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锴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
kǎihigh-quality irong, 14 strokes, radical 钅, Very Hard
kǎihigh quality ironunknown, 14 strokes, radical 钅, Very Hard
kǎi(kai3) T3
  1. 1high-quality iron
  2. 2high quality iron
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(鍇)kǎi(kai3)

The character 锴 (kǎi) refers to high-quality iron, often indicating a superior grade of metal used in various applications. It is commonly used in technical contexts related to metallurgy and manufacturing, denoting the quality and durability of materials.

Strokes14RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the quality of materials is highly valued, especially in traditional crafts like sword-making, where 锴 symbolizes the importance of using the best iron for durability and strength.

Memory Tip

Imagine a knight (the sound 'kǎi' reminds you of 'knight') forging a sword from high-quality iron. The character 锴 has the metal radical 钅 (meaning 'metal') on the left, suggesting its connection to iron, while the right side sounds like the action of 'making' something significant.

Meanings of 锴

kǎi(kai3)
1high-quality iron
2high quality iron
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 锴

Simplified
Traditional
14Strokes
Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 锴

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Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 锴

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a knight (the sound 'kǎi' reminds you of 'knight') forging a sword from high-quality iron. The character 锴 has the metal radical 钅 (meaning 'metal') on the left, suggesting its connection to iron, while the right side sounds like the action of 'making' something significant.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 锴 with similar-sounding characters that may have different meanings. This term is more formal and specific to discussions about metallurgy, so it may not be used in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 锴铁 (high-quality iron).

HSK Study Tips

Although 锴 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be linked to other words discussing materials, such as 钢 (steel) or 铁 (iron). Students should focus on recognizing the metal radical 钅 and its implications in quality and durability.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the quality of materials is highly valued, especially in traditional crafts like sword-making, where 锴 symbolizes the importance of using the best iron for durability and strength.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 锴 with 铁 (iron) or 钢 (steel), leading to incorrect usage in contexts where quality is specified. For example, saying '我需要铁' (I need iron) instead of '我需要锴' (I need high-quality iron) misses the nuance of quality.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 锴

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Etymology of 锴

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

Decomposition of 锴

IDS Structure⿰钅皆
Full Character
=
jin1
left
jie1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 锴?

Write 锴

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 锴

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the quality of materials is highly valued, especially in traditional crafts like sword-making, where 锴 symbolizes the importance of using the best iron for durability and strength.

Word Family of 锴

Words Containing This Character1
kǎihigh quality iron
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 锴 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 锴

锴 specifically refers to a high-quality type of iron that is crucial for producing durable and reliable metal products.