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Leerheit
/ˈleːɐ̯haɪ̯t/
emptiness
Die Leerheit des Raumes machte mir Angst.
The emptiness of the room scared me.
neutral
The state or quality of being empty; lack of content or substance.
Nach dem Umzug war die Wohnung voller Leerheit.
After the move, the apartment felt full of emptiness.
Often used in philosophical or spiritual contexts to describe a state of absence or void.
technical
In Buddhism, the concept of emptiness as a fundamental state of existence.
Die Leerheit ist ein zentrales Konzept im Mahayana-Buddhismus.
Emptiness is a central concept in Mahayana Buddhism.
Translates the Sanskrit term 'śūnyatā' and refers to the impermanent and interdependent nature of all phenomena.
Collocations
innere Leerheitinner emptinessabsolute Leerheitabsolute emptinessLeerheit empfindento feel emptiness
Synonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Avoiding confusion with 'Leere'
'Leerheit' emphasizes the state or quality of being empty, while 'Leere' refers to the physical space itself. Compare: 'die Leere des Zimmers' (the emptiness of the room) vs. 'die Leerheit des Zimmers' (the state of emptiness of the room).
Gold Rule
Context matters
Use 'Leerheit' for abstract or philosophical emptiness, and 'Leere' for physical emptiness or voids. Example: 'Die Leere des Glases' (the emptiness of the glass) is correct, but 'Die Leerheit des Glases' sounds unnatural.
Word Origin
From Middle High German 'lērheit', derived from 'lēr' (empty) + '-heit' (suffix denoting state or quality). Cognate with Old High German 'lēriheit', related to 'lēr' (idle, empty).
Usage Notes
In everyday German, 'Leerheit' refers to physical or emotional emptiness. In philosophical contexts, particularly Buddhism, it carries a technical meaning related to the concept of 'śūnyatā'. Avoid using it as a direct translation for 'void' in mathematical or scientific contexts (use 'Leere' instead).
Word Breakdown
leer
empty
root-heit
suffix forming abstract nouns (state/quality)
suffixDeutsch-Englisch Wörterbuch