Definitions
(noun)
mirror; reflection
(verb)
to inspect; to examine
(verb)
to learn from; to take as an example
(verb)
to warn; to serve as a warning
Etymology phono-semantic
metal
Semantic:
金
About
The character "鉴" derives from the ancient concept of a mirror, with its traditional form "鑑" explicitly featuring the metal radical "金" to reflect the bronze composition of historical mirrors, while the component "監" beneath it originally depicted a person leaning over a vessel of water to observe their likeness, thus embedding the act of looking and reflecting within its structure. From this concrete origin as a physical object for viewing oneself, the semantic range of "鉴" naturally extended to encompass metaphorical applications involving careful inspection, critical appraisal, and the process of deriving insight from examples, as demonstrated in modern compounds such as "鉴定" meaning to authenticate or "借鉴" meaning to use as a model. This evolution from a tangible artifact to a symbol of intellectual reflection illustrates how the character's core idea of mirroring has been consistently preserved across its morphological simplification and its adaptive linguistic roles.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我们鉴定一下这些古董。
借鉴经验能帮助成长。
鉴赏音乐需要培养品味。
鉴于时间紧迫，我们得快点儿。
这次事故是一个沉重的鉴戒。
警方鉴证了犯罪现场的证据。
请鉴核这份报告并批准。
希望您能鉴谅我们的疏忽。