blik

Blik is a Dutch noun with two common senses. The first refers to a metal container used for storing and packaging food and beverages; these containers are typically called blikken, with the diminutive blikje used for smaller cans. Such tins are usually made of tinplate or steel and are widely recycled in household waste streams. The second sense of blik is a quick look or glance; in this usage, the phrase een blik werpen means to cast a brief look at something.

In everyday usage, blik appears in a variety of everyday compounds and phrases. A well-known related term is blikopener (a can opener), used to open metal cans. The distinction between blik as container and blik as glance is clear from context, with sentences like Ik keek even in de doos for “I took a quick look in the box” versus Blik op het etiket for “a glance at the label.”

Cultural and practical context often centers on packaging and waste management. Blik is part of the common categorization of packaging materials in the Netherlands and Belgium, where cans are collected and recycled separately from plastics and paper. The term also appears in branding and product labeling, reflecting its familiarity as everyday material.

In summary, blik primarily denotes a metal can or tin in Dutch usage, and secondarily a brief look or glance, with practical relevance in packaging, recycling, and everyday language.