The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word HAMBURGER
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
H
A
M
B
U
R
G
E
R
More clues leading to the result HAMBURGER
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "German" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case german = hamburger.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does HAMBURGER mean?
HAMBURGER noun- A hot sandwich consisting of a patty of cooked ground beef or a meat substitute, in a sliced bun, sometimes also containing salad vegetables, condiments, or both.
- The patty used in such a sandwich.
- Ground beef, especially that intended to be made into hamburgers.
- (somewhat crude) An animal or human, or the flesh thereof, that has been badly injured as a result of an accident or conflict.
- A hamburger button.