铁掌 (tiě zhǎng) — horseshoe; iron palm (martial arts technique)

Definition

Literally 'iron palm/palm.' Most commonly a horseshoe nailed to a horse's hoof; in martial arts it also names a palm-strike technique hardened by training.

noun
horseshoeiron palm (martial arts technique)
Measure word · 只

Examples

  • 铁掌。
    Zhè pǐ mǎ xīn huàn le yí fù tiě zhǎng.
    This horse has a new set of horseshoes.
  • 铁掌，。
    Tā liàn le shí nián tiě zhǎng, yì zhǎng jiù néng pī duàn zhuān tóu.
    He has practiced iron palm for ten years and can break bricks with one strike.
  • 铁掌，。
    Gǔ dài jiāng jūn de mǎ dōu dīng le tiě zhǎng, zǒu lù shēng yīn hěn dà.
    In ancient times, generals' horses were all fitted with horseshoes, so they made a lot of noise when walking.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

铁tiěiron
掌zhǎngpalm / hoof

铁 gives the iron material, and 掌 gives the hoof or palm part.

Characters in this word

Most 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 鐵; 铁 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢧤
𢧤𢧤鐵tiě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鐵 pairs 金 (metal) with 𢧤 as a sound part; the simplified 铁 is a later shorthand.

Open 铁 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng掌zhǎng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

It combines 手, meaning hand, with 尚, which gives it a sound close to shàng.

Open 掌 →

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