rule of thumb / empirical value
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rule of thumb
A value, rule, or insight that is based not on theoretical calculation but on practical experience.
Als Erfahrungswert gilt, dass man für diese Wanderung etwa vier Stunden einplanen sollte.
As a rule of thumb, you should plan about four hours for this hike.
This word is made up of "Erfahrung" (experience) and "Wert" (value), connected by an "s". It literally means a "value that comes from experience."
Der Mechaniker kennt aus Erfahrungswert die häufigsten Fehlerquellen.
The mechanic knows the most common sources of errors from experience.
A very common phrase is "Als Erfahrungswert gilt, dass ..." (as a rule of thumb, ...). This sentence introduces a rule or observation that is based on practice.
Als Erfahrungswert gilt, dass man im Winter mehr Heizkosten hat.
As a rule of thumb, heating costs are higher in winter.
"Erfahrungswert" is often used with verbs such as "beruhen auf" (to be based on), "basieren auf" (to be based on), or "sich stützen auf" (to rely on) in order to emphasize the basis of a statement.
Unsere Planung für das Projekt basiert auf den Erfahrungswerten der letzten Jahre.
Our planning for the project is based on the empirical values from recent years.
rule of thumb
'Faustregel' and 'Erfahrungswert' are closely related because both do not have to be exact and often come from practical experience. A 'Faustregel' is a simple rule that you can apply quickly. An 'Erfahrungswert' is more of a number, estimate, or insight that comes from previous experience. You can use an 'Erfahrungswert' as the basis for a 'Faustregel'. The words can be confused when you are talking about rough guidance. 'Faustregel' sounds more natural when you are stating a simple rule. 'Erfahrungswert' fits better when you want to emphasize where the estimate comes from.
Unser Erfahrungswert zeigt, dass die Reparatur meistens zwei Tage dauert.
Our experience-based estimate shows that the repair usually takes two days.
Als Faustregel plane ich für den Weg zum Bahnhof immer zehn Minuten extra ein.
As a rule of thumb, I always plan ten extra minutes for the walk to the train station.