About
The character "铭" derives from the practice of engraving text onto metal objects, a connection evident in its composition of the metal radical paired with the component "名", which conveys the idea of naming or marking. Its traditional form "銘" more visibly incorporates the radical for metal, emphasizing the original context of inscriptions cast or etched onto durable materials like bronze. Initially denoting the physical act of inscribing, the term gradually came to refer to the inscriptions themselves, such as those found on ritual vessels or monuments, and later acquired the extended sense of committing something firmly to memory, as in the concept of engraving thoughts or lessons into one's mind. This progression from a literal description of a material practice to an abstract metaphor for recollection illustrates the character's semantic development through historical usage.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
墓碑上刻着铭文。
我铭记老师的教诲。
工匠铭刻了获奖者的名字。
这些青铜器上的铭文非常古老。
那次旅行让我铭记终生。
如果你铭记失败的原因，就能避免再犯。
尽管过去了多年，那感人的一幕仍铭刻在我记忆中。
通过对古代铭文的解读，历史学家重构了当时的社会结构。