postihnout

Postihnout is a Czech verb in its infinitive form. It denotes the act of affecting someone or something, usually in a negative sense, or of imposing a sanction or penalty. The word is versatile and can describe physical, social, or legal effects. The imperfective counterpart is postihovat, while postihnout itself expresses a completed action.

In usage, postihnout can refer to being struck by an illness or misfortune, as well as to causing sanctions or penalties. Examples include: Chřipka ho postihla. (The flu affected him.) Výskyt nemoci postihl celé město. (The outbreak struck the whole city.) Za porušení pravidel bude osoba postihnuta vysokou pokutou or Zákon umožňuje postihnout porušovatele pokutou. (A law allows penalties for violators.) In a broader sense, a setback can postihnout tým or ekonomiku, meaning it affected them.

Grammatically, postihnout is transitive and requires a direct object in the accusative: postihnout koho/co. The passive or adjectival forms are common in Czech, often seen as být postižen(a) or být postižen(a) in context. The term postih also exists as a noun meaning sanction, penalty, or measure, and provides the basis for related verbs such as postihovat (imperfective) and nouns like postižení (disability or impairment). Related but distinct terms include postihovat a postižení, which describe different aspects of impact or impairment in legal, medical, or social contexts.

Overall, postihnout is a commonly used verb in Czech for describing negative impact, whether illness, misfortune, or formal sanctions, and it appears across literary, journalistic, and formal legal language.