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I've encountered this word twice in one of the Dragon Ball mangas, and none of the translations in the dictionary seem to fit. First one, Vegeta stares powerless as Freezers beats Son Gohan, and says

Son Gohan ist mir schnuppe, aber was kann ich gegen Frezeers gewaltige Kraft ausrichten?

I would just translate it as "do", but I would expect it to appear in the dictionary at least as ugs. A few pages later, as Kuririn is about to try and run away from Freezer, he says

Ausrichten kann ich nichts. Nur weg laufen!!!

Here, "do" might make sense, but less than in the previous example.

So what does ausrichten mean in these examples?

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4
  • 2
    You need to use a proper dictionary, and not one of these amateur-made open-source error-riddled word lists on the internet. Look here, meaning 2 is the one you want: duden.de/rechtschreibung/ausrichten
    – user4973
    Commented Oct 21, 2016 at 13:32
  • 1
    I disagree; I think OP’s usage of Leo was exemplary.
    – Jan
    Commented Oct 21, 2016 at 16:47
  • @Jan I'm not sure I'm seeing the same version of Leo that you see, because in my version of the linked page the meaning "do, achieve, ..." is not even present. How is using a dictionary that does not provide all meanings exemplary?
    – user4973
    Commented Oct 21, 2016 at 22:51
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    @what OP’s way of using Leo was exemplary. enter the word, go through the list, consider which words may transport the intended meaning better or worse. As I don’t think any dictionary will ever be able to provide all possible translations for all words, you’re bound to run into ‘nothing fits’ at some point or another.
    – Jan
    Commented Oct 21, 2016 at 22:54

4 Answers 4

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6

Almost every word in almost every language has more than one meaning. »Ausrichten« is just one of those multi-meaning-words:

The separable verb »ausrichten« can mean:

1. to adjust

Ich werde die Bauteile ausrichten.
I will adjust the components.

Benutzen Sie das Rändelrad C um die Bauteile F und G parallel zueinander auszurichten.
Use knurl C to adjust the components F and G parallel to each other.

2. to align

Ich werde den Text ausrichten.
I will adjust the text.

Richten Sie den Text entlang des rechten Randes aus.
Align the text along the right border.

3. to orient

Ich werde das Gebäude nach Osten ausrichten.
I will orient the building to the east.

Fast alle Kirchen sind nach Osten ausgerichtet.
Almost all churches are oriented to the east.

4. to hold (hold a party)

Ich werde eine Feier ausrichten.
I will hold a party.

Sie können Ihre Feier hier, in unserem großen Saal, ausrichten.
You can hold your party here, in our great hall.

5. to organize

Ich werde eine Messe ausrichten.
I will organize a trade fair.

Um die Garten-Messe auszurichten brauchen wir viel Platz.
We need much space to organize the gardening trade fair.

6. to tell

Ich werde es ihm ausrichten.
I will tell him.

Richte deinem Freund aus, er soll zur Hölle fahren.
Tell your friend to go to hell.

7. to do (in the sense of »achieve«)

Ich kann etwas ausrichten.
I can do something.
I can achieve something.

Gegen den neuen Virus kann dieses Medikament nichts ausrichten.
This medicine can't do anything against against this new virus.
This medicine can't achieve anything against against this new virus.

(Maybe there are even more meanings)

In both of your sentences is »ausrichten« used in the menaing listed here as #7: »to do/achive something«, and so I would translate your sentences this way:

Son Gohan ist mir schnuppe, aber was kann ich gegen Frezeers gewaltige Kraft ausrichten?
I don't mind about Son Gohon. But what can I do/achieve against Freezers enormous power?

Ausrichten kann ich nichts. Nur weg laufen!
I can't do/achieve anything. Just run away!

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4

It has, as usual, various meanings. For the meaning you are looking for I'd simply suggest achieve.

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1
  • And on top of that, it is in a similar register.
    – Gerhard
    Commented Oct 21, 2016 at 10:52
3

ausrichten is a verb with a whole bunch of possible meanings, driven by context and/or the used preposition.

ausrichten gegen in the context of your examples could be translated as

  • There's nothing I can do about Frezeer
  • I have nothing to counter[act] him with
  • I have no means against him

(Although I don't have the slightest idea what Mr. Frezeer is - But I probably don't want to know...)

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-3

The fixed phrase is etwas ausrichten gegen. Meaning literally to aim against some attacker.

When you cannot aim something useful against an attacker, your best bet is to flee.

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  • 3
    Disagree - etwas ausrichten auf is aiming (e.g. die Kanone auf das Ziel ausrichten) etwas ausrichten gegen is not.
    – tofro
    Commented Oct 21, 2016 at 9:58
  • How do you think about entgegnen then?
    – Janka
    Commented Oct 21, 2016 at 10:56
  • nah. "etwas tun gegen"
    – tofro
    Commented Oct 21, 2016 at 12:11

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