Which to use
“Uhr” and “Uhu” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #200
- “Uhr” frequency rank
- #38,464
- “Uhu” frequency rank
- 38664
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Uhr | Uhu |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Instrument zur Messung der Zeit, Chronometer | größte, in der Dämmerung jagende Eule, speziell der Eurasische Uhu , mit auffälligen Federohren, orangeroten Augen und dunkelbraun geflecktem Gefieder, die in waldigen Vorgebirgen lebt |
Where the eye mixes Uhr and Uhu
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 2 letters in sequence. Uhr (VCC) and Uhu (VCV) run the same length but a different consonant-vowel pattern - the shape difference is usually the fastest tell.
Look-alike desk: Uhr vs Uhu
A purely visual mix-up. Uhr ([uːɐ̯]) and Uhu ([ˈuːhu]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by a single letter - r in “Uhr” becomes u in “Uhu”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 38664, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Uhr is recorded at frequency rank #200, classified as anoun, pronounced [uːɐ̯]. Uhu is at rank #38,464, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈuːhu].
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 38664, this pair ranks #1,557,937 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Uhr vs Uhu
Shared letters: hu. Private to "Uhr": r. Private to "Uhu": -.
"Uhr" · 3 letters · shape VCC · "Uhu" · 3 letters · shape VCV
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Uhr" and "Uhu" be used interchangeably?
In ordinary German text, does "Uhr" or "Uhu" show up more?
Useful next steps
Eye-level mix-up between "Uhr" and "Uhu" is sorted above. Next: full entries or other pairs that share a letter shape.
- Full dictionary entry for "Uhr" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Uhu" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,557,937 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Uhr" and "Uhu" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "uch vs Uhu". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,557,937 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.