damping / cushioning
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cushioning
The reduction or weakening of vibrations, impacts, or shocks. This is used in technology (e.g., shock absorbers in cars) or in sports equipment (e.g., in running shoes).
Diese neuen Laufschuhe haben eine besonders gute Dämpfung, um die Gelenke zu schonen.
These new running shoes have especially good cushioning to protect the joints.
damping
The reduction of the volume or reverberation of sound. This can be achieved through special materials for sound insulation or through techniques used with musical instruments.
Durch die Dämpfung der Saiten mit der Hand erzeugte der Gitarrist einen sehr kurzen, perkussiven Ton.
By damping the strings with his hand, the guitarist produced a very short, percussive sound.
steaming
A cooking method in which food is gently cooked in a covered pot with little liquid or fat. The word 'Dünsten' (steaming/stewing) is more common for this.
Für die Dämpfung des Gemüses verwendete die Köchin nur einen Esslöffel Wasser.
For steaming the vegetables, the cook used only one tablespoon of water.
'Die Dämpfung' (damping/cushioning) is a noun derived from the verb 'dämpfen' (to dampen). The ending '-ung' turns the verb into a feminine noun. The basic meaning of 'dämpfen' is to reduce or weaken something in its intensity.
Man kann den Ton einer Glocke durch Berührung dämpfen.
You can dampen the sound of a bell by touching it.
The exact meaning becomes clear from the context. With shoes or cars, it is about impacts (m01). With music or noise, it is about sound (m02). In cooking, it is about a cooking method (m03).
Die Dämpfung des Fahrwerks sorgt für eine angenehme Fahrt.
The suspension damping ensures a comfortable ride.
In a technical context, the quality of 'Dämpfung' (cushioning/damping) is often described with adjectives such as 'gut' (good), 'schlecht' (poor), 'weich' (soft), 'hart' (hard), or 'effektiv' (effective).
Für unebenes Gelände braucht man Schuhe mit einer weichen Dämpfung.
For uneven terrain, you need shoes with soft cushioning.
The meaning in a cooking context is more technical or less common. In everyday language, this cooking method is usually referred to differently.
Im Kochbuch wird die Dämpfung von Gemüse in einem speziellen Kapitel erklärt.
In the cookbook, the steaming of vegetables is explained in a special chapter.
insulation
Here, Dämpfung refers to reducing existing sound or reverberation. Dämmung, by contrast, refers to a material or layer that, among other things, reduces the transmission of sound. Therefore, Dämpfung is the appropriate term for reverberation in a room, while Dämmung is the appropriate term for a protective layer in a wall.
Die Akustikplatten sorgen im Musikraum für eine gute Dämpfung des Nachhalls.
The acoustic panels provide good reverberation damping in the music room.
Die Dämmung in der Wand reduziert den Schall aus dem Musikraum.
The insulation in the wall reduces the sound from the music room.
