German word

scheu

Pronunciation

IPA/ʃɔʏ̯/

Meaning

  • adjectiveshy

Example

Ich kenne ein scheues Kind.

I know a shy child.

Illustration for scheu (shy)

More examples

Bei Fremden wirkt er oft scheu.

He often seems shy around strangers.

Core concept

A person or animal keeps back from an approaching stranger and startles easily.

Common phrases

  • scheu wirken

    seem shy

  • jemandem gegenüber scheu sein

    be shy around someone

  • scheue Blicke

    shy glances

Similar words

schüchtern: Shy in social situations and reluctant to speak or draw attention.
zurückhaltend: Quiet and reserved about expressing personal thoughts or emotions.
ängstlich: Often fearful or uneasy, with frequent feelings of worry.
schreckhaft: Prone to strong reactions when faced with unexpected sounds or movements.

Definition in German

bei Personen oder Tieren ängstlich und zurückhaltend; bei Annäherung leicht erschrocken reagieren

Word origin

Scheu continues Middle High German schiu and Old High German sciuh, from a Germanic word family related to German scheuen and English shy.

Usage tips

  • Before a noun, scheu takes normal adjective endings, as in ein scheues Kind, but it stays scheu after sein.

Other meanings

  • timidadjective

Opposites

  • offenopenadjective
  • kontaktfreudigsociableadjective

Related words

  • die Scheushynessnoun

Word lists with this word