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錠 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
錠dìngspindle, ingot; tablet, slabx, 16 strokes, radical 釒, rank #70011, Very Hard
dìng(ding4) T4
  1. 1spindle, ingot; tablet, slab
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

錠dìng(ding4)

The character 錠 (dìng) primarily refers to a flat, solid piece of material, often made of metal, such as a tablet or an ingot. It can also denote a spindle, which is a rod used in spinning or weaving, emphasizing its practical applications in crafts and trades.

Strokes16Radical釒Frequency#70011DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, tablets (錠) are often used to refer to herbal medicines that are compressed into solid forms for easier consumption, showing the integration of this character into daily health practices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a heavy metal ingot shaped like a flat tablet. The character 錠 has a metal radical (金) on the left, representing its metallic nature. Picture this ingot spinning on a spindle, helping you remember both its form and its pronunciation (dìng).

Meanings of 錠

dìng(ding4)
1spindle, ingot; tablet, slab
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 錠

錠Simplified
16Strokes
釒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 錠

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Podcast: 錠

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AI Study Notes for 錠

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 錠 with similar-sounding characters that have different meanings. It's used more in formal contexts, especially related to materials or products. Be cautious with the fourth tone (dìng); mispronouncing it can change meanings.

HSK Study Tips

While 錠 is not in the HSK list, it connects with other characters related to metal (金) and flat objects. Focus on recognizing the radical and understanding its applications in various contexts to enhance vocabulary in manufacturing or crafting discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 錠 with the character 定 (dìng), which means 'to fix' or 'to set.' An incorrect example is using 錠 in place of 定 in phrases like 'fixed price.' Always ensure you use the correct character for the intended meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 錠

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Etymology of 錠

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

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 定 represents the sound. Simplified form of 錠.

Memory Hint

metal

Semantic (meaning)釒
+
Phonetic (sound)定
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 錠

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 定 represents the sound. Simplified form of 錠.

  1. 1The meaning half釒 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half定 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymetal
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 錠? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 錠?

Decomposition of 錠

IDS Structure⿰釒定
錠Full Character
=
釒jin1
left
定ding4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 錠?

How to say spindle, ingot; tablet, slab in Chinese

“spindle, ingot; tablet, slab” in Chinese is錠dìng

The character 錠 (dìng) primarily refers to a flat, solid piece of material, often made of metal, such as a tablet or an ingot. It can also denote a spindle, which is a rod used in spinning or weaving, emphasizing its practical applications in crafts and trades.

When to use 錠

Learners often confuse 錠 with similar-sounding characters that have different meanings. It's used more in formal contexts, especially related to materials or products. Be cautious with the fourth tone (dìng); mispronouncing it can change meanings.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 錠 with the character 定 (dìng), which means 'to fix' or 'to set.' An incorrect example is using 錠 in place of 定 in phrases like 'fixed price.' Always ensure you use the correct character for the intended meaning.

Write 錠

錠

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 錠

Words Containing This Character3
锭dìngingot錠
银锭silver ingot銀錠
纸锭paper ingots (burned as offerings to the dead)紙錠
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 锭 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 錠

It is pronounced as dìng, with a fourth tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 錠?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.