das Nadelöhr
Translation
eye of a needle, bottleneck
Examples
Der Faden passt nicht durch das Nadelöhr.
The thread doesn't fit through the eye of the needle.
Die enge Straße ist ein Nadelöhr für den Verkehr.
The narrow street is a bottleneck for traffic.
Grammar Patterns
through the eye of the needle The thread won't go through the eye of the needle.
Similar Words
Öffnung (opening), Engstelle (narrow spot)
Etymology
Composed of 'Nadel' (needle) and 'Öhr' (eye, ear). Literally 'needle-ear'.
Memory Tips
Literally 'needle-ear'. It's also used metaphorically for any narrow passage or bottleneck, like in traffic.