What does “Schatz” mean in German?

Schatz is Germany’s go-to term of endearment between partners — the everyday equivalent of “honey” or “darling,” with a literal meaning of “treasure.” It comes from Proto-Germanic skatta- and shares roots with Dutch schat. Warm but completely unremarkable in daily speech, it’s the word couples reach for without thinking — which is exactly what makes it so effective as a trap.

In the clip, the girlfriend runs a bet: her partner must answer questions without saying “Nein.” He sails through — cows say “Moo,” Paris is the capital of France — until she says “Du kennst das Spiel, Schatz?” (“You know the game, sweetheart?”). The warmth of Schatz disarms him completely, and out comes “Nein.” The diminutive Schatzi (adding the -i suffix, like English “-y” in “sweetie”) is even cuter and just as common. Both can also be used with children or close family, not just romantic partners.