harassment / chicane
Loading your saved state.
harassment
Malicious, petty torment or harassment intended to deliberately cause someone difficulties or annoy them.
Die ständigen Schikanen des neuen Chefs machten allen das Leben schwer.
The constant harassment from the new boss made life difficult for everyone.
chicane
In motorsport, an artificially created, tight combination of curves on a straight racetrack, used to reduce the speed of the vehicles.
Der Rennfahrer verlor in der letzten Schikane die Kontrolle über sein Fahrzeug.
The racing driver lost control of his vehicle in the final chicane.
The two meanings are clearly separated by context. If it is about human behavior, bullying, or bureaucracy, 'Belästigung' (harassment) is meant. If it is about motorsport, racetracks, or high speeds, the combination of curves is meant.
Die ständigen Schikanen durch den Vorgesetzten sind unerträglich.
The constant harassment by the supervisor is unbearable.
In this meaning, 'Schikane' (harassment) is often used with verbs such as 'ertragen' (to endure) or 'erleiden' (to suffer). Common adjectives are 'ständige' (constant), 'willkürliche' (arbitrary), or 'kleinliche' (petty) Schikanen, often in the context of work or authorities.
Er war den Schikanen seiner Kollegen ausgesetzt.
He was subjected to the harassment of his colleagues.
In a motorsport context, a 'Schikane' (chicane) is 'durchfahren' (driven through) or 'genommen' (taken). It is often described as 'eng' (tight), 'schnell' (fast), or 'langsam' (slow), and it serves to 'reduzieren' (reduce) the speed on a straight.
In der letzten Runde verlor er in der Schikane wertvolle Sekunden.
In the final lap, he lost valuable seconds in the chicane.
bullying
Mobbing is a systematic and repeated pattern of attacks or exclusion directed at a person. Schikane is an intentional, malicious act and can occur only once. Mobbing is the better fit for a long-term series of targeted actions, while Schikane is used for a single act of torment.
Der einmalige absichtliche Ausschluss vom gemeinsamen Frühstück war eine Schikane.
The deliberate one-time exclusion from the shared breakfast was an act of harassment.
Das monatelange gemeinsame Ausgrenzen durch mehrere Kollegen war Mobbing.
The months-long group exclusion by several colleagues was bullying.
