(xiāo) — to sell; to cancel, to annul; to melt (metal)

Definition

销 is a literary/formal verb covering several distinct senses: 'to melt (metal)' (cf. 融化/融 for general melting/thawing) and 'to cancel/annul' (cf. 取消 for events; 注销 for accounts).

verb
to sellto cancelto annulto melt (metal)

Examples

  • Zhè jiā gōng sī měi nián xiāo chū dà liàng chǎn pǐn.
    This company sells large quantities of products every year.
  • Wǒ jiàn yì qǔ xiāo nà ge jì huà.
    I suggest canceling that plan.
  • Gāng tiě chǎng zhèng zài gāo wēn xià xiāo róng tiě kuàng shí.
    The steel plant is melting iron ore under high temperature.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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 銷; 销 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Sound part声符shēngfú
xiàoxiāo
Same sound today

The traditional form 銷 pairs 金 (metal) with 肖 as a sound part; simplified 销 is a later shorthand, and its parts are not historical components.

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