die Klinke
door handle
A usually L-shaped handle on a door that you press down to open the door.
EXAMPLE
Er drückte die Klinke herunter und trat leise ins Zimmer.
He pressed down the door handle and quietly entered the room.
die Klinke
handle / jack
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
sich die Klinke in die Hand geben
to come and go
An idiom meaning that very many people enter and leave a place one after another.
EXAMPLE
In der Arztpraxis gaben sich die Patienten die Klinke in die Hand.
At the doctor's office, patients were coming and going.
die Klinke
jack
A colloquial term for a jack plug, an electrical connector that is often used for transmitting audio signals, e.g. with headphones.
EXAMPLE
Mein Kopfhörer hat einen 3,5-Millimeter-Klinke-Anschluss.
My headphones have a 3.5-millimeter jack connection.
Usage tips
Typical use
For a door, 'Klinke' (door handle) is almost always used with the verb 'drücken' (to press) or 'herunterdrücken' (to press down). This describes the typical hand movement used to open a door.
EXAMPLE
Bitte drück die Klinke leise herunter, das Baby schläft.
Please press the door handle down quietly; the baby is sleeping.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'sich die Klinke in die Hand geben' (to come and go in large numbers) is a fixed unit. The verb is reflexive ('sich'), and the subject is in the plural because it is always about several people coming and going.
EXAMPLE
Vor Weihnachten geben sich die Kunden im Kaufhaus die Klinke in die Hand.
Before Christmas, customers are coming and going at the department store.
Context clue
You can tell from the context whether the door handle or the plug is meant. Words like 'Kopfhörer' (headphones), 'Kabel' (cable), 'Anschluss' (connection/port), or measurements like '3,5 mm' clearly point to the audio plug.
EXAMPLE
Der Stecker passt nicht, ich brauche eine kleinere Klinke für mein Handy.
The plug doesn't fit; I need a smaller jack for my phone.
In real life
Loading video examples...