Which to use
“Koi” and “Kuh” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #46,782
- “Koi” frequency rank
- #6,555
- “Kuh” frequency rank
- 53337
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Koi | Kuh |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | japanische Zuchtform des Karpfens | Muttertier des Hausrinds |
Where the eye mixes Koi and Kuh
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 1 letter in sequence. Koi (CVV) and Kuh (CVC) run the same length but a different consonant-vowel pattern - the shape difference is usually the fastest tell.
Why the eye confuses Koi with Kuh
A purely visual mix-up. Koi ([kɔɪ̯]) and Kuh ([kuː]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 53337, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Koi is recorded at frequency rank #46,782, classified as anoun, pronounced [kɔɪ̯]. Kuh is at rank #6,555, tagged as anoun, pronounced [kuː].
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 53337, this pair ranks #1,061,963 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of Koi vs Kuh
Shared letters: k. Private to "Koi": io. Private to "Kuh": hu.
"Koi" · 3 letters · shape CVV · "Kuh" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "Koi" for "Kuh" ever safe?
Which is more common, "Koi" or "Kuh"?
Useful next steps
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "Koi" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Kuh" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,061,963 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Koi" and "Kuh" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Koi vs kola". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,061,963 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.