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銬 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
銬kàoshackles, manaclesx, 14 strokes, radical 釒
kào(kao4) T4
  1. 1shackles, manacles
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

銬kào(kao4)

The character 銬 (kào) refers to shackles or manacles, typically used to restrain a person's movement. It is often used in contexts related to law enforcement or imprisonment, highlighting the concept of confinement or restriction.

Strokes14Radical釒
Cultural Note

In Chinese history, the use of shackles was a common punitive measure in imperial law, reflecting societal attitudes towards punishment and control. This character embodies the historical significance of restraint in maintaining order.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person being 'caught' (sounds like 'kào') in heavy metal shackles. The character 銬 has the metal radical (金) at its core, symbolizing the heavy, cold nature of shackles, making it easier to remember that it relates to confinement.

Meanings of 銬

kào(kao4)
1shackles, manacles
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 銬

銬Simplified
14Strokes
釒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 銬

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Podcast: 銬

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AI Study Notes for 銬

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 銬; it carries a fourth tone (kào), which can be confused with other similar-sounding words. This term is more formal and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation. Common collocations include '将某人銬住' (to shackle someone).

HSK Study Tips

Although 銬 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects to other words related to law enforcement and restraint, such as '监狱' (prison) and '拘留' (detention). Students should focus on the context in which it is used and its relation to law enforcement vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 銬 with similar characters due to pronunciation or tone, such as '靠' (kào), meaning to rely on. Ensure you practice the correct tones to avoid misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 銬

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Etymology of 銬

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

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 考 represents the sound. Simplified form of 銬.

Memory Hint

metal

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 銬

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 考 represents the sound. Simplified form of 銬.

  1. 1The meaning half釒 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half考 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 銬? 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 銬?

Decomposition of 銬

IDS Structure⿰釒考
銬Full Character
=
釒jin1
left
考kao3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 銬?

How to say shackles, manacles in Chinese

“shackles, manacles” in Chinese is銬kào

The character 銬 (kào) refers to shackles or manacles, typically used to restrain a person's movement. It is often used in contexts related to law enforcement or imprisonment, highlighting the concept of confinement or restriction.

When to use 銬

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 銬; it carries a fourth tone (kào), which can be confused with other similar-sounding words. This term is more formal and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation. Common collocations include '将某人銬住' (to shackle someone).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 銬 with similar characters due to pronunciation or tone, such as '靠' (kào), meaning to rely on. Ensure you practice the correct tones to avoid misunderstandings.

Write 銬

銬

Practice writing 銬 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 銬

Words Containing This Character3
手铐manacles手銬
铐kàoshackles銬
镣铐manacles and leg-irons鐐銬
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 手铐 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 銬

It is pronounced as 'kào' with a falling tone.

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