ZehvsZeheWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“Zeh” and “Zehe” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#19,460
“Zeh” frequency rank
#43,650
“Zehe” frequency rank
63110
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Zeh Zehe
Definition der einem Finger entsprechende Teil des Fußes der einem Finger entsprechende Teil des Fußes

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Zeh and Zehe apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

3 ch
Zeh
4 ch
Zehe

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Zeh ([t͡seː]) and Zehe ([ˈt͡seːə]) 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 1 extra letter(s) - “Zeh” sits inside “Zehe”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 63110, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Zeh is recorded at frequency rank #19,460, classified as anoun, pronounced [t͡seː]. Zehe is at rank #43,650, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈt͡seːə].

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 63110, this pair ranks #688,438 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of Zeh vs Zehe

Shared letters: ehz. Private to "Zeh": -. Private to "Zehe": -.

"Zeh" · 3 letters · shape CVC  ·  "Zehe" · 4 letters · shape CVCV

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Zeheezhe · zeeh · zehhe · zhee · zzehe

Frequency comparison

Zeh#19,460
Zehe#43,650

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Zeh" and "Zehe" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([t͡seː] versus [ˈt͡seːə]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Zeh" or "Zehe"?
"Zeh" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #19,460 in our German list, against #43,650 for "Zehe". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Zeh vs Zehe

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “Zeh” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list