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铿 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
铿kēngto strike, to beat; gong, resounding noiseo, 12 strokes, radical 钅, rank #50931, Very Hard
铿kēng(onom.) clangunknown, 12 strokes, radical 钅, rank #50931, Very Hard
铿kēngjingling of metalsunknown, 12 strokes, radical 钅, rank #50931, Very Hard
kēng(keng1)keng T1
  1. 1to strike, to beat; gong, resounding noise
  2. 2(onom.) clang
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March 24, 2026

铿(鏗)kēng(keng1)

The character 铿 (kēng) refers to a resounding noise often associated with metal striking metal, such as the sound of a gong or bell. It can also describe the action of striking or beating something to produce a loud, clear sound. This character is commonly used in musical contexts or to convey the sharpness of a sound.

Strokes12Radical钅Frequency#50931DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese music, instruments like gongs and bells are significant, making 铿 relevant in cultural contexts such as festivals and ceremonies where these instruments are played.

Memory tip

Imagine a blacksmith (the metal worker) striking a hot piece of metal, making a loud 'kēng' sound as the hammer hits it. The character 铿 looks like a clanging bell, with the '金' radical indicating metal, emphasizing the noise made when metal strikes.

Meanings of 铿

kēng(keng1)
1to strike, to beat; gong, resounding noise
2(onom.) clang
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 铿

铿Simplified
鏗Traditional
12Strokes
钅Radical
拟声词onomatopoeia (onom.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 铿

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AI study notes for 铿

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 铿 with other characters related to sound, such as 响 (xiǎng) which means 'to sound' or 'to echo'. Use 铿 specifically for the sounds made by metal objects. It is more formal and often found in literary or musical contexts.

HSK Study Tips

Although not included in the HSK levels, understanding 铿 can enhance vocabulary related to music and sound. Students should focus on recognizing its tonal pronunciation and the context in which it appears with metal-related words.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 铿 with more commonly used sound-related words like 响 (xiǎng). A wrong example is using 响 instead of 铿 when referring to the specific sound of a gong. Correct usage would be: '铿锵的声音' (the clang of the gong) rather than '响的声音'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 铿

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Etymology of 铿

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

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 坚 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鏗.

Memory hint

bell

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

Origin

铿 = 钅 + 坚. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 铿

IDS Structure⿰钅坚
铿Full character
=
钅jin1
left
坚jian1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 铿?

How to say to strike, to beat; gong, resounding noise in Chinese

“to strike, to beat; gong, resounding noise” in Chinese is铿kēng

The character 铿 (kēng) refers to a resounding noise often associated with metal striking metal, such as the sound of a gong or bell. It can also describe the action of striking or beating something to produce a loud, clear sound. This character is commonly used in musical contexts or to convey the sharpness of a sound.

When to use 铿

Learners often confuse 铿 with other characters related to sound, such as 响 (xiǎng) which means 'to sound' or 'to echo'. Use 铿 specifically for the sounds made by metal objects. It is more formal and often found in literary or musical contexts.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 铿 with more commonly used sound-related words like 响 (xiǎng). A wrong example is using 响 instead of 铿 when referring to the specific sound of a gong. Correct usage would be: '铿锵的声音' (the clang of the gong) rather than '响的声音'.

Write 铿

铿

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Word Family of 铿

Words containing this character3
铿锵sonorous鏗鏘
铿kēng(onom.) clang鏗
铿然clanging鏗然
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 铿

What does 铿锵 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 铿

铿 is not commonly used in everyday conversation; it is more frequently found in literary or artistic contexts.

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