bristle
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bristle
A short, stiff hair that grows on certain animals such as pigs or badgers.
Der Pinsel ist aus echten Wildschweinborsten gefertigt und daher sehr hochwertig.
The brush is made from real wild boar bristles and is therefore very high quality.
bristle
The individual fiber of a brush, especially a toothbrush or hairbrush, often made of plastic.
Die Borsten dieser Zahnbürste sind besonders weich, um das Zahnfleisch zu schonen.
The bristles of this toothbrush are especially soft to protect the gums.
The adjective 'borstig' (bristly) is derived from 'Borste' (bristle). It means 'stiff like bristles' and helps you imagine the quality of the hair or fiber.
Der Hund hat ein kurzes, borstiges Fell.
The dog has short, bristly fur.
The context makes the meaning clear. If you are talking about animals such as pigs, hedgehogs, or badgers, real animal hairs are meant. If you are talking about brushes or paintbrushes, artificial or natural fibers are meant.
Ein Igel schützt sich mit seinen spitzen Stacheln und Borsten.
A hedgehog protects itself with its sharp spines and bristles.
In connection with brushes, bristles are often described with adjectives such as 'weich' (soft), 'hart' (hard), 'synthetisch' (synthetic), or 'abgenutzt' (worn out).
Für empfindliches Zahnfleisch sollte man eine Zahnbürste mit weichen Borsten verwenden.
For sensitive gums, you should use a toothbrush with soft bristles.
hair
Haar is the neutral term for a single hair from a person or animal. Borste, on the other hand, refers to a short, noticeably stiff animal hair, such as one from a pig or badger. Haar is the better choice for a soft animal hair or one that is not described in more detail.
Auf der Decke lag eine kurze, steife Borste des Schweins.
A short, stiff pig bristle was lying on the blanket.
Auf der Decke lag ein langes, weiches Haar der Katze.
A long, soft cat hair was lying on the blanket.
