Which to use
“mean” and “Methan” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #19,306
- “mean” frequency rank
- #27,415
- “Methan” frequency rank
- 46721
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | mean | Methan |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | das Ergebnis der Division einer Summe von Zahlen durch deren Anzahl | farb- und geruchlose, brennbare Gasverbindung, deren Moleküle aus einem Kohlenstoff- und vier Wasserstoffatomen bestehen |
Where the eye mixes mean and Methan
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 4 letters in sequence.
Visual trap between mean and Methan
A purely visual mix-up. mean ([mi(ː)n]) and Methan ([meˈtaːn]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 46721, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
mean is recorded at frequency rank #19,306, classified as anoun, pronounced [mi(ː)n]. Methan is at rank #27,415, tagged as anoun, pronounced [meˈtaːn].
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 46721, this pair ranks #1,309,266 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of mean vs Methan
Shared letters: aemn. Private to "mean": -. Private to "Methan": ht.
"mean" · 4 letters · shape CVVC · "Methan" · 6 letters · shape CVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "mean" and "Methan" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "mean" or "Methan"?
What to do next
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "mean" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Methan" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,309,266 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "mean" and "Methan" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Methan vs Methanol". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #1,309,266 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.