Definitions

lán lanthanum (chemistry)

Etymology phono-semantic

metal

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character , traditional form , is a modern coinage for the element lanthanum. The traditional structure pairs the metal radical on the left, a standard way to denote metallic elements in Chinese, with the phonetic component (lán) on the right, which supplies the sound by mimicking the first syllable of 'lanthanum'. The simplified version replaces these with and , reducing strokes while retaining the pronunciation.