Definitions

máng sword-point; sharp, pointed

Etymology

A metal  blade  also provides the pronunciation

About

refers to the sharp point or cutting edge of a bladed implement, such as a sword or knife, the very tip that makes it piercing. It is a phono-semantic compound: on the left, the radical (metal) signals its connection to metal weaponry; on the right, (awn or tip of grain) provides the pronunciation and also suggests a sharp point. The traditional variant, , uses the full metal radical . Historically, the character appears in literary descriptions of weaponry and martial arts, denoting the sharpened extremities of metal tools.

Etymology Hide

Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern