mushroom / fungus
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mushroom
The visible fruiting body of a basidiomycete fungus, which often grows in the forest and of which some species are edible.
Nach dem Regen haben wir im Wald viele Pilze gefunden.
After the rain, we found many mushrooms in the forest.
The context reveals the meaning: in the forest or in the kitchen, it refers to an edible mushroom. In a medical context or with building damage, it is about a disease or mold. In connection with explosions, it refers to the shape of the cloud.
Zum Abendessen gibt es eine leckere Pilz-Soße.
For dinner there is a delicious mushroom sauce.
The idiom 'wie Pilze aus dem Boden schießen' (to shoot up like mushrooms from the ground) means that something appears or develops very quickly and in large numbers. It refers to the sudden growth of mushrooms after rain.
Nach dem Erfolg des ersten Cafés schossen neue Filialen in der ganzen Stadt wie Pilze aus dem Boden.
After the success of the first café, new branches shot up like mushrooms all over the city.
When it comes to edible mushrooms, typical activities are 'Pilze sammeln' (to collect mushrooms) or 'in die Pilze gehen' (to go mushroom picking). Both mean looking for edible mushrooms in the forest.
Am Wochenende gehen wir wieder in die Pilze, wenn das Wetter gut ist.
At the weekend, we're going mushroom picking again if the weather is good.
In the meaning of 'disease' or 'mold', 'Pilz' (fungus) is often combined with the place of infection or infestation. Typical examples are 'Fußpilz' (athlete's foot), 'Nagelpilz' (nail fungus), or 'Schimmelpilz an der Wand' (mold fungus on the wall).
Die alte Wohnung hatte ein Problem mit Schimmelpilz im Badezimmer.
The old apartment had a problem with mold in the bathroom.
pathogen
'der Pilz' and 'der Erreger' can be connected in a medical context. A fungus can cause a disease and then be a pathogen. However, 'Erreger' is the more general medical term. It can be a fungus, a virus, or a bacterium. The words can be confused when talking about diseases. If you want to name the type of organism, you say 'Pilz'. If you mean generally what triggers a disease, 'Erreger' fits.
Die Ärztin sagt, dass ein Pilz die Entzündung verursacht hat.
The doctor says that a fungus caused the inflammation.
Der Erreger wird im Labor untersucht, damit die Behandlung besser passt.
The pathogen is being examined in the lab so the treatment can be better suited.