rake / abacus
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rake
A garden tool with a long handle and a row of teeth at the end, used for gathering leaves or hay, or for smoothing soil.
Im Herbst muss ich mit dem Rechen das ganze Laub im Garten zusammenkehren.
In autumn, I have to use the rake to gather up all the leaves in the garden.
The word 'der Rechen' has two different origins that explain the two meanings. The garden tool comes from the verb 'rechen' (to rake together), while the calculating aid comes from the verb 'rechnen' (to calculate).
Gib mir bitte den Rechen, ich möchte das Laub zusammenkehren.
Please give me the rake; I want to gather up the leaves.
When 'Rechen' is mentioned, words like 'Garten' (garden), 'Laub' (leaves), 'Erde' (soil), 'Heu' (hay), or 'zusammenkehren' (to gather up/sweep together) almost always point to the garden tool. This meaning is by far the most common in everyday life.
Nach dem Mähen habe ich das Gras mit dem Rechen gesammelt.
After mowing, I collected the grass with the rake.
The matching verb for the garden tool is 'rechen' (to rake). You use the tool to 'zusammenrechen' (rake together) something or to 'rechen' (rake) an area.
Ich muss noch die Beete im Gemüsegarten rechen.
I still have to rake the beds in the vegetable garden.
You can recognize the meaning 'Abakus' (abacus) from words like 'rechnen' (to calculate), 'Kugeln' (beads), 'Antike' (ancient times), or 'Hilfsmittel' (aid/tool). This usage is rare and usually limited to historical or mathematical contexts.
Im Museum wurde gezeigt, wie man mit einem alten Rechen addiert.
At the museum, they showed how to add with an old abacus.
hoe / heel
'Hacke' and 'Rechen' are both garden tools with long handles. Learners can therefore easily confuse them. The difference lies in the work they do: with a 'Hacke' (hoe), you loosen soil or remove weeds. It has a solid metal blade. With a 'Rechen' (rake), you gather leaves or hay, or smooth soil. It has several teeth. If you strike into the ground or break it up, 'Hacke' is the right word. If you pull things together or make something smooth, 'Rechen' is the right word.
Nach dem Sturm sammelt Paul das Laub mit dem Rechen.
After the storm, Paul gathers the leaves with the rake.
Für das harte Beet nimmt Anna lieber die Hacke als den kleinen Spaten.
For the hard garden bed, Anna prefers using the hoe rather than the small spade.