About
The character for mirror, 镜 in its simplified form, originates from the older character 監, which depicted a person leaning over a vessel of water to observe their reflection, representing the earliest means of self-viewing. This concept was later refined with the incorporation of the metal radical 金, resulting in characters like 鑑 and ultimately 鏡, which explicitly signify a mirror made of polished metal, typically bronze in ancient times. The right-hand component 竟, which carries connotations of completion or boundary, contributes phonetically but also semantically by suggesting the definitive image presented by a clear reflective surface. Over centuries, the character's meaning solidified around this primary object, eventually extending metaphorically to describe anything that provides a clear reflection or accurate representation, such as in the term "借鉴" meaning to use as a reference.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我正在照镜子。
镜子里的我很漂亮。
他买了一副新眼镜。
这个望远镜能看很远。
摄影师调整了相机镜头。
显微镜下可以看到细菌。
湖面如镜，倒映着蓝天。
通过镜片折射，光线改变了方向。