Definitions

kǎi high quality iron

Etymology phono-semantic

metal

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

锴 is a phono-semantic compound. Its left-side radical 钅 (jīn), meaning metal, classifies it within metallurgy and metallic materials. The right-side component 皆 (jiē), meaning all, provides the pronunciation. In traditional Chinese, it is written as 鍇, using the full metal radical 金 (jīn). Historically, 锴 referred to high-quality iron or finely forged steel, signifying thoroughly refined metal. While rare in modern everyday usage as a technical term, it is a popular choice for personal names, conveying positive associations with resilience, strength, and excellence.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern