heran|reichen
Translation
to reach, to measure up to, to equal
Examples
Das Kind kann nicht an das Regal heranreichen.
The child cannot reach the shelf.
Niemand reicht an seine Leistungen heran.
Nobody measures up to his achievements.
Grammar Patterns
((an+4)) to reach sth. The child cannot reach the shelf.
((an sb./sth.)) to measure up to sb./sth. Nobody measures up to his achievements.
Similar Words
erreichen (to reach); gleichkommen (to equal)
Etymology
Composed of heran- ('up to, towards') + reichen ('to reach, suffice'). The literal meaning is 'to reach up to'.
Memory Tips
Visualize 'reaching' (reichen) 'towards' (heran) an object. This can be physical, or figurative like reaching a level of skill.