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.
where there’s planing
An idiom that says that with any work or change, unwanted side effects, small disadvantages, or losses are unavoidable.
Die Umstrukturierung war für einige Mitarbeiter hart, aber wo gehobelt wird, da fallen Späne.
The restructuring was hard for some employees, but where there’s planing, shavings fall.
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.
splinter
Both words refer to a small, separated piece, especially one made of wood. A Span typically forms when a material is worked with a tool and is often thin. A Splitter, by contrast, breaks or chips off a larger piece and is often pointed or sharp-edged.
Beim Hobeln fiel ein dünner Span vom Holzbrett auf den Boden.
While planing, a thin shaving fell from the wooden board onto the floor.
Beim Zerbrechen des Holzbretts sprang ein spitzer Splitter ab.
When the wooden board broke, a sharp splinter broke off.
