grain
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grain
A very small amount of something, often used figuratively for a quality or feeling. It is usually used in negative sentences to emphasize the complete absence of something.
In seiner Entschuldigung war kein Gran von Reue zu spüren.
There was not a grain of remorse to be felt in his apology.
In its figurative meaning, 'Gran' (grain) is used almost exclusively in sentences with a negation such as 'kein' (no/not a) or 'nicht ein' (not a single). It emphasizes the complete absence of something.
Sie zeigte nicht ein Gran von Verständnis für seine Situation.
She showed not a grain of understanding for his situation.
'Gran' (grain) is typically combined with abstract nouns to describe the absence of a quality or feeling. Common phrases are 'kein Gran Wahrheit' (not a grain of truth), 'kein Gran Zweifel' (not a grain of doubt), or 'kein Gran Anstand' (not a grain of decency).
An seiner Geschichte war kein Gran Wahrheit dran.
There was not a grain of truth in his story.
You can recognize the figurative meaning by its combination with a negation and an abstract noun. The historical unit of measurement, by contrast, appears only in contexts such as pharmacy, alchemy, or jewelry and is used without negation.
Er hatte keinen Gran Hoffnung mehr.
He no longer had a grain of hope.
track / trace
'die Spur' and 'das Gran' can both express a very small amount. 'Eine Spur' means a small hint of something, for example of color, humor, or fear. In 'keine Spur von' (no trace of), it means that something is not present at all. 'Ein Gran' is mostly used in fixed or more elevated-sounding negative expressions like 'kein Gran Geduld' (not a grain of patience) or 'kein Gran Mitgefühl' (not a grain of compassion). Learners may confuse the words because both refer to very little. In everyday language, 'eine Spur' is more flexible. 'Kein Gran' is especially fitting when you want to strongly emphasize the complete absence of a quality.
Nach seinem Fehler zeigte er kein Gran Reue.
After his mistake, he showed not a grain of remorse.
In ihrer Stimme lag eine Spur von Unsicherheit.
There was a trace of uncertainty in her voice.