Empatikus

Empatikus is a Hungarian adjective used to describe someone who shows or possesses empathy, i.e., the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. In everyday language as well as in professional contexts such as psychology, education, healthcare, and management, empatikus describes both a person’s disposition and specific behaviors that convey understanding and emotional resonance with others.

Etymology and form: The term is built from the noun empátia (empathy) with the suffix -ikus to form an adjective. The noun empátia itself is a loanword from Greek empathia and has entered Hungarian through other European languages. The standard adverb is empatikusan, and related concepts include empátia and related expressions such as empatikus viselkedés or empatikus kommunikáció.

Usage and nuances: Common collocations include empatikus kommunikáció (empathic communication), empatikus hallgatás (empathic listening), and empatikus vezetés (empathetic leadership). The word is typically applied to describe attitudes, behavior, or interpersonal skills that acknowledge another person’s feelings and perspective. In discourse, empatikus behavior is often presented as contributing to trust, cooperation, and effective support, particularly in care professions, education, and customer service. It may be contrasted with less empathic behavior or with sympathy (szimpátia).

See also: empátia; empatikus hallgatás; empatikus készség; empatia in Hungarian usage.