The Chinese Radical: 金


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Meaning
gold, metal    金

Explanation This radical is always on the left side of a character.

Used in these characters:
钱
JLPT HSK 1
coin, money, unit of weight (approx. 5 gram)
qián
金 戋
Left: metal/gold 钅(=金 = Covered in the ground 土 are 2 gold nuggets 丷), right: 2 halberds 戈
The metal of two halberds is enough for a coin of the weight 1 qián = 5g  
钟
JLPT HSK 1
bell, clock, time at clock, handleless cup
zhōng
金 中
Left: metal 钅(=金 Covered in the ground 土 are 2 gold nuggets 丷), right: center/middle 中 (here: Top view of a bell 口 mounted on an axle丨)
Made of metal and mounted on an axle is: the bell 口.  
错
JLPT HSK 2
flawed, mistake, wrong, interlocking, to polish
cuò
金 昔
Left: metal/gold 钅(=金 Covered in the ground 土 are 2 gold nuggets 丷), right: former times 昔 (Together 共 in the sun 日 we think of old times.)
(Modern steel is better:) The metal of former times was flawed.  
铅
JLPT HSK 2
lead (chemical element)
qiān
金 谷
Left: metal 钅/金 (= Covered in the ground 土 are 2 gold nuggets 丷), right: variation of valley 谷
(Found in lower places because of its weight.) The metal in the valley is: lead.  
银
JLPT HSK 3
silver, silver-colored
yín
金 艮
Left: metal/gold 钅/金 (= Covered in the ground 土 are 2 gold nuggets 丷), right: "not good" 艮 ('good' would be 良, but here the accent 丶 is missing, thus 'not good')
(Gold would be better!) This metal is not good: It is only silver!  
铁
JLPT HSK 3
iron (metal)
tiě
金 失 夫
Left: metal 钅/金 (Covered in the ground 土 are 2 gold nuggets 丷), right: to lose 失 (I emphasize ノ (= accent ノ) it is the husband 夫 who loses) [husband 夫 = big 大 person with extra-caring arms 一]
The metal, you can safely lose (due to its little value) is iron.  
锻
JLPT HSK 3
forge, to discipline
duàn
金 段 殳
Left: metal 钅/金, right: section/segment 段 (The staircase 三 in the cliff 厂 were cut in sections with a battle axe in a hand 又)
Use iron to make a ladder or a battle axe for your hand, by: forging.  
针
JLPT HSK 4
needle, pin, injection
zhēn
金 十
Left: metal 钅(=金 Covered in the ground 土 are 2 gold nuggets 丷), right: ten 十 (here: needle 丨 with a thread 一)
Made of metal is this needle.  
镜
JLPT HSK 4
mirror, lens
jìng
金 竟 立 見
Left: metal 钅/金, right: actually 竟 (to stand 立 and a variation of the traditional: 'to see': 見, therefore: "to practically see") ['to see' 見 is typically simplified to 见]
It is made of metal and when standing in front, you can practically see yourself: It is a mirror.  
键
JLPT HSK 4
bond (chemistry), (door lock) key, key(keyboard)
jiàn
金 建 廴 聿
Left: metal 钅/金, right: build/erect 建 (You have a brush 聿 in your hand and need to move 廴 when: building.)
The 'metal' used when building can be a bond or a key.  
钢
JLPT HSK 4
steel
gāng
金 冈
Left: metal 钅/金, right: hill 冈 (=岡 Here as a bloomery hearth for steel smelting, in which iron ore and charcoal were stacked alternately as a hill).
The metal from this hill (= oven) is steel.  
钥
JLPT HSK 4
key
yào, yuè
金 月
Left: metal 钅(=金), right: moon 月 (here: image of a key, where the 3 horizontal lines are coding bits)
He is made of metal and has a coding: the key.  
金
JLPT HSK 4
gold, money, metal
jīn
金
At top cover , below earth 土 and two gold nuggets 丷
Covered by earth: two gold nuggets.  
销
JLPT HSK 5
to melt (metal), to cancel, to sell, to spent, bolt
xiāo
金 肖
Left: metal 钅(=金 covered in the ground 土 are 2 gold nuggets 丷), right: alike/resemble 肖 (Small 小 bodies 月 are alike.)
Metal and alikes can be melted, sold or used as a bolt.  
锁
JLPT HSK 5
to lock up, to lock
suǒ
金 小 贝
Left: metal 钅/金, right: small 小 and money 贝/貝
It's made of metal to lock-up your small change: The lock.  
铃
JLPT HSK 5
(small) bell
líng
金 令 マ
Left: metal 钅/金, right: order/command 令 (bell's body , bell's bolt マ)
Metal that is chiming on command is a bell.  
锅
JLPT HSK 5
pot, pan, boiler
guō
金 呙
Left: metal 钅/金, right: chat, gossip 呙 (Here: a pot 口 on a rack 内)
It is made of metal and a pot on a rack: the pot or pan.  
链
JLPT HSK 5
chain
liàn
金 连 車
Left: metal 钅/金, right: link, combine 连 (Vehicles 车/車 and 'movement' 辶 are linked)
The [parts of the] metal are linked to a chain.  
钓
JLPT HSK 5
to fish with a hook and bait
diào
金 勺
Left: metal 钅/金; right: ladle 勺 (here: hook 勹 with bait 丶)
Made of metal is the hook: for fishing.  
铜
JLPT HSK 6
copper (chemistry)
tóng
金 同
Left: metal 钅/金, right: the same 同 (All container 冂 have only one 一 opening 口 and it is the same)
(Metals differ, but no other is red.) The [red] metal that is always the same is: copper.  
锐
JLPT HSK 6
acute, intense, sharp, penetrating, pointed
ruì
金 兑
Left: metal 钅(=金 covered in the ground 土 are 2 gold nuggets 丷), right: money transfer 兑 (Going out 丷 from my elder brother 兄 money transfer takes place) [兄 = big mouth 口 on legs 儿]
The money is transferred by my elder brother acutely and intense.  
镇
JLPT HSK 6
to press down, to suppress, garrison, small town
zhèn
金 真 具
Left metal 钅/金, right: really, truly 真 (What is seen by ten 十 eyes 目 on the table is truely real.)
(Because of the weight) If the metal is really true, it presses down. (like a garrison)  
锦
JLPT HSK 6
brocade, embroidered work, bright
jǐn
金 帛
Left: metal or gold 钅, right: silk 帛 (= white 白 cloth 巾)
The gold stitched/embroided silk is brocade.  
铭
JLPT HSK 6
to engrave, inscribed motto
míng
金
Left: metal 钅/金, right: name, reputation 名 (In the evening 夕 they talk 口 about people's reputation.)
In metal the name is written by: engraving.  
钦
JLPT HSK 6
royal, imperial, to respect, to admire
qīn
金 欠
Left: gold, metal 钅/金, right: lack 欠 (A yawning person 人 is lacking sth.)
Gold is lacking [in the sense of: "He takes our money"], but we respect the emperor.  
钩
JLPT HSK 6
to hook, to sew, to crochet
gōu
金 勾
Left: 钅/金, right: hook, sketch 勾 (= two hooks 勹, 厶 in engagement)
Made of metal and for hooking: The hook.  
钉
JLPT HSK 6
nail, to pin up, sew on
dīng, dìng
金 丁
Left: metal 钅/金, right: nail 丁
A metal nail.  
铺
JLPT HSK 6
to spread, lay out, cover, place to sleep
pū, pù
金 甫
Left: metal 钅/金, right: just now 甫 (Image of upper body with shoulders 一 and chest 月 with spine 丨)
(Think of a metal rake 用 in a hand ) Use this metal and your upper body to spread or lay out things.  
衔
JLPT HSK 6
hold in the mouth, harbor (feelings), title
xián
行 金
Outside: to go 行, inside: metal 钅/金
(developed from a snaffle and bridle) When [the horse] is going, it has this metal in the mouth.  
鉴
JLPT HSK 6
mirror, reflection, to inspect, to review
jiàn
金
Top: knife/to cut刂, half bamboo 竹 (Here: reflection), bottom: metal 金 (covered in the ground 土 are 2 gold nuggets 丷)
The knife appears like a half bamboo in the metal that reflects as a mirror.  
锋
JLPT HSK 6
point of a spear, edge of a tool, vanguard
fēng
金 夆
Left: metal 钅/金 (covered in the ground 土 are 2 gold nuggets 丷), right: sharp 夆 (sitting cross-legged 夂 on the top of growing plant 丰, like 'bee' 蜂)
This metal is sharp on the top: The point/edge or vanguard.  
铸
JLPT HSK 6
to cast or found metals
zhù
金 寿
Left: metal 钅/金, right: long life 寿 (Two skillful hands 手 & 寸 are needed for Sushi 寿司 and you will have a long life.)
It is metal and has a long life: casted metal.  
钞
JLPT HSK 6
paper money, banknote, dollar bill, to copy
chāo
金 少
Left: metal, gold, money 钅/金, right: few/little 少 (A small 小 stroke ノ is too few)
(In terms of weight) The money becomes less: as paper money.  
钻
JLPT HSK 6
to drill, bore, auger, dig into (studies), diamond
zuān, zuàn
金 占
Left: metal 钅(=金 covered in the ground 土 are 2 gold nuggets 丷), right: fortune telling 占 (here: drill | with handle - over a stone 口)
Made of metal is the drill over the stone and it drills.  
锤
JLPT HSK 6
hammer, to hammer into shape, weight
chuí
金 垂
Left: metal 钅, right: suspend, hang down 垂 (A vehicle 車 with two further wheels, of which one is loose and almost drops off.) [Here: Bell 钟 seen from above with bell body 口 and bearing axle 丨]
This bell 钟 has a bearing 二 of the axle 丨 and on both sides of the body 口 are three ≡,≡ hammers, or mallets.  
钙
JLPT HSK 6
calcium (chemistry, Ca)
gài
金 正
Left: metal 钅, right: beggar, alms 丐 (His actions are correct 正, but like with a hook 亅 he gets people's money: The beggar.)
(An alkaline earth metal, but not silvery). The metal for poor people/beggars, is the calcium.  
镶
JLPT HSK 6
to inlay, to embed, ridge, border
xiāng
金 襄
Left: metal 钅/金, right: to help, assist 襄 (For covering 亠 both (two pieces 口) wells 井 with cloth 衣, I need help!)
(related to the stability) Metal can be an assistance, if it is embedded as an inlay.  
钝
JLPT HSK 6
blunt (i.e. knife), stupid
dùn
金 屯 屮
Left: metal 钅/金, right: barracks 屯 (On fertile ground, where growing shoots 屮 pierced the ground 一 they built a barracks.)
(Due to the constant use) The metal in the barracks becomes blunt.  
锈
JLPT HSK 6
to corrode, to rust
xiù
金 秀 乃
Left: metal 钅/金, right: outstanding 秀 (Rice plants 禾 as big as a pregnancy belly 乃 are: outstanding!) cf. pregnancy 孕, where a child 子 comes out of that womb 乃.
Metal is outstanding, but it corrodes.  
锲
JLPT HSK 6
to engrave, carve, to chisel away at
qiè
金 契 大 刀
Left: metal 钅/金, right: contract 契 (marked sticks were in parts carved with a sword 刀 in big 大 signs and rejoined, at fulfillment of: the contract.)
Into the metal the contract is engraved.  
啬
JLPT HSK 6
stingy
sè
金 啬 回 夹
Top: simplification of gold 金 or squeeze in 夹 (A husband 夫 between persons (= 人) is squeezed.) [cf. traditional 嗇], bottom: return, revolve 回
He who constantly turns his gold 金 around 回 is stingy.  
钮
JLPT no HSK
button, knob
niǔ
金 丑
Left: metal 钅/金, right: ugly 丑 (simplified from "alcoholic devil" 醜 here: button + in button hole ユ)
The metallic button in a buttonhole ユ.  
镖
JLPT no HSK
armed escort, throwing weapon, dart
biāo
金 票
Left: metal 钅/金, right: ticket, bank note 票 (In the west 覀/西 you show 示 your ticket) [West: 西 = Under the horizon 一 the sun 日 sinks 儿 at the sunset in the west]
He is (armed with) metal and until sunset 西 he shows 示 himself: the bodyguard.  
锡
JLPT no HSK
tin (chemistry), to bestow, confer, grant
xī
金 易
Left: metal 钅/金, right: warming sun 易
This metal has such a low melting point (231°C), that almost the warming sun can melt it: tin.  
钧
JLPT no HSK
your (honorific), [historic weight 30 catties], great
jūn
金 勺 勹
Left: gold, metal 钅/金, right: well-distributed 匀 (a ladle 勹 with sth. in 冫 for both 冫)
Like gold, such well-balanced are: "your honor".  
镑
JLPT no HSK
pound (sterling)
bàng
金 旁
Left: metal 钅/金, right: one side, beside 旁 ([The servants] are in one direction 方 (side) of the emperor 帝 [modified]: at his side.)
The metal at the emporor's side (for weighing) is the pound (sterling)  
铲
JLPT no HSK
to shovel, to remove, spade, to root up
chǎn
金 产
Left: metal, gold 钅/金, right: to give birth, produce 产
(At gold mining:) To make the metal be 'born', you need a shovel.  
锥
JLPT no HSK
cone, awl, to bore
zhuī
金 隹
Left: metal 钅/金, right: bird 隹
Use metal to make a hole like a bird (= the woodpecker) that is: a drilled cone bore.  
锯
JLPT no HSK
a saw, stapling or cramping broken pieces together
jū, jù
金 居 乍
Left: metal 钅/金, right: reside, live 居 (Where the buttock 尸 [side view] becomes old 古, he has his residence.)
It's made of metal and you use it where you reside: a saw.  
铀
JLPT no HSK
uranium (chemistry, U)
yóu
金 由
Left: metal 钅/金, right: cause, reason 由 (The seedling/sprout 丨 in the field 田 has its reason.)
(When used as a bomb:) The metal that breaks like a sprout 丨 out of its husk 田 is: uranium.  
铮
JLPT no HSK
clang of metals, clash, small gong
zhēng
金 争
Left: metal 钅/金, right: dispute/fight 争 (bent person ⺈ with a stick 亅 in hand looking for dispute)
The metal cause in a dispute a clang of metals.  
锣
JLPT no HSK
gong
luó
金 罗 网
Left: metal 金, right: to sift 罗 (with the net 罒 to sift until evening 夕, here: bell's body 罒 and bell's bolt 夕)
Made of metal and with a bell's body and bolt: A gong.  
铝
JLPT no HSK
aluminum (chemistry: Al)
lǚ
金 吕
Left: metal 钅/金, right: pitch-pipe 吕 (Here: cross-section of two aluminum profiles)
The metal for aluminum profiles is: Aluminum.  
钊
JLPT no HSK
encourage, endeavor, to cut, to strive
zhāo
金 刂
Left: metal 钅/金, right: knife, to cut刂
The metal became a knife to cut. Therefore it was: "encouraged".  
钳
JLPT no HSK
pincers, pliers, tongs, claw (of animal), to clamp
qián
金 甘
Left: metal 钅/金, right: sweet 甘 (image of an open mouth 廿 with something sweet 一 between teeth)
Made of metal and it can hold sth. 一 like with teeth 廿, the: pinchers.  
钠
JLPT no HSK
sodium (chemistry)
nà
金 内
Left: metal 钅/金, right: inside 内 (The included 冂 person 人 is inside.)
(The pure sodium oxidizes very quickly and must constantly be stored in e.g. oil) The metal that is (always) 'inside' is: sodium.  
锚
JLPT no HSK
anchor
máo
金 苗
Left: metal 钅/金, right: sprout, seedling 苗 (The 'grass' 艹 in the field 田 are actually the seedlings.)
The metal seedling is the: anchor.  
锌
JLPT no HSK
zinc (chemistry)
xīn
金 辛
Left: metal 钅/金, right: bitter, (of taste) hot 辛
The metal with the pronunciation 'xīn' like at 'bitter' is: zinc.  
锄
JLPT no HSK
a hoe, to hoe or dig, to weed, get rid of
chú
金 且 力
Left: metal 钅/金, right: help, support, help 助 (Further 且 power 力 helps.)
The metal, that helps, is the: hoe.  
钵
JLPT no HSK
small earthenware plate or basin, a monk's alms bowl
bō
金 本
Left: metal 钅/金, right: root, origin 本 (The tree 木 comes out of the roots 一 as origin and becomes a book)
Metal can originally be used for: (alm) bowls.  
铢
JLPT no HSK
weight unit =1/24 Liang = 2 or 3 grams
zhū
金 朱 未
Left: metal 钅/金, right: vermilion 朱 (A branch of a young tree 未 has sth. red ノ =apple?)
(For not getting lost due to the small size:) This metal weight is vermilion: a zhū.  
钗
JLPT no HSK
hairpin
chāi
金 叉
Left: metal 钅/金, right: fork 叉 [hand 又 with fork 丶]
The metal fork serves as: a hairpin.  
铎
JLPT no HSK
large ancient bell
duó
金 圣
Left: metal 钅/金, right: vertical 圣 (A hand 又 vertically over earth 土)
It is made of metal and extends vertically: the large ancient bell.  
铐
JLPT no HSK
manacle, shackles, fetters
kào
金 考 耂 丂
Left: metal 钅/金, right: to check, verify 考 (From the ground 土 with a stick ノ the seaweed 丂 is checked.)
(The user wants to escape) This metal will be tested: the manacle (handcuff).  
釜
JLPT no HSK
kettle, cauldron
fǔ
父 金
Top: father 父 (.. has a stick ノ in his hand ), bottom: a part of gold, metal 金
Daddy uses metal to make a kettle.  
钾
JLPT no HSK
potassium
jiǎ
金 甲
Left: metal 钅/金, right: armor, shell 甲 (The root shoot 丨 cracks its shell/husk 田)
(when using as fertilizer:) The 'metal' that cracks the shell of the seedling: is potassium.  
镰
JLPT no HSK
sickle, scythe
lián
金 广 兼
Left: metal 钅/金, right: cheaply-priced 廉 (here: image of a sickle 广, combine 兼 [A hand holding two rice plants 禾])
Made of metal is the sickle 广, which cuts combined (plant's bundles): The sickle.  
鑫
JLPT no HSK
(symbol of prosperity & wealth)
xīn
金 3
Tree times metal, gold 金
Triple gold for: prosperity!  
镯
JLPT no HSK
bracelet, armband
zhuó
金 网 勹 虫
Left: metal 钅/金, right: larva, caterpillar 蜀 (It has a 'net' 罒 for enwrapping 勹. This insect 虫 is: the larva)
This metal is bent like a caterpillar: the bracelet.  
钡
JLPT no HSK
barium (chemistry)
bèi
金 贝
Left: metal 钅/金, right: money 贝/貝
Metal with the pronunciation 'bèi' as used at 'money' is: barium.  
镀
JLPT no HSK
-plated, to plate, galvanize, coating
dù
金 度
Left: metal 钅/金, right: degree, extent 度 (The building 广 will be at 20 廿 (degrees) when I set the thermostate 廿 by hand 又 to this extent / degree.)
(For coating, you need to dip several times) Into the metal up to a certain degree, when: plating.  
锢
JLPT no HSK
restrain, to stop, obstinate disease
gù
金 固
Left: metal 钅, right: hard, solid 固 (Many things 囗 [i.e. vegetable, roots] with age 古 get hard.)
As metal is hard, it can restrain.  
锵
JLPT no HSK
tinkling of small bells
qiāng
金 将
Left: metal 钅/金, right: commander-in-chief 将 (A simple bed 丬, a hand reaching down 爫 and a skillful hand 寸: This makes a commander)
The metal is a 'commander', if it is: a bell.  

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