die  Zuführung

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈt͡suːfyːʁʊŋ/

📖 What does "die Zuführung" mean?

The word die Zuführung (feminine) generally describes the process or mechanism by which something (material, energy, information, persons) is brought to a specific place or for a specific purpose. It has several specific meanings depending on the context:

• Technology & Production ⚙️: The act of feeding or supplying material, energy, or data into a machine, process, or system. (e.g., die Materialzuführung einer Maschine - the material feed of a machine, die Stromzuführung - the power supply feed)
• Administration & Logistics 🚚: The delivery or provision of goods, documents, or resources. (e.g., die Zuführung von Hilfsgütern - the delivery/supply of relief goods, die Zuführung von Akten - the delivery/submission of files)
• Regarding Persons 🧑‍🤝‍🧑: The act of bringing or presenting a person to another person or authority. (e.g., die Zuführung eines Verdächtigen zur Polizei - bringing a suspect to the police)

🚨 Pay attention to the context to understand the precise meaning. Although often used technically, it's not limited to that field.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "die Zuführung" in Detail

"Zuführung" is a feminine noun. The article is die. Nouns ending in -ung are almost always feminine in German.

💬 Example Sentences

1. Die automatische Zuführung von Papier im Drucker funktioniert nicht mehr.
   (The automatic paper feed in the printer isn't working anymore.)
2. Die Zuführung der Hilfsgüter in das Krisengebiet wurde organisiert.
   (The supply/delivery of relief goods to the crisis area was organized.)
3. Die Polizei veranlasste die sofortige Zuführung des Zeugen.
   (The police ordered the immediate bringing/presentation of the witness.)
4. Eine konstante Zuführung von Energie ist für den Betrieb essenziell.
   (A constant supply/feed of energy is essential for operation.)

🎯 How to use "Zuführung"?

The use of die Zuführung heavily depends on the field:

• In a technical context, one often speaks of Materialzuführung (material feed), Datenzuführung (data feed), or Energiezuführung (energy supply/feed). It describes the process or the device for feeding something in.
• In a logistic or administrative context, it refers to provision or delivery, similar to Lieferung (delivery) or Bereitstellung (provision), but often focusing on the continuous or targeted nature of the process (e.g., Zuführung von Mitteln - allocation/supply of funds).
• In a legal or police context, it describes bringing a person to an authority or court (Zuführung zur Vernehmung - bringing in for questioning).

Distinction from similar words:

• Lieferung: Emphasizes the result, the handover of goods. Zuführung can also mean the process or the technical mechanism.
• Versorgung: Is more general and often refers to the basic provision of necessities (Wasserversorgung - water supply, Energieversorgung - energy supply). Zuführung is often more specific to a process or mechanism.
• Einbringung: Can be similar but is often used for introducing ideas, motions, or harvesting crops.

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

1. Article Mnemonic: Words ending in -ung in German are almost always feminine, like an invitation (-ung looks a bit like -ion). So, it's die Zuführung.

2. Meaning Mnemonic: Think of something being led zu (towards) a goal by a Führung (guidance/leading) – material is led towards the machine, power towards the device. That's the Zuführung (supply/feed).

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

⚠️ Be careful: The word Ausführung means 'execution' or 'design/model' and is not an antonym, although it sounds similar.

😂 A Little Joke

Warum hat der Drucker Streit mit der Papierzuführung?

Weil sie ihm ständig Blätter vor den Mund nimmt! 😉

(Why did the printer argue with the paper feed? Because it kept putting sheets (Blätter also means leaves) in front of its mouth! - A pun, as 'jemandem ein Blatt vor den Mund nehmen' means 'to not speak frankly')

✒️ Poem about Zuführung

Stetig fließt der Strom heran,
die Zuführung schließt ihn an.
Material, es kommt im Takt,
die Maschine sauber packt.
Ohne sie steht alles still,
weil die Produktion sonst nichts will.

(Steady flows the current near,
the supply feed connects it here.
Material arrives in time,
the machine packs, oh so fine.
Without it, all comes to a halt,
because production finds no fault [but needs the feed].)

❓ A Little Riddle

Ich bringe Futter zur Maschine hin,
bin für den Strom oft mittendrin.
Manchmal bring' ich auch einen Mann
zur Wache, damit man ihn befragen kann.

Was bin ich? (Lösung: die Zuführung)

(I bring feed to the machine right there,
For electricity, I'm often in the affair.
Sometimes I also bring a man
To the station, according to the plan.

What am I?
Answer: die Zuführung)

💡 More Information

Word Composition (Wortzusammensetzung):

The word "Zuführung" is composed of:

• zu-: A preposition/prefix indicating a direction 'towards' something.
• Führung: Derived from the verb "führen", meaning to lead, guide, or bring. The suffix "-ung" turns it into a noun describing the process or result.

Together, it signifies the act of leading towards, bringing to, or feeding in.