Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
铑 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
铑lǎorhodiumg, 11 strokes, radical 钅, rank #65720, Very Hard
铑lǎorhodium (chemistry)unknown, 11 strokes, radical 钅, rank #65720, Very Hard
lǎo(lao3) T3
  1. 1rhodium
  2. 2rhodium (chemistry)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

铑(銠)lǎo(lao3)

铑 (lǎo) refers to rhodium, a chemical element with the symbol Rh and atomic number 45. It is a rare, silvery-white metallic element used in catalytic converters and in jewelry for its reflective properties. In chemical contexts, it is often discussed in relation to its industrial applications and properties.

Strokes11Radical钅Frequency#65720DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

Rhodium is significant in modern Chinese industry, particularly in automotive manufacturing for catalytic converters, which reflect China's move towards more environmentally-friendly technologies. Its rarity and value also highlight the importance of precious metals in Chinese jewelry.

Memory Tip

Imagine a shiny, silver rhino (like rhodium) standing under a spotlight, reflecting light everywhere. The '铑' character contains the metal radical '金' (jīn), which relates to metals, while the rest resembles a rhino's horn – a vivid image to link its sound and meaning.

Meanings of 铑

lǎo(lao3)
1rhodium
2rhodium (chemistry)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 铑

铑Simplified
銠Traditional
11Strokes
钅Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 铑

JasonAmy

Podcast: 铑

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 铑

Usage Notes

Since '铑' is a specialized term, it is primarily used in scientific and industrial contexts rather than everyday conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters or terms related to other metals. It’s often paired with terms like '元素' (yuánsù, element) in discussions.

HSK Study Tips

Although '铑' is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, learners at higher levels (HSK 5 and above) should familiarize themselves with it if they are studying chemistry or related fields. Focus on understanding its applications and properties in context.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse '铑' with '老' (lǎo, old) due to similar pronunciation. Remember that '铑' is related to metals and chemistry, while '老' refers to age or seniority.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 铑

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 铑 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 铑

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

metal

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 铑

  1. 1The meaning half钅 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half老 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 铑? 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 铑?

Decomposition of 铑

IDS Structure⿰钅老
铑Full Character
=
钅jin1
left
老lao3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 铑?

How to say rhodium in Chinese

“rhodium” in Chinese is铑lǎo

铑 (lǎo) refers to rhodium, a chemical element with the symbol Rh and atomic number 45. It is a rare, silvery-white metallic element used in catalytic converters and in jewelry for its reflective properties. In chemical contexts, it is often discussed in relation to its industrial applications and properties.

When to use 铑

Since '铑' is a specialized term, it is primarily used in scientific and industrial contexts rather than everyday conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters or terms related to other metals. It’s often paired with terms like '元素' (yuánsù, element) in discussions.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse '铑' with '老' (lǎo, old) due to similar pronunciation. Remember that '铑' is related to metals and chemistry, while '老' refers to age or seniority.

Write 铑

铑

Practice writing 铑 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 铑

Words Containing This Character1
铑lǎorhodium (chemistry)銠
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 铑 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 铑

Rhodium is vital for its catalytic properties, particularly in reducing harmful emissions from vehicles.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 铑?

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.