das Nadelöhr
needle eye
The small opening in a needle through which the thread is pulled.
EXAMPLE
Der Faden ist zu dick für das Nadelöhr.
The thread is too thick for the needle eye.
das Nadelöhr
needle eye / bottleneck
das Nadelöhr, die Nadelöhre
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Meanings
das Nadelöhr
bottleneck
A narrow point on a route through which only a few vehicles or people can pass at the same time, easily causing a traffic jam.
EXAMPLE
Die schmale Brücke ist das Nadelöhr auf der Strecke in die Innenstadt.
The narrow bridge is the bottleneck on the route into the city center.
das Nadelöhr
bottleneck
An area or work step with limited capacity that slows down or restricts an entire process.
EXAMPLE
Die Verpackungsabteilung ist das Nadelöhr der Produktion, weil sie mit den fertigen Waren nicht nachkommt.
The packaging department is the bottleneck in production because it cannot keep up with the finished goods.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Nadelöhr, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | neuter das |
|---|---|
| plural | die Nadelöhre |
| genitive | des Nadelöhrs |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | das Nadelöhr | die Nadelöhre |
| accusative | das Nadelöhr | die Nadelöhre |
| dative | dem Nadelöhr | den Nadelöhren |
| genitive | des Nadelöhrs des Nadelöhres | der Nadelöhre |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Word formation
'Nadelöhr' (needle eye) is made up of 'Nadel' (needle) and 'Öhr' (eye). Here, 'Öhr' refers to the small opening in a needle; the literal combination directly explains the first meaning.
EXAMPLE
Mit ruhiger Hand fädelte sie den Faden durch das Nadelöhr.
With a steady hand, she threaded the thread through the needle eye.
Context clue
With 'Nadelöhr' (needle eye / bottleneck), the surrounding words show which meaning is intended: 'Faden' (thread) and 'einfädeln' (to thread) point to the opening in a needle, while 'Verkehr' (traffic), 'Produktion' (production), or 'Ablauf' (process) point to limited passage or work capacity.
EXAMPLE
Wegen des Unfalls wurde das Nadelöhr im Berufsverkehr noch enger.
Because of the accident, the bottleneck became even narrower during rush-hour traffic.
Der langsame Prüfprozess ist das Nadelöhr im gesamten Ablauf.
The slow inspection process is the bottleneck in the entire process.
Typical collocations
In its literal meaning, 'Nadelöhr' (needle eye) often occurs with verbs related to threading and pulling through. Common phrases include 'einen Faden durch das Nadelöhr ziehen' (to pull a thread through the needle eye) and 'einen Faden durch das Nadelöhr fädeln' (to thread a thread through the needle eye).
EXAMPLE
Sie zog den Faden vorsichtig durch das Nadelöhr.
She carefully pulled the thread through the needle eye.
Traffic context
In its traffic-related meaning, 'Nadelöhr' (bottleneck) is often used with a route, intersection, bridge, or access road. The word frequently describes a point where traffic becomes congested or slows down.
EXAMPLE
Die Baustelle an der Brücke ist jeden Morgen ein Nadelöhr für den Verkehr.
The construction site at the bridge is a bottleneck for traffic every morning.
Work processes
When referring to work processes, 'Nadelöhr' (bottleneck) often occurs with an area, department, or individual process step. Typical phrases include 'das Nadelöhr der Produktion' (the bottleneck in production) and 'ein Nadelöhr im Ablauf' (a bottleneck in the process).
EXAMPLE
Die Qualitätskontrolle wurde zum Nadelöhr der Produktion.
Quality control became the bottleneck in production.
In real life
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