锤 (chuí) — (noun) hammer; (noun) weight (of a steelyard or balance); (verb) to hammer; to strike with a hammer; to temper (through repeated striking)
Definition
锤 (chuí) is both the hammer tool and the verb 'to hammer.' The third sense — 'to temper through repeated striking' — overlaps with 磨炼, but 锤 is literal (metalwork) while 磨炼 is figurative (character, will).
noun
hammerweight (of a steelyard or balance)
verb
to hammerto strike with a hammerto temper (through repeated striking)
Measure word · 把
Examples
- 锤。Tā yòng chuí bǎ dīng zi dīng jìn le qiáng lǐ.He hammered the nail into the wall.
- 锤，。Zhè bǎ chuí hěn zhòng, shì hé yòng lái zá shí tou.This hammer is very heavy, suitable for breaking stones.
- 锤，。Lǎo chèng de chuí diū le, xū yào pèi yí gè xīn de.The weight of the old steelyard is lost and needs a new one.
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 錘; 锤 is its simplified writing.
The simplified 锤 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 錘; in others it is 鎚.
The traditional form 錘 pairs 金 (metal) with 垂, which gives its sound; the simplified 锤 is a later shorthand.
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