Which to use
“tank” and “tun” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #8,463
- “tank” frequency rank
- #245
- “tun” frequency rank
- 8708
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | tank | tun |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 2. Person Singular Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs tanken | eine Handlung ausführen |
Where the eye mixes tank and tun
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 2 letters in sequence.
Look-alike desk: tank vs tun
A purely visual mix-up. tank ([taŋk]) and tun ([tuːn]) 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 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 8708, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
tank is recorded at frequency rank #8,463, classified as averb, pronounced [taŋk]. tun is at rank #245, tagged as averb, pronounced [tuːn].
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 8708, this pair ranks #1,983,170 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of tank vs tun
Shared letters: nt. Private to "tank": ak. Private to "tun": u.
"tank" · 4 letters · shape CVCC · "tun" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- tank ← atnk · takn · tankk · tannk · tnak · ttank
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "tank" and "tun" be used interchangeably?
In ordinary German text, does "tank" or "tun" show up more?
Useful next steps
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "tank" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "tun" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,983,170 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "tank" and "tun" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "tank vs tine". 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 #1,983,170 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.