01
der Kegel
pin
One of the nine wooden or plastic figures that have to be knocked over with a ball in nine-pin bowling.
example
Mit einem Wurf hat er alle neun Kegel abgeräumt.
With one throw, he knocked down all nine pins.
der Kegel
pin / cone
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Context clues
You can recognize the meaning of 'Kegel' from the context. Words like 'umwerfen' (to knock over) or 'Bahn' (lane/alley) point to the sport, 'berechnen' (to calculate) or 'Volumen' (volume) to geometry, and 'Straße' (street/road) or 'absperren' (to block off) to traffic.
EXAMPLE
Er warf den Kegel mit voller Wucht um.
He knocked over the pin with full force.
Compound nouns
'Kegel' is the basis for many compound words that make the meaning more precise. Examples are 'Verkehrskegel' (traffic cone), 'Lichtkegel' (beam/cone of light), or 'Kegelbahn' (bowling alley).
EXAMPLE
Der Scheinwerfer warf einen hellen Lichtkegel an die Wand.
The spotlight cast a bright cone of light on the wall.
Typical expression
In nine-pin bowling, there is the fixed expression 'alle Neune treffen' or 'alle Neune abräumen' (to hit/clear all nine). It means that you have knocked over all nine pins with one throw.
EXAMPLE
Wow, du hast mit einem Wurf alle Neune getroffen!
Wow, you hit all nine with one throw!
Typical collocations
In a traffic context, cones are typically 'aufgestellt' (set up) in order to 'absperren' (block off) an area or 'umzuleiten' (reroute) traffic.
EXAMPLE
Wegen des Unfalls musste die Polizei die Fahrspur mit Kegeln absperren.
Because of the accident, the police had to block off the lane with traffic cones.
Compare with
Kegel vs Zylinder
cylinder / top hat
'Zylinder' and 'Kegel' can both be geometric solids with a round base. The important difference is in the shape: a cylinder has two equally sized, parallel circular faces and straight sides. A cone has only one circular face and comes to a point at the top. Learners may confuse the words because both look round and appear in mathematics or technology. As a memory aid: a 'Zylinder' is like a can, while a 'Kegel' is like an ice cream cone.
Kegel
Auf dem Arbeitsblatt endet der Kegel oben in einer Spitze.
On the worksheet, the cone comes to a point at the top.
Zylinder
Im Mathekurs zeichnet Ali einen Zylinder mit zwei runden Flächen.
In math class, Ali draws a cylinder with two round faces.
In real life
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