chip / shaving
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chip / shaving
A small, often thin and separated piece of a material, especially wood or metal, produced when it is worked with tools such as saws, planes, or drills.
Nach dem Bohren der Löcher waren überall auf dem Boden feine Metallspäne verteilt.
After the holes were drilled, fine metal shavings were scattered all over the floor.
In its material meaning, 'Span' (chip/shaving) is often combined with the material it consists of, e.g. 'Holzspan' (wood shaving), 'Metallspan' (metal shaving), or 'Eisenspan' (iron filing). Most of the time, the word is used in the plural 'Späne' (shavings/chips).
Nach dem Sägen mussten wir die ganzen Holzspäne zusammenkehren.
After sawing, we had to sweep up all the wood shavings.
The word 'Span' (chip/shaving), and especially the plural 'Späne' (shavings/chips), is typical of the technical language of woodworking and metalworking. The related verbs are, for example, 'hobeln' (to plane), 'sägen' (to saw), or 'zerspanen' (to machine/cut by removing material).
Die Zerspanungstechnik ist ein wichtiges Fertigungsverfahren in der Metallindustrie.
Machining technology is an important manufacturing process in the metal industry.
You can recognize the idiomatic meaning from the fact that it occurs almost exclusively in the complete proverb 'Wo gehobelt wird, da fallen Späne' (where there’s planing, shavings fall). If 'Span' (chip/shaving) or 'Späne' (shavings/chips) is used as a normal noun, it always refers to the piece of material.
Der Boden der Werkstatt war voller Späne.
The workshop floor was full of shavings.
The proverb is used to justify negative side effects of a necessary action. It expresses that small disadvantages are unavoidable if you want to achieve a larger goal.
Natürlich gab es bei der Umstellung Probleme, aber wo gehobelt wird, da fallen eben Späne.
Of course there were problems during the changeover, but where there’s planing, shavings are bound to fall.
little piece
'Stückchen' and 'Span' can both mean a small part of something larger. 'Stückchen' is very general and can be used for many things, such as food, paper, or fabric. 'Span' is more specific: it is usually thin and is produced when wood or metal is worked, for example when sawing, planing, or drilling. That is why 'Span' sounds natural mainly in workshop or craft contexts. You use 'Stückchen' when you simply want to say that something is small and separated.
Beim Hobeln fiel ein langer Span auf den Boden.
While planing, a long shaving fell to the floor.
Nach dem Essen blieb nur ein kleines Stückchen Kuchen übrig.
After the meal, only a small piece of cake was left.