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鑠 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鑠shuòto melt, to smelt; polish, shinex, 23 strokes, radical 釒
shuò(shuo4) T4
  1. 1to melt, to smelt; polish, shine
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鑠shuò(shuo4)

The character 鑠 (shuò) primarily means 'to melt' or 'to smelt,' often used in contexts involving metalworking or refining materials. It can also refer to the action of polishing or shining surfaces, conveying a sense of transformation or enhancement in various materials.

Strokes23Radical釒
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese metalworking, the process of smelting was crucial for producing tools and weapons, which played a significant role in ancient Chinese culture and technology. Understanding 鑠 can provide insight into these historical practices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a shining piece of metal that has just been melted down to take on a new form. The radical 钅 (metal) is a clue to its meaning, and the sound 'shuò' can be linked to 'shining' as you visualize the molten metal gleaming in the light.

Meanings of 鑠

shuò(shuo4)
1to melt, to smelt; polish, shine
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鑠

鑠Simplified
23Strokes
釒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鑠

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Podcast: 鑠

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AI Study Notes for 鑠

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 鑠 with similar-sounding characters like 搓 (cuō), which means 'to rub' or 'to twist.' This character is more formal and is often used in industrial or technical contexts. Be aware of the tone; 鑠 (shuò) is pronounced with a fourth tone, which is crucial for correct pronunciation.

HSK Study Tips

Although 鑠 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with other HSK words related to metal and manufacturing, such as 鉄 (tiě, iron) and 煉 (liàn, to refine). Focus on recognizing the context in which 鑠 is used to understand its application in terms of industry.

Common Mistakes

Learners might mistakenly use 鑠 in casual conversations, as it is more appropriate for formal or industrial contexts. For example, saying '我今天鑠这个问题' (Wǒ jīntiān shuò zhège wèntí) is incorrect; a more suitable verb like 解决 (jiějué, to solve) should be used instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鑠

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Etymology of 鑠

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

metal

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鑠

  1. 1The meaning half釒 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half樂 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 鑠? 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 鑠?

Decomposition of 鑠

IDS Structure⿰釒樂
鑠Full Character
=
釒jin1
left
樂le4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鑠?

How to say to melt, to smelt; polish, shine in Chinese

“to melt, to smelt; polish, shine” in Chinese is鑠shuò

The character 鑠 (shuò) primarily means 'to melt' or 'to smelt,' often used in contexts involving metalworking or refining materials. It can also refer to the action of polishing or shining surfaces, conveying a sense of transformation or enhancement in various materials.

When to use 鑠

Learners often confuse 鑠 with similar-sounding characters like 搓 (cuō), which means 'to rub' or 'to twist.' This character is more formal and is often used in industrial or technical contexts. Be aware of the tone; 鑠 (shuò) is pronounced with a fourth tone, which is crucial for correct pronunciation.

What learners get wrong

Learners might mistakenly use 鑠 in casual conversations, as it is more appropriate for formal or industrial contexts. For example, saying '我今天鑠这个问题' (Wǒ jīntiān shuò zhège wèntí) is incorrect; a more suitable verb like 解决 (jiějué, to solve) should be used instead.

Write 鑠

鑠

Practice writing 鑠 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 鑠

Words Containing This Character4
矍铄hale and hearty矍鑠
铄shuòbright鑠
众口铄金fig. public clamor can obscure the actual truth眾口鑠金
闪铄flickering閃鑠
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 矍铄 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鑠

You might say '他在工厂里鑠金属' (Tā zài gōngchǎng lǐ shuò jīnshǔ), meaning 'He melts metal in the factory.'

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