrases

  • im Brustkorb pochen

    throb in the chest

  • im Ohr pochen

    throb in the ear

Similar words

klopfen: Tap or knock lightly and repeatedly.
schlagen: Strike forcefully in a steady, repeated rhythm.
pulsieren: Vibrate with a regular pulsing motion.
bestehen (auf): Insist firmly on a demand or condition despite resistance.

Definition in German

Vom Herzen kräftig schlagen; auch wiederholt an etwas klopfen oder stoßen; in der Wendung „auf etwas pochen“ nachdrücklich darauf bestehen.

Word origin

The insistence sense extends the repeated-beating idea, while pochen is an onomatopoeic German formation attested in Middle High German as pochen.

Usage tips

  • In the idiom "auf etwas pochen", auf takes the accusative, as in "auf sein Recht pochen".

Other meanings

  • insistverb
  • knockverb

Related words

  • das Pochenthrobbingnoun
  • pochendthrobbingadjective

Word lists with this word