钢 (gāng) — to sharpen (a blade) on a steel; to strop; to hone
Definition
钢 (gāng) as a verb means to sharpen a blade by drawing it across steel — a specific tool-care action, not general sharpening. The noun sense 'steel' is a different word.
verb
to sharpen (a blade) on a steelto stropto hone
Examples
- 钢钢。Chú shī zài qiē cài qián xiān bǎ dāo gāng le gāng.The chef steels the knife before cutting vegetables.
- 钢，。Zhè bǎ tì xū dāo hěn jiǔ méi gāng guò, yǐ jīng bú kuài le.This razor hasn't been stropped in a long time; it's already dull.
- 钢，。Nǐ gāng dé zhè me yòng lì, dāo fēng huì shòu sǔn de.If you strop so hard, the blade edge will get damaged.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 鋼; 钢 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
岡
岡gāng鋼gàng
Same sound today
The traditional form 鋼 shows 金, meaning metal, next to 岡, which carries the sound gāng; the simplified 钢 is a later shorthand.
Appears in
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