Der Käfer ist durstig.

Sentence Discussions German
#1

I have only heard Käfer used to refer to beetles.

In English, “bug” has two meanings: either generically to mean any sort of creepy-crawly critter like any insect or even non-insects like centipedes, or more specifically to mean “true bugs”, i.e. hemiptera (stink bugs, shield bugs, ambush bugs, etc.)

Can Käfer also refer to hemiptera? And can it also refer generically to any sort of creepy-crawly critters like “bug” does in English?

I know German also has the words “Schnabelkerfe” and “Wanze” and the word “Kerf” but those are both more technical, biological term, right? Or are they also used casually? If you saw a hemiptera in everyday life, would you most frequently refer to it as a “Käfer”?

#2

Thanks for teaching me a new word, Schnabelkerfe, I didn’t know this word existed. The more common word for this would be Wanze, many people would just use Käfer as well (even though it’s inaccurate).

Käfer is used as general as bug but only by people who don’t care and/or children. Most of the time, Käfer refers to beetles.

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