融

螎

róng

虫 + 鬲

HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

róng (verb) to melt; to thaw

róng (verb) to blend; to merge; to harmonize

Etymology phono-semantic

cauldron

Semantic: 鬲 Phonetic: 虫

About

融 is a phono-semantic compound: the semantic radical 鬲 (lì), depicting an ancient three-legged cooking cauldron made of clay or bronze, suggests the fire, heat, and boiling essential to its use; the phonetic component 虫 (chóng), though usually meaning 'insect,' here indicates the sound. Its original meaning reflected the vessel's function: the melting, thawing, or dissolving of solid materials under high heat. Over time, this meaning broadened to the abstract concept of blending and harmonizing disparate elements into a cohesive whole. Today, it is commonly used to describe financial integration, cultural assimilation, emotional harmony, and the seamless fusion of ideas or organizations.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

冰在阳光下融化了。

Bīng zài yángguāng xià rónghuà le.

The ice melted in the sunlight.

雪慢慢融化成水。

Xuě mànman rónghuà chéng shuǐ.

The snow slowly melts into water.

他们相处得很融洽。

Tāmen xiāngchǔ de hěn róngqià.

They get along very harmoniously.

不同文化在这里融合。

Bùtóng wénhuà zài zhèlǐ rónghé.

Different cultures blend here.

他成功地融入了新团队。

Tā chénggōng de róngrù le xīn tuánduì.

He successfully integrated into the new team.

公司正在寻求新的融资。

Gōngsī zhèngzài xúnqiú xīn de róngzī.

The company is seeking new financing.

金融市场的波动很大。

Jīnróng shìchǎng de bōdòng hěn dà.

The fluctuations in the financial market are significant.

通过对话，双方分歧逐渐消融。

Tōngguò duìhuà, shuāngfāng fēnqí zhújiàn xiāoróng.

Through dialogue, the differences between both sides gradually melt away.

Related Characters

Component: 虫

Component: 鬲

融