Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
钐 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
钐shānsamariumg, 8 strokes, radical 钅
钐shānsamarium (chemistry)unknown, 8 strokes, radical 钅
shān(shan1) T1
  1. 1samarium
  2. 2samarium (chemistry)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

钐(釤)shān(shan1)

钐 (shān) refers to samarium, a chemical element with the symbol Sm. It is a rare earth metal that is used in various applications, including electronics and nuclear reactors. In chemistry, samarium is significant for its properties and uses in high-temperature superconductors.

Strokes8Radical钅
Cultural Note

Samarium is often associated with advancements in technology and materials science in China, where rare earth metals play a crucial role in high-tech industries and manufacturing.

Memory Tip

Imagine a shiny metallic samurai (similar to 'samarium') wielding a sword made of samarium. The character 钐 can be visualized as a sword (the radical 钗) combined with the idea of a rare metal, linking both the meaning and sound to the image of a samurai.

Meanings of 钐

shān(shan1)
1samarium
2samarium (chemistry)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 钐

钐Simplified
釤Traditional
8Strokes
钅Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 钐

JasonAmy

Podcast: 钐

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 钐

Usage Notes

钐 is primarily used in scientific and technical contexts, so it may not be encountered frequently in everyday conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding elements or characters that relate to more common materials. Always pair it with its chemical symbol (Sm) for clarity in scientific discussions.

HSK Study Tips

While 钐 is not part of the HSK vocabulary lists, it falls within the realm of specialized vocabulary for those interested in chemistry. Learners should focus on related chemical terms and symbols for a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 钐 with other similar-sounding elements like 锆 (gāo, zirconium) or 锇 (ě, osmium). Make sure to remember that 钐 specifically refers to samarium and use its chemical symbol (Sm) to avoid confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 钐

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 钐 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 钐

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

metal

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 钐

  1. 1The meaning half钅 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half彡 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 钐? 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 钐?

Decomposition of 钐

IDS Structure⿰钅彡
钐Full Character
=
钅jin1
left
彡shan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 钐?

How to say samarium in Chinese

“samarium” in Chinese is钐shān

钐 (shān) refers to samarium, a chemical element with the symbol Sm. It is a rare earth metal that is used in various applications, including electronics and nuclear reactors. In chemistry, samarium is significant for its properties and uses in high-temperature superconductors.

When to use 钐

钐 is primarily used in scientific and technical contexts, so it may not be encountered frequently in everyday conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding elements or characters that relate to more common materials. Always pair it with its chemical symbol (Sm) for clarity in scientific discussions.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 钐 with other similar-sounding elements like 锆 (gāo, zirconium) or 锇 (ě, osmium). Make sure to remember that 钐 specifically refers to samarium and use its chemical symbol (Sm) to avoid confusion.

Write 钐

钐

Practice writing 钐 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 钐

Words Containing This Character1
钐shānsamarium (chemistry)釤
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 钐 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 钐

The symbol for samarium is Sm.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 钐?

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.