yoke / mountain pass
Loading your saved state.
yoke
In a figurative sense, a heavy burden, oppression, or foreign rule that someone has to endure.
Das Volk litt viele Jahre unter dem Joch der Diktatur.
The people suffered for many years under the yoke of the dictatorship.
The original meaning of 'Joch' (yoke) is the harness for draft animals (m03). The figurative meaning of oppression (m01) is derived directly from this: just as an animal suffers under the yoke, a people suffers under a burden or foreign rule.
Die Ochsen zogen den schweren Pflug mit dem Joch.
The oxen pulled the heavy plow with the yoke.
In the figurative meaning, 'Joch' (yoke) is often used with certain verbs. Typical expressions are 'unter einem Joch leiden' (to suffer under a yoke), 'das Joch abschütteln' (to shake off the yoke), or 'jemanden unter sein Joch zwingen' (to force someone under one's yoke).
Die Bevölkerung wollte das Joch der Diktatur abschütteln.
The population wanted to shake off the yoke of the dictatorship.
When 'Joch' (mountain pass) appears in the context of mountains, the Alps, hiking, or passes, it always refers to a mountain crossing. It is also often part of proper names for passes.
Die Wanderung über das Timmelsjoch ist sehr anspruchsvoll.
The hike over the Timmelsjoch is very demanding.
You will find the meaning as a harness for animals almost only in historical texts or in descriptions of traditional agriculture. Words like 'Ochsen' (oxen), 'Pflug' (plow), or 'Bauer' (farmer) are clear signals.
Im Museum war ein altes Joch aus Holz ausgestellt.
An old wooden yoke was on display in the museum.
passport / pass
'der Pass' and 'das Joch' can both mean a crossing in the mountains. 'Pass' is the more general and much more common word for a route through a mountain range. 'Joch' also refers to a lower crossing between mountains, but it sounds more specific and occurs especially in geographical names or in mountain-related language. The words can be confused on hiking maps or in place names. In everyday language, 'Pass' is usually more natural; 'Joch' fits when exactly this kind of mountain crossing is meant or when the place is called that.
Vom Joch aus hatten die Wanderer einen freien Blick auf beide Täler.
From the mountain pass, the hikers had an unobstructed view of both valleys.
Der Pass war wegen Schnee gesperrt, deshalb mussten wir eine andere Route nehmen.
The pass was closed because of snow, so we had to take a different route.