Bützchen
Bützchen – the Rhineland peck on the cheek. During Cologne Carnival, this closed-lip kiss is a cherished ritual of affection that anyone can give and receive.
The Bützchen – also known as Bützje or Bützche, with the verb form bützen – is a closed-lip peck and a firmly established word in the Rhineland vocabulary.
At a Glance
- Type
- Diminutive for a closed-lip kiss
- Region
- Rhineland, especially in the Kölsch dialect
- Dictionary recognition
- Listed in the Duden since 1973, classified as "Rhenish"
- Word origin
- Late Middle High German butzen = to push, derived from Middle High German bōʒen
- Carnival connection
- Used more frequently during the Carnival season, especially on Weiberfastnacht (Women's Carnival Thursday) and at parades
- Dialectal equivalent
- In Bavarian (Austria and southern Germany), terms such as Bussi and Busserl carry the same meaning
Source: Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-06-25
Carnival and Meaning
During Cologne Carnival, the Bützchen is handed out on countless occasions – from floats at carnival processions, for example, or on Weiberfastnacht. It is given on the cheek with pursed lips. WDR included the act of Bützen in its "fun alphabet of Carnival" as one of the season's most beloved rituals. In the carnival context, a Bützje expresses warmth and affection, not romantic interest, and carries no obligations.
Language History
Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Wander's German Proverbs Dictionary (Deutsches Sprichwörter-Lexikon) already recorded the word in 1880, citing the Cologne proverb "Heute bützen und lecken, morgen mit Knüppeln und Stöcken" ("Kisses and cuddles today, sticks and clubs tomorrow"). Wander explained bützen as "to kiss" and, alongside its Middle High German roots, also pointed to the Spanish buz meaning "the kiss." Interestingly, the Albanian word puthje likewise means "kiss."
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Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-25