铁

鐵

tiě

失 + 钅

HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

tiě (noun) iron

tiě (adjective) hard; strong; firm

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 失 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鐵.

Semantic: 钅 Phonetic: 失

About

The character 铁 means "iron". It is a phono-semantic compound formed with the metal radical 钅, which denotes its material category, and the phonetic component 失. Its traditional form, 鐵, pairs the full metal radical 金 with the complex phonetic element 𢧜, a component historically linked to cutting or weapons, reflecting iron's early use in tools and warfare. The simplified form replaced the intricate right side with 失 for phonetic and structural convenience, while the core meaning remains tied to a strong, durable metal.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这扇铁门很重。

Zhè shàn tiě mén hěn zhòng.

This iron door is very heavy.

这条铁路通向北方。

Zhè tiáo tiělù tōng xiàng běifāng.

This railway leads to the north.

工人们正在铺设新的铁轨。

Gōngrénmen zhèngzài pūshè xīn de tiěguǐ.

The workers are laying down new railway tracks.

他有一个铁制的文具盒。

Tā yǒu yī gè tiě zhì de wénjù hé.

He has a metal stationery box.

他的意志像钢铁一样坚强。

Tā de yìzhì xiàng gāngtiě yíyàng jiānqiáng.

His will is as strong as steel.

在铁器时代，人类学会了冶铁。

Zài tiěqì shídài, rénlèi xuéhuì le yětiě.

In the Iron Age, humans learned to smelt iron.

这份合同是双方合作的铁证。

Zhè fèn hétóng shì shuāngfāng hézuò de tiězhèng.

This contract is ironclad evidence of the cooperation between the two parties.

铁元素是人体必需的微量元素之一。

Tiě yuánsù shì réntǐ bìxū de wēiliàng yuánsù zhī yī.

Iron is one of the essential trace elements for the human body.

Related Characters

Component: 失

Component: 钅

铁