noun
ointment, salve
B1
Salbe means ointment or salve, a topical medicinal cream used on skin. It's a feminine noun: die Salbe, plural Salben. Regular declension (die Salbe, der Salbe). Countable for specific tubes or types. No irregularities; common in pharmacy and first-aid contexts.
Examples
Er trug eine Salbe auf die Wunde auf.
He applied a salve to the wound.
Die Salbe hilft gegen den Juckreiz.
The ointment relieves the itching.
Die Salbe hilft gegen den Juckreiz.
The ointment helps with the itching.
Details
Mnemonics
Imagine a small tube labelled 'Salbe' being rubbed into a sore spot
salve (English) sounds like Salbe
Die Salbe — think of 'die' as feminine like 'die Dame' applying cream
Notes
Salbe refers to a topical medicinal cream. Feminine noun; commonly used in pharmacies. 'Salbe' can also appear in figurative expressions (e.g., a 'soothing' word).