Schranke

Schranke is a German noun meaning barrier, gate, or obstruction. It denotes a movable barrier such as a barrier arm, a gate, or a turnstile that blocks passage. In transportation and security contexts the term is common, especially for structures at level crossings, parking facilities, toll booths, or controlled access points. The plural is Schranken; the singular is Schranke.

The word appears in many compounds, for example Schrankenanlage (barrier system), Bahnübergangsschranke (railway crossing barrier), or Absperrschranke (security barrier). In everyday language Schranke is often preferred where the movable barrier character is emphasized, while Barriere is used for barriers in a broader or more abstract sense.

Besides its literal sense, Schranke can be used metaphorically to denote an obstacle or constraint, such as sprachliche Schranken (language barriers) or kulturelle Schranken.

See also: Barriere, Absperrung, Bahnübergang, Schrankenanlage.