About
The character 汞 is the standard chemical term for mercury, the heavy, silvery element unique for being liquid at room temperature. It is a phono-semantic compound arranged vertically: the bottom component 水 (water) serves as the semantic radical, indicating the metal's fluid nature, which fascinated early observers and alchemists. The top component 工 (gōng) provides the phonetic element, determining the character's pronunciation. While historical texts sometimes used descriptive terms like 水银 ("water silver"), 汞 offers a concise, single-character designation that combines its physical property with a sound marker, forming the established scientific name for the element today.
Example Sentences Hide
汞是一种液态金属。
温度计中含有汞。
汞在常温下是液体。
旧式温度计使用汞。
汞污染对环境有害。
工业排放可能导致汞中毒。
检测食品中的汞含量很重要。
由于汞的毒性，处理含汞废物需要特别小心。