hint / wave
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hint
An indirect, often subtle hint or sign with which someone wants to suggest something or make something understood.
Er gab mir den Wink, dass ich das Thema besser nicht ansprechen sollte.
He gave me the hint that I had better not bring up the topic.
The noun 'der Wink' is derived directly from the verb 'winken' (to wave). This connection helps you remember both meanings: the gesture of waving and the figurative 'Wink' (hint).
Sie winkte mir zum Abschied.
She waved to me goodbye.
The concrete meaning (hand movement) is often accompanied by words like 'Hand' (hand) or verbs of movement. The abstract meaning (hint) often appears with verbs like 'geben' (to give), 'bekommen' (to get), or 'verstehen' (to understand).
Er rief den Kellner mit einem Wink seiner Hand herbei.
He called the waiter over with a wave of his hand.
A very common idiom is 'ein Wink mit dem Zaunpfahl' (a very obvious hint; literally: a hint with a fence post). It describes an extremely clear hint that is hard to miss.
Sie sagte, sie friere – das war ein klarer Wink mit dem Zaunpfahl, die Heizung anzumachen.
She said she was freezing—that was a clear, very obvious hint to turn on the heating.
To explain the content of a hint, a subordinate clause with 'dass' (that) or an infinitive construction with 'zu' (to) is often used. The pattern is: 'der Wink, dass ...' (the hint that ...) or 'der Wink, etwas zu tun' (the hint to do something).
Das war der Wink, dass wir gehen sollten.
That was the hint that we should leave.
sign / symbol
'das Zeichen' and 'der Wink' can both be a message without many words. 'das Zeichen' is more general: it can be a gesture, a signal, or also an indication of something. 'der Wink' is usually shorter and more personal. It can be a small hand movement or an indirect hint with which someone suggests something. The words can be confused because a 'Wink' is often a kind of 'Zeichen'. When you are talking generally about a signal or an indication, 'Zeichen' fits well. When someone deliberately gives someone a brief hint, 'Wink' sounds more natural.
Der Lehrer gibt dem Schüler einen Wink, damit er mit der Antwort beginnt.
The teacher gives the student a hint so he will begin his answer.
Nach dem Gespräch gab mir Anna ein Zeichen, dass alles in Ordnung ist.
After the conversation, Anna gave me a sign that everything was all right.