About
The character 镘 (traditional form 鏝) is a phono-semantic compound with the radical 钅 on the left, indicating its metal material, and the component 曼 on the right, serving as the phonetic element. Historically, it was created to name a specific metallic tool used in masonry, a trowel for applying and smoothing plaster or cement. From this noun, the character also came to describe the related action of plastering or smearing material over a surface with such a tool.
Etymology Hide
