barren / sparse
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barren
Sparse, infertile, and not very productive. Often used to describe landscapes, soils, or vegetation.
Auf dem kargen Boden der Bergregion wachsen nur wenige robuste Pflanzen.
Only a few hardy plants grow on the barren soil of the mountain region.
sparse
Very simple, meager, and limited to the bare essentials. Often refers to meals, furnishings, or living conditions.
Die Einrichtung seiner ersten Wohnung war äußerst karg.
The furnishings of his first apartment were extremely sparse.
taciturn
Terse; sparing with words and information. Describes a person who does not talk much.
Der alte Fischer war ein karger Mann, der lieber schwieg als sprach.
The old fisherman was a taciturn man who preferred silence to speech.
The exact meaning of 'karg' (barren / sparse) depends on the noun. With landscapes it means 'unfruchtbar' (infertile/barren), with meals 'dürftig' (meager), and with people 'wortkarg' (taciturn).
Die karge Landschaft der Wüste hat ihre eigene Schönheit.
The barren landscape of the desert has its own beauty.
In relation to landscapes, 'karg' (barren) is often combined with 'Boden' (soil), 'Vegetation' (vegetation), or 'Natur' (nature).
Trotz der kargen Natur gibt es hier eine vielfältige Tierwelt.
Despite the barren nature, there is a diverse animal world here.
When it comes to living conditions, 'karg' (sparse/meager) is often found in combinations such as 'ein karges Mahl' (a meager meal), 'eine karge Einrichtung' (sparse furnishings), or 'ein karges Leben führen' (to lead a meager life).
Die Familie musste lange Zeit ein sehr karges Leben führen.
The family had to lead a very meager life for a long time.
In the meaning 'wortkarg' (taciturn), the adjective can describe both a person ('ein karger Mann' (a taciturn man)) and their statements ('karge Worte' (few words), 'eine karge Antwort' (a terse answer)).
Auf meine Frage erhielt ich nur eine karge Antwort.
To my question, I received only a terse answer.
thin / lean / meager
Mager and karg can both describe a low yield or an environment that produces little. Mager focuses more on the small amount obtained or the lack of substance, while karg emphasizes general infertility and barrenness. Use mager for the result of a harvest and karg especially for soil that produces little.
Auf dem kargen Boden wächst wegen der Trockenheit nur wenig.
Very little grows in the barren soil because of the drought.
Die Ernte auf diesem Feld war wegen des schlechten Wetters mager.
The harvest in this field was meager because of the bad weather.
