Hadsch in Mekka: Millionen Muslime auf Pilgerreise

What does “gegen den Uhrzeigersinn” mean in German?

In the report, pilgrims walk seven rounds “gegen den Uhrzeigersinn” around the Kaaba. “Uhrzeigersinn” is built from “Uhr” (clock) + “Zeiger” (pointer/hand) + “Sinn” (direction). Put “gegen” (against) in front and you get the opposite turn: counter-clockwise. They circle to the left, not to the right. To say the same direction as a clock, German uses “im Uhrzeigersinn”.

Spoken line: “die Pilger laufen 7 Runden gegen den Uhrzeigersinn die würfelförmige Kaaba” — “the pilgrims walk 7 rounds counter-clockwise around the cube-shaped Kaaba”. The word breaks down clearly: “Uhr” (clock) + “Zeiger” (the hand/pointer) + “Sinn” (here: direction). Together “Uhrzeigersinn” = the way a clock’s hands turn. “gegen” means against, so “gegen den Uhrzeigersinn” = against that way = counter-clockwise. More examples: - “Drehen Sie den Deckel gegen den Uhrzeigersinn.” — Turn the lid counter-clockwise. - “Im Uhrzeigersinn weitergeben, bitte.” — Pass it on clockwise, please. - “Der Kreisverkehr läuft gegen den Uhrzeigersinn.” — The roundabout runs counter-clockwise. Usage note: you will often hear this in instructions — opening a jar, turning a knob, or describing how people or traffic move in a circle.