The word "铜陵" is formed by combining the character "铜", meaning copper, which uses the metal radical "钅" and the phonetic component "同", with the character "陵", meaning hill or mound, which uses the terrain radical "阝" and the phonetic component "夌". Together, they create a compound word that literally denotes "copper hills", referring to the city of Tongling known for its copper resources in a hilly area.