zunähen

Zunähen is a German verb that means to sew something closed by stitching, typically to close a wound or an opening. In medical contexts it refers to suturing a wound, while more generally it can describe sewing up any opening or seam to seal it.

The word is formed from the prefix zu- and the verb nähen (to sew). It is a separable-prefix verb, so in regular present-tense statements the prefix is separated: ich nähe die Wunde zu, du nähst die Wunde zu, er näht die Wunde zu. The past participle is zugenäht, and the auxiliary used in perfect tenses is haben: ich habe die Wunde zugenäht.

Common contexts include medical sewing, such as Wunde zunähen after an injury or surgery, as well as sewing up openings in fabrics or containers, for example eine Öffnung zunähen. Figurative or idiomatic uses exist as well, such as describing actions intended to silence or seal something off more generally, though these uses remain less formal and are often found in prose or metaphorical speech.

Related terms include nähen (to sew) and verschließen (to close/secure). Zunähen specifically emphasizes sealing an opening by stitching, rather than merely attaching or repairing with stitches that are not meant to fully close. In everyday language, it is most commonly encountered in medical contexts but is understood in broader sewing and craft discussions as well.