The hoe is divided into two parts. The first part is the "hoe blade", which is the place used for loosening soil and weeding. The shape of the hoe blade is flat and long, just like a kitchen knife. There are also some quite special ones, such as rectangles, elongated shapes, trapezoids, and so on. The "handle" is the second part, which is a circular wooden stick, commonly made of hardwood, used to fit in a hole at the back of the hoe blade to support it. The length ranges from 80 centimeters to 160 centimeters, but it is more convenient to grow it because farmers do not have to bend their waist too low. The structure of the hoe hoop (eye) is D-shaped. The angle can be adjusted.
The hoe utilizes the lever principle to save labor, but its working efficiency is relatively low.
There are three types of hoes: board hoes, hoes, and bar hoes.
Board hoe
The width is about 20cm to 30cm, and the height is slightly longer than the width. Mainly used for large-scale shallow excavation. For example, the loosening and plowing of land.
short-handled hoe
The blade is wide and sharp, with some slightly curved and crescent shaped. Some have no curvature and straight edges. Its height is less than its width. It is slightly lighter and thinner than a board hoe, and has an iron handle for connecting with a long wooden handle. Mainly used for surface excavation work. For example, uprooting weeds on the ground, collecting scattered grains or sand on the ground, etc.
Bar hoe
The blade of a hoe is narrow and small, used for small areas of deep excavation. It is often used in places with strong soil, and also for excavating tuberous plants buried in the soil, such as cassava, potato, sweet potato, yam, taro, Jerusalem artichoke, pinellia ternata, sweet dew nut (grass and stone silkworm), etc.