Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
锵 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
锵qiāngclang; jingle, tinkleo, 14 strokes, radical 钅
锵qiāngtinkling of small bellsunknown, 14 strokes, radical 钅
qiāng(qiang1) T1
  1. 1clang; jingle, tinkle
  2. 2tinkling of small bells
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

锵(鏘)qiāng(qiang1)

The character 锵 (qiāng) refers to the sharp, metallic sound produced when hard objects collide, often associated with bells or metal instruments. It is commonly used in contexts involving music or sound effects, conveying a sense of brightness or clarity in sound.

Strokes14Radical钅
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese music, instruments like gongs and bells are often featured, making the concept of 'qiāng' significant in cultural performances and rituals. The sound of bells is also associated with auspiciousness during festivals.

Memory Tip

Imagine a shiny bell (锵) being struck, creating a bright, clear 'qiāng' sound. The character contains the radical for metal (金), hinting at its connection to metallic sounds. Visualize a scene where multiple bells are ringing together, emphasizing the vibrant noise.

Meanings of 锵

qiāng(qiang1)
1clang; jingle, tinkle
2tinkling of small bells
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 锵

锵Simplified
鏘Traditional
14Strokes
钅Radical
拟声词onomatopoeia (onom.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 锵

JasonAmy

Podcast: 锵

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 锵

Usage Notes

This character is typically used in more poetic or descriptive contexts rather than everyday conversation. Be cautious with its tone; the first tone (qiāng) should be pronounced clearly to avoid confusion with other meanings. Common collocations include '锵锵作响' (making a clang).

HSK Study Tips

Although 锵 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it relates to other sound-related words at the same level, such as 响 (xiǎng, to sound). Students should focus on the auditory imagery these words evoke to enhance their vocabulary retention.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 锵 with similar-sounding words like 强 (qiáng, strong). For example, saying '我觉得这个声音很强' (Wǒ juédé zhège shēngyīn hěn qiáng) instead of '我觉得这个声音很锵' would be incorrect in contexts where the metallic sound is meant.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 锵

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 锵 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 锵

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

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 将 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鏘.

Memory Hint

bell

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 锵

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 将 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鏘.

  1. 1The meaning half钅 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half将 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaybell
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 锵? 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 锵?

Decomposition of 锵

IDS Structure⿰钅将
锵Full Character
=
钅jin1
left
将jiang1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 锵?

How to say clang; jingle, tinkle in Chinese

“clang; jingle, tinkle” in Chinese is锵qiāng

The character 锵 (qiāng) refers to the sharp, metallic sound produced when hard objects collide, often associated with bells or metal instruments. It is commonly used in contexts involving music or sound effects, conveying a sense of brightness or clarity in sound.

When to use 锵

This character is typically used in more poetic or descriptive contexts rather than everyday conversation. Be cautious with its tone; the first tone (qiāng) should be pronounced clearly to avoid confusion with other meanings. Common collocations include '锵锵作响' (making a clang).

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 锵 with similar-sounding words like 强 (qiáng, strong). For example, saying '我觉得这个声音很强' (Wǒ juédé zhège shēngyīn hěn qiáng) instead of '我觉得这个声音很锵' would be incorrect in contexts where the metallic sound is meant.

Write 锵

锵

Practice writing 锵 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 锵

Words Containing This Character2
铿锵sonorous鏗鏘
锵qiāngtinkling of small bells鏘
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 铿锵 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 锵

The correct pronunciation is in the first tone: qiāng.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 锵?

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.