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锃 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
锃zèngto polish, to shinez, 12 strokes, radical 钅, rank #41160, Very Hard
锃zèngpolishedunknown, 12 strokes, radical 钅, rank #41160, Very Hard
锃zèngshinyunknown, 12 strokes, radical 钅, rank #41160, Very Hard
zèng(zeng4)zeng T4
  1. 1to polish, to shine
  2. 2polished
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March 24, 2026

锃(鋥)zèng(zeng4)

The character 锃 (zèng) refers to the action of polishing or making something shiny. It is commonly used in contexts involving materials like metal or surfaces that require a glossy finish. Additionally, it can describe the state of being polished or shiny, often enhancing the appearance of objects.

Strokes12Radical钅Frequency#41160DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the act of polishing objects, particularly in craftsmanship, symbolizes care and attention to detail, reflecting a broader value placed on aesthetics and quality. This is evident in traditional practices like jade carving.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'zen' master polishing a shiny sword to perfection; the 'z' sound in 'zen' connects to the pronunciation of 锃 (zèng). Visualize the sword reflecting light, emphasizing its polished surface, linking the character's meaning to its form, which includes the metal radical 钅, indicating something shiny or metallic.

Meanings of 锃

zèng(zeng4)
1to polish, to shine
2polished
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 锃

锃Simplified
鋥Traditional
12Strokes
钅Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 锃

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Podcast: 锃

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AI study notes for 锃

Quick Contrast

磨 (mó, to grind or磨) - use 锃 when referring specifically to polishing to a shine, while 磨 emphasizes the grinding process that may not result in a shiny finish.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 锃 (zèng) with similar-sounding words. It is used in a somewhat formal context, often related to craftsmanship or aesthetics. Common collocations include 锃亮 (zèng liàng), meaning 'shiny' or 'brightly polished.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 锃 is not an HSK level word, it can be useful for learners interested in descriptive vocabulary related to appearance and materials. Students should focus on the radicals and their meanings to better understand the character's usage in context.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 锃 (zèng) with similar-sounding characters. For example, using it incorrectly in a sentence like '这件衣服很锃' (This clothing is very shiny) is incorrect; instead, it should be '这件衣服很亮' (This clothing is very bright).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 锃

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Etymology of 锃

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

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 呈 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鋥.

Memory hint

metal

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

Origin

锃 = 钅 + 呈. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 锃

IDS Structure⿰钅呈
锃Full character
=
钅jin1
left
呈cheng2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 锃?

How to say to polish, to shine in Chinese

“to polish, to shine” in Chinese is锃zèng

The character 锃 (zèng) refers to the action of polishing or making something shiny. It is commonly used in contexts involving materials like metal or surfaces that require a glossy finish. Additionally, it can describe the state of being polished or shiny, often enhancing the appearance of objects.

When to use 锃

Be careful not to confuse 锃 (zèng) with similar-sounding words. It is used in a somewhat formal context, often related to craftsmanship or aesthetics. Common collocations include 锃亮 (zèng liàng), meaning 'shiny' or 'brightly polished.'

锃 or something close to it

磨 (mó, to grind or磨) - use 锃 when referring specifically to polishing to a shine, while 磨 emphasizes the grinding process that may not result in a shiny finish.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 锃 (zèng) with similar-sounding characters. For example, using it incorrectly in a sentence like '这件衣服很锃' (This clothing is very shiny) is incorrect; instead, it should be '这件衣服很亮' (This clothing is very bright).

Write 锃

锃

Practice writing 锃 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 锃

Words containing this character3
锃亮shiny鋥亮
锃zèngshiny鋥
亮锃锃shiny亮鋥鋥
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 锃

What does 锃亮 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 锃

It is pronounced as 'zèng'.

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