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鋥 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
zèngto polish, to shinex, 15 strokes, radical 釒, Very Hard
zèng(zeng4) T4
  1. 1to polish, to shine
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
zèng(zeng4)

The character 鋥 (zèng) refers to the action of polishing or shining an object, often associated with metal surfaces. It conveys the idea of making something visually appealing through a reflective finish or bright surface, commonly used in contexts involving metalwork or jewelry.

Strokes15RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese craftsmanship, particularly in metalworking and jewelry making, the process of polishing is highly valued, reflecting the importance of aesthetics in traditional arts. Polished items often symbolize quality and attention to detail.

Memory Tip

Imagine a shiny, polished sword that gleams in the sunlight. The character 鋥 has the radical 钅 (metal) on the left, hinting at its association with shiny metallic surfaces, while the right side suggests the action of enhancing its appearance.

Meanings of 鋥

zèng(zeng4)
1to polish, to shine
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鋥

Simplified
15Strokes
Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鋥

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 鋥

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a shiny, polished sword that gleams in the sunlight. The character 鋥 has the radical 钅 (metal) on the left, hinting at its association with shiny metallic surfaces, while the right side suggests the action of enhancing its appearance.

Usage Notes

This term is not commonly used in everyday conversation; it tends to appear in more formal or technical contexts, especially related to craftsmanship. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words; practice the tonal pronunciation to avoid mistakes.

HSK Study Tips

While 鋥 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it relates to HSK level 4 words about objects and actions, such as 磨 (mó, to grind) and 光 (guāng, light). Focus on how 鋥 can be used in sentences describing the enhancement of objects.

Cultural Note

In Chinese craftsmanship, particularly in metalworking and jewelry making, the process of polishing is highly valued, reflecting the importance of aesthetics in traditional arts. Polished items often symbolize quality and attention to detail.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鋥 with similar characters like 磨 (mó), which means to grind, but has a different nuance. Remember that 鋥 specifically relates to shining or polishing, not just any form of surface treatment.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鋥

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Etymology of 鋥

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 呈 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鋥.

Memory Hint

metal

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 鋥?

Decomposition of 鋥

IDS Structure⿰釒呈
Full Character
=
jin1
left
cheng2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鋥?

Write 鋥

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 鋥

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese craftsmanship, particularly in metalworking and jewelry making, the process of polishing is highly valued, reflecting the importance of aesthetics in traditional arts. Polished items often symbolize quality and attention to detail.

Word Family of 鋥

Words Containing This Character3
锃亮shiny鋥亮
zèngshiny
亮锃锃shiny亮鋥鋥
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 锃亮 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鋥

You could say, '他在打磨这块金属,使它更加鋥亮', meaning 'He is polishing this piece of metal to make it shine even more.'