Zeug

[t͡sɔɪ̯k]

/[t͡sɔɪ̯k]/ noun

The verdict

“Zeug” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #2,323 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,323
frequency rank, German
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Gegenstände aller Art, Material, Gerät

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Zeug vs zu
25% similar
Zeug vs zum
25% similar
Zeug vs zur
25% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Zeug
PropertyValue
HeadwordZeug
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[t͡sɔɪ̯k]
Letters4
Frequency rank#2,323
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Zeug” sits in German frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Zeug lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The German entry for Zeug is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [t͡sɔɪ̯k]. Corpus data places it at rank #2,323 in overall German word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for Zeug, with forms such as "ezug", "zegu", and "zeugg". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "zu", "zum", "zur", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, leaving phoneme-to-grapheme mapping as the best guide to its spelling rather than a borrowing history. The correct German form is Zeug, spelled Z-E-U-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    Gegenstände aller Art, Material, Gerät
  2. 2
    Gewebe für Kleider
  3. 3
    Kleidung
  4. 4
    Unsinn, dummes Geschwätz
  5. 5
    Werkzeug
  6. 6
    Takelage
  7. 7
    Geschirr der Zugtiere

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ezug,zegu,zeugg,zueg,zzeug

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Zeug - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ezug2zegu2zeugg1zueg2zzeug1
Edit distance from "Zeug"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 German corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Zeug"?
"Zeug" is spelled Z-E-U-G. The IPA pronunciation is [t͡sɔɪ̯k].
What does "Zeug" mean?
As a noun, "Zeug" means: Gegenstände aller Art, Material, Gerät
What words are commonly confused with "Zeug"?
"Zeug" is commonly confused with "zu", "zum", "zur". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Zeug"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Zeug" is [t͡sɔɪ̯k]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Zeug" come from?
"Zeug" is a German word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Zeug”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct German spelling is Z-E-U-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [t͡sɔɪ̯k] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “zu” - see the side-by-side comparison. Zeug vs zu
  • Browse more German words and confusable pairs in the same reference. German words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

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