Hühnchen
/ˈhyːn.çən/
The English phrase "little chicken" is translated into German as Hühnchen.
Hühnchen refers to either a small chicken or a piece of chicken meat used as food.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is the diminutive form of Huhn (chicken), created by adding the suffix -chen to mean "little chicken".
How does it change in a sentence?
Because it is a diminutive, Hühnchen is always neuter (das Hühnchen), regardless of the gender of the original noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈhyːn.çən/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The term Hühnchen is used in the common idiom ein Hühnchen mit jemandem zu rupfen haben, which means to have a bone to pick with someone.
- While Hühnchen refers to a small chicken, the German word for a baby chick is specifically Küken.
- The word Hühnchen belongs to a class of nouns that undergo a vowel change, shifting from 'u' to 'ü' when the diminutive suffix is added.
Examples in context
- Pass auf das süße Hühnchen auf!Take care of the adorable little chicken!
- Wir haben ein kleines Hühnchen gekauft.We bought a small chicken.
Example conversation
Laura and Julian are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- LauraWas wollen wir heute Abend essen?What do we want to eat tonight?
- JulianWie klingt ein Hühnchen mit Reis?How does a chicken with rice sound?
- LauraDas klingt super, Julian!That sounds great, Julian!
- JulianDann kaufe ich das Hühnchen gleich.Then I will buy the chicken right away.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Hühnchen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
