About
The character now standardized as "钟" derives from two distinct traditional forms, each with its own etymology and semantic range, both sharing the metal radical to signify their material basis. The form "鐘", combining the metal radical with the phonetic component "童", originally referred specifically to bronze bells used in ancient rituals and music, a meaning that naturally expanded to encompass any metal instrument that tolls or chimes, including later clocks and timepieces. The homophonous character "鍾", formed with the metal radical and the component "重", initially denoted a large vessel for storing wine, a concrete object that gave rise to more abstract verbal senses of accumulating, gathering, or focusing, as seen in classical texts describing concentrated emotion or esteem. Over time, the applications of these characters evolved, with "鐘" solidifying its association with acoustic and temporal devices, while "鍾" continued to be used for the act of focusing and in surnames, leading to some conceptual overlap in areas like devoted attention. Their graphical merger into the simplified "钟", which retains a condensed metal radical alongside the phonetic "中", effectively unifies the core ideas of resonant metal objects, the measurement of hours, and the figurative concentration of feeling into one composite character.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
钟敲了三下。
我的闹钟早上六点响。
钟表店里有各种时钟。
他对音乐情有独钟。
这座钟楼是城市的标志。
钟声在夜空中回荡。
钟灵毓秀之地，人才辈出。
他们家族曾过着钟鸣鼎食的生活。