der  Uhrzeigersinn

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈuːɐ̯ˌtsaɪɡɐˌzɪn/

🕰️ What does "der Uhrzeigersinn" mean?

Der Uhrzeigersinn means clockwise in English. It describes the direction of rotation in which the hands (Zeiger) of an analog clock (Uhr) normally move: from top to right, then down, then left, and back up again. It's the standard direction for many rotational movements, like tightening screws (usually!).

The word is almost always used in the singular and often in the phrase im Uhrzeigersinn, which translates to clockwise or in a clockwise direction.

There is only this one meaning for der Uhrzeigersinn.

🧐 Grammar: Der Uhrzeigersinn in Detail

The noun "Uhrzeigersinn" is masculine. The article is der. It is almost exclusively used in the singular.

A plural form ("die Uhrzeigersinne") is grammatically possible but extremely uncommon and practically never used.

💡 Example Sentences

1. Bitte drehen Sie den Deckel im Uhrzeigersinn, um die Flasche zu öffnen.
   (Please turn the lid clockwise to open the bottle.)
2. Die Planeten bewegen sich nicht alle im Uhrzeigersinn um die Sonne.
   (The planets do not all move clockwise around the sun.)
3. Beim Tanzen bewegte sich die Gruppe im Uhrzeigersinn durch den Raum.
   (During the dance, the group moved clockwise through the room.)
4. Folge dem Pfad im Uhrzeigersinn um den See.
   (Follow the path clockwise around the lake.)

🔄 How to use "im Uhrzeigersinn"?

The phrase im Uhrzeigersinn is primarily used to describe a direction of rotation or a direction of movement along a circle or curve.

• Instructions: Very common in technical manuals or assembly instructions ("Die Schraube im Uhrzeigersinn festziehen" - Tighten the screw clockwise).
• Navigation/Directions: To describe a route ("Gehen Sie im Uhrzeigersinn um das Gebäude herum" - Go clockwise around the building).
• Physics/Engineering: Describing rotations, torques, or magnetic fields.
• Games/Dance: Setting a direction of movement for participants ("Wir bewegen uns im Uhrzeigersinn im Kreis" - We move clockwise in a circle).

The opposite direction is called gegen den Uhrzeigersinn (counter-clockwise or anti-clockwise).

⚠️ Be aware that not all screws or valves tighten clockwise (e.g., gas canisters often have left-handed threads - Linksgewinde).

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic:
Think of Sinn (sense, direction) as a masculine concept here: der Sinn. The clock dictates the direction. It's der Sinn that the clock shows = der Uhrzeigersinn.

Meaning Mnemonic:
Break it down: Uhr (clock) + Zeiger (hand/pointer) + Sinn (sense/direction). It's the direction (Sinn) that the clock's (Uhr) hands (Zeiger) follow.

↔️ Synonyms and Antonyms for Uhrzeigersinn

Risk of confusion? The word itself is clear. Confusion might arise only if you forget which way clockwise actually is without a clock for reference!

😂 A Little Joke

Warum ging die Digitaluhr zur Therapie?
Weil sie keinen Uhrzeigersinn mehr hatte!

(Why did the digital watch go to therapy?
Because it had no sense of direction (clockwise-sense / Uhrzeigersinn) anymore!)

📜 Poem about Clockwise Motion

Die Uhr, sie tickt, die Zeit verrinnt,
ihr Zeiger sacht im Kreise spinnt.
Von zwölf zu drei, zu sechs, zu neun,
so soll die rechte Drehung sein.
Im Uhrzeigersinn, das ist bekannt,
führt uns die Zeit durchs ganze Land.

(The clock, it ticks, time passes by,
its hand gently spins in a circle nigh.
From twelve to three, to six, to nine,
so should the proper turning align.
Clockwise, it is known to all,
time leads us through the land, standing tall.)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich bin die Richtung, die die Schraube meist mag,
und wie die Sonne wandert Tag für Tag (auf der Nordhalbkugel von Osten über Süden nach Westen).
Drehst du dich rechts herum im Kreis,
bewegst du dich nach meiner Weis'.

Wie heißt meine Richtung? (Lösung/Solution: im Uhrzeigersinn / clockwise)

(I am the direction the screw usually likes,
and how the sun travels on its daily hikes (in the Northern Hemisphere from East via South to West).
If you turn right around in a loop,
you move according to my stoop.)

(What is my direction called?)

🧩 Word Composition and Trivia

The word "Uhrzeigersinn" is a compound noun, composed of:

• Die Uhr: The clock
• Der Zeiger: The pointer / hand (of a clock)
• Der Sinn: Here in the meaning of sense / direction

So, literally: The clock-hand-direction.

Interestingly, the apparent movement of the sun across the sky (in the Northern Hemisphere) is one of the oldest references for this direction of rotation, which was later adopted by sundials and mechanical clocks.