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Some funny German words:
1) die Handschuhe (lit. hand shoes) = gloves
2) der Fingerhut (lit. finger hat) = thimble
3) die Nacktschnecke (lit. naked snail) = slug
4) die Brustwarze (lit. breast wart) = nipple
5) das Stinktier (lit. stinking animal) = skunk
6) das Flugzeug (lit. flight thing) = airplane
There are thousands of words like that :)
Some more:
1) der Staubsauger (lit. dust-sucker) = vacuum cleaner
2) der Zebrastreifen (lit. zebra-stripe) = crosswalk/pedestrian crossing
3) die Glühbirne (lit. glow-pear) = light bulb
4) der Seehund (lit. sea-dog) = seal
5) der Tintenfisch (lit. ink-fish) = squid/calamari
6) das Stachelschwein (lit. sting-pig, spike-pig) = porcupine
7) die Schildkröte (lit. shield-toad) = turtle
1) der Bärendienst (lit. bear service) = disservice
2) der Dudelsack (lit. tootle bag) = bagpipe
3) der Purzelbaum (lit. tumble tree) = somersault (on ground)
1) Zitronenfalter (lit. lemons folder) = Common Brimstone, a butterfly
2) Nilpferd (lit. Nile horse) = Hippo
(Might add more later.)
"Zeug" doesn't map to "thing" so well; it's more like equipment, device(s), gear. Compare: das Schreibzeug, das Zeughaus, das Zeug zu etwas haben, das Waschzeug, das Spielzeug ("zeug" and "toy" have the same roots).
Well I just started learning maybe 2 weeks ago, so so far I would say at least the for some strange reason I find the words: sandwich, restaurant, easy to remember, ha ha. Katherie has some good ones listed also. I will have to look up the Krankerwagen one, sounds like an old car that you had to start with a crank.
die Bauchspeicheldrüse (the body spit gland) = the pancreas
das Schnabeltier (the beak animal) = the platypus
In professional jargon, "Kragenwagen" is called "das Rettungsfahrzeug" (the rescue vehicle, with "fahrzeug" being "drive gear" = vehicle)
These words are great. They are what make me love German!
My favorite has got to be "Luftkissenfahrzeug." Literally: air pillow drive thing (device).
XD
