heikel
Translation
delicate, tricky, sensitive, fussy
Examples
Das ist ein heikles Thema.
That is a sensitive topic.
Er ist sehr heikel beim Essen.
He is very fussy about food.
Grammar Patterns
sth. is heikel sth. is tricky/delicate The situation is very delicate.
heikel bei+3 to be fussy about sth. He is fussy about his choice of friends.
Similar Words
Synonyms: schwierig, empfindlich; Antonyms: einfach, unkompliziert
Etymology
Origin is uncertain, but possibly related to 'Haken' (hook), suggesting something with a 'catch' or difficulty.
Memory Tips
Imagine a situation that's so tricky you have to say 'Hike? Hell no!' because the path is too difficult.