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铭刻 (míng kè) — inscription (carved on stone, metal, or wood)

Definition

A formal noun for an inscription carved into stone, metal, or wood — material, lasting writing. The verb sense ('engraved in one's memory') belongs to advanced/literary usage.

noun
inscription (carved on stone, metal, or wood)

Examples

  • 铭刻。
    Zhè kuài shí bēi shàng de míng kè yǐ jīng mó hu le.
    The inscription on this stone tablet has become blurred.
  • 铭刻。
    Bó wù guǎn lǐ zhǎn chū le hěn duō gǔ dài de míng kè.
    Many ancient inscriptions are displayed in the museum.
  • 铭刻。
    Tā zài tóng dǐng shàng kè le yì háng míng kè.
    He carved a line of inscription on the bronze tripod.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

铭mínginscribe
刻kècarve

铭 means inscribe, and 刻 means carve; together they describe carving or inscription.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 銘; 铭 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 銘 has 金 (metal) and 名 (name), and refers to engraving in metal; the simplified 铭 is a later shorthand.

Open 铭 →

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
刂Written in full as刀dāo
Sound part声符shēngfú
亥
亥hài刻kè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

刻 is made of 刂, a form of 刀 (knife), and 亥, which gives the sound.

Open 刻 →
Appears in
Art & Fine ArtsReading & Writing

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