Metalloids, also known as semimetals, are elements that have properties of both metals and nonmetals.

Here's why Germanium is considered a metalloid:

* Shiny appearance: Like metals, germanium has a shiny, silvery-white appearance.

* Conductivity: It is a semiconductor, meaning it can conduct electricity under certain conditions, but not as well as metals.

* Brittle: Like nonmetals, germanium is brittle and can be easily broken.

So, Germanium doesn't fit perfectly into either the metal or nonmetal category, making it a metalloid.