as fine as hair, minute, subtle / in great detail
[adjective/adverb]
[haar-fijn]
‘Haarfijn’ can be used as an adjective or an adverb. Literally it translates as ‘as fine as hair’ and you use it when something is very detailed or minute. As an adverb it is commonly used in the phrases ‘iets haarfijn uitleggen’ (to explain something in great detail) or ‘iets haarfijn weten’ (to know something inside out).
The dictionary told me that the emphasis is on the last syllable ‘fijn’, however it is my experience that people usually say ‘haar-fijn’.
Examples:
– “Een haarfijn scheurtje in de romp van een spaceshuttle kan desastreuze gevolgen hebben.”
(“A minute crack in the fuselage of a space shuttle can have devastating consequences.”)
– “Hij staat erom bekend dat hij de dingen haarfijn uit kan leggen.”
(“He is known for his ability to explain something in great detail.“)
– “Vraag het maar aan opa, die weet dat haarfijn.”
(“Go and ask grandpa, he knows that inside out.”)
– “De restauratie van het schilderij heeft haarfijne details blootgelegd.”
(“The restoration of the painting has exposed minute details.”)
– “Leen anders mijn camera, daar kun je haarfijne foto’s mee maken!”
(“Why don’t you borrow my camera, it shoots highly detailed pictures!”)
Related words:
– Haar: hair [noun] [de haar, de haren].
– Fijn: fine, subtle, delicate [adjective].
– Gedetailleerd: detailed [adjective/adverb].
– Detail: detail [noun] [het detail, de details].
In de laatste voorbeeldzin zou ik ‘haarscherp’ gebruiken in plaats van ‘haarfijn’: haarscherpe foto’s.
Yes, ‘haarscherp’ would definitely be the common choice, however I wonder now whether the use of ‘haarfijn’ in this case would be really wrong…