der Zoll
customs duty
A state fee or tax that is levied on goods when they are brought across a national border.
EXAMPLE
Für die Einfuhr des Autos musste er einen hohen Zoll bezahlen.
He had to pay a high customs duty for importing the car.
der Zoll
customs duty / customs / inch
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Meanings
der Zoll
customs
The government authority responsible for checking cross-border movement of goods and collecting customs duties.
EXAMPLE
Bei der Einreise wurde sein Gepäck vom Zoll kontrolliert.
When he entered the country, his luggage was checked by customs.
der Zoll
inch
A unit of length equal to 2.54 centimeters. It is still used today for screen diagonals or pipe diameters.
EXAMPLE
Ich suche einen Fernseher mit einer Bildschirmgröße von 55 Zoll.
I'm looking for a television with a screen size of 55 inches.
Usage tips
Context clue
The three meanings of 'Zoll' are clearly separated by context. If it is about money or fees, the tax is meant. If it is about an authority or border control, the institution is meant. If a number comes before it and the topic is size, the unit of measurement is meant.
EXAMPLE
Wie hoch ist der Zoll für diese Waren?
How high is the customs duty for these goods?
Use with prepositions
When the authority is meant, 'Zoll' is often treated like a place and used with prepositions such as 'am Zoll' (at customs / at the checkpoint) or 'beim Zoll' (at customs / with the customs authority).
EXAMPLE
Am Zoll mussten wir unsere Koffer öffnen.
At customs, we had to open our suitcases.
Use as a unit
As a unit of length, 'Zoll' is almost always used together with a number. It is mainly used for the diagonal size of screens (TVs, monitors) or for diameters (e.g., pipes).
EXAMPLE
Das Tablet hat ein 10-Zoll-Display.
The tablet has a 10-inch display.
Compare with
Zoll vs Steuer
tax
Both Steuer and Zoll are monetary payments required by the state. Zoll is charged specifically because of the cross-border movement of goods, while Steuer is the more general state levy used to finance public spending. Use Zoll for goods at a border and Steuer for a separate state charge.
Zoll
Beim Grenzübertritt musste das Unternehmen für die importierten Waren Zoll zahlen.
When crossing the border, the company had to pay customs duty on the imported goods.
Steuer
Für den Kauf der importierten Waren musste das Unternehmen eine Steuer zahlen.
The company had to pay a tax on the imported goods it purchased.
In real life
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