der  Stich

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ʃtɪç/

🎯 What does "der Stich" mean?

The word der Stich (plural: die Stiche) is a masculine noun with a surprisingly large number of meanings. Here are the most important ones:

• 💉 Medical/Biological: The penetration of the skin by a pointed object or an insect's stinger. (Examples: Mückenstich - mosquito bite, Bienenstich - bee sting, Nadelstich - needle prick)
• ⚔️ Attack: A thrust with a pointed weapon. (Example: ein Stich mit dem Messer - a stab with the knife)
• 🧵 Needlework: A single movement of the needle in sewing or embroidery. (Example: Kreuzstich - cross-stitch, einfacher Stich - simple stitch)
• 🎨 Art/Printing Technique: A printing process or the resulting image (engraving, copperplate engraving, steel engraving). (Example: ein alter Stich von Dürer - an old engraving by Dürer)
• 🃏 Card Games: Winning a round by playing the highest card. (Example: einen Stich machen - to take a trick, den letzten Stich holen - to get the last trick)
• 💡 Hint/Cue: A brief, relevant hint or allusion (often as "Stichwort" - keyword/cue). Can also be a sarcastic remark (Seitenhieb - side blow). (Example: Gib mir mal einen Stich, worum es geht. - Give me a cue what it's about.)
• 🎨 Color Tint: A slight tendency towards a certain color. (Example: ein Blaustich im Foto - a blue tint in the photo, ein Rotstich im Haar - a reddish tint in the hair)
• ❤️ Feeling: A sudden, brief pain (often figurative). (Example: ein Stich ins Herz - a pang in the heart)

🚨 Pay attention to the context to understand the correct meaning!

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "der Stich" in Detail

"Stich" is a masculine noun and uses the article "der". It belongs to the strong nouns group.

📝 Example Sentences

1. (Insect sting) Der Stich der Mücke juckt furchtbar. (The mosquito bite itches terribly.)
2. (Stab wound) Der Angreifer versetzte ihm einen Stich in den Arm. (The attacker stabbed him in the arm.)
3. (Sewing) Mach bitte gleichmäßige Stiche. (Please make even stitches.)
4. (Engraving) Wir bewunderten die alten Stiche im Museum. (We admired the old engravings in the museum.)
5. (Card game) Mit dem Ass konnte er den letzten Stich machen. (With the ace, he could take the last trick.)
6. (Cue/Hint) Das war der entscheidende Stich für die Lösung. (That was the decisive cue/hint for the solution.)
7. (Color tint) Das Weiß hat einen leichten Gelbstich. (The white has a slight yellow tint.)
8. (Feeling) Bei seinen Worten verspürte sie einen Stich im Herzen. (At his words, she felt a pang in her heart.)
9. (Idiom) Er hat mich im Stich gelassen. (He left me in the lurch / let me down.)

💡 How to use "der Stich"?

The usage of "der Stich" heavily depends on its specific meaning:

• In everyday life: Most commonly heard in connection with insects (Mückenstich, Wespenstich) or minor injuries (Nadelstich). Sonnenstich (sunstroke) is also common.
• At the doctor's: Often refers to Stiche from needles (vaccination, blood test) or unfortunately, Stichverletzungen (stab wounds) from weapons.
• In sewing/needlework: Used to talk about different types of Stiche (Kreuzstich - cross-stitch, Steppstich - backstitch).
• In art: Refers to printing techniques like Kupferstich (copperplate engraving) or Holzstich (wood engraving) and the resulting pictures.
• In card games: A central term in many games like Skat or Bridge (“einen Stich machen” - to take a trick).
• Figuratively:
  • As a hint: "Gib mir einen Stich" (Give me a hint/cue).
  • As a color nuance: "Blaustich" (blue tint), "Grünstich" (green tint).
  • As emotional pain: "Ein Stich ins Herz" (A pang in the heart).
  • In idioms: "jemanden im Stich lassen" (to leave someone in the lurch), "auf einen Stich halten" (to be ready/prepared).

⚠️ Don't confuse "der Stich" (noun) with "stechen" (verb - to sting, stab, prick) or "stichhaltig" (adjective - valid, conclusive, sound).

🧠 Mnemonics for "der Stich"

Article Mnemonic (der)

Imagine a bee sting. Bees are often thought of in relation to a king or queen, but the sting itself feels quite assertive, like a male action – associate that assertiveness with the masculine article der Stich. Or think: "Der nasty sting!"

Meaning Mnemonic (Multiple Meanings)

Think of a sharp point involved in most meanings: the point of a stinger (Stich), the point of a needle (Stich), the sharp tool for an engraving (Stich), the key point in a card game (Stich), the sharp point of pain (Stich), the pointed hint (Stichwort). All these 'points' relate to der Stich.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for "der Stich"

⚠️ Similar Words:

• Stechen (verb): The action that leads to a Stich (to sting, stab, prick). (Die Wespe sticht. - The wasp stings.)
• Der Stichel: Tool for engraving.
• Der Stichling: A small fish (stickleback).
• Stichhaltig (adjective): Valid, conclusive, sound. (Ein stichhaltiges Argument. - A sound argument.)

😂 A Little Sting of Humor

German: Fragt der Arzt den Patienten nach der Blutabnahme: "Na, hat der Stich sehr wehgetan?" Sagt der Patient: "Nein, Herr Doktor, nur als die Mücke vorhin gestochen hat!"

English: The doctor asks the patient after taking blood: "Well, did the prick hurt much?" The patient replies: "No, doctor, only when the mosquito stung earlier!"

📜 Stich Poetry

German:
Ein Stich im Arm, oh Schreck, oh Graus,
Die Nadel spitz, die Impfung raus.
Ein Stich im Spiel, die Karte hoch,
Gewonnen! Freudig ruft man: "Doch!"
Ein Mückenstich, er juckt gar sehr,
Ein Kupferstich, gefällt noch mehr.
Ein Farbstich leicht, im Bild zu seh'n,
Ein Freund im Stich? Das darf nicht gescheh'n!

English Translation:
A sting/prick in the arm, oh dread, oh fright,
The needle sharp, the vaccine out.
A trick in the game, the card played high,
We won! Joyfully one shouts: "Indeed!"
A mosquito bite, it itches so,
A copper engraving, liked even more.
A slight color tint, seen in the frame,
A friend left in the lurch? That shouldn't happen, it's a shame!

🤔 Stich Riddle

German:
Ich kann von einer Mücke sein,
auch von 'ner Nadel, fein und klein.
Im Kartenspiel gewinn' ich gern,
als Bild an Wand, von nah und fern.
Man lässt dich manchmal drin allein,
als Farbton kann ich zart nur sein.

Was bin ich? (Lösung: der Stich)

English Translation:
I can come from a mosquito's flight,
Or from a needle, thin and slight.
In card games, winning is my aim,
As picture on the wall, known by name.
Sometimes you're left in me alone,
As a color hue, I can be subtly shown.

What am I? (Answer: der Stich)

🧩 More Info on "der Stich"

Compounds & Idioms

"Stich" is part of many compound words (Wortzusammensetzungen) and fixed expressions (Redewendungen):

• Compounds: Bienenstich (bee sting, also a type of cake!), Mückenstich (mosquito bite), Nadelstich (needle prick), Sonnenstich (sunstroke), Kupferstich (copperplate engraving), Holzstich (wood engraving), Messerstich (knife stab), Stichwahl (runoff election/ballot), Stichprobe (random sample), Stichwort (keyword, cue), Blaustich (blue tint), Rotstich (reddish tint).
• Idioms:
  • jemanden im Stich lassen: to leave someone in the lurch, let someone down.
  • einen Stich haben: to be slightly crazy (coll.).
  • auf einen Stich halten: to be ready, prepared (to do or risk something).
  • keinen Stich sehen/kriegen: to not stand a chance (often in card games, but also figuratively).
  • Stich für Stich arbeiten: to work very precisely and slowly (in sewing).

Etymology

The word "Stich" derives from the Old High German "stih", which also meant "thrust, puncture" and is related to the verb "stechen" (to sting, pierce, stab). The diverse meanings evolved over centuries from this basic concept.