Definitions
scale (instrument for weighing); to weigh; (loanword) pound (unit of weight, about 454 grams); (printing) point (unit used to measure the size of type); (Tw) (printing) pound; ream weight (used to describe paper thickness)
used in 磅礡|磅礴[páng bó]; Taiwan pr. [pāng]
About
The character "磅" is a phono-semantic compound incorporating the radical "石", which implies a connection to stone or heaviness, and the phonetic component "旁", guiding its pronunciation. In earlier usage, this character primarily served an onomatopoeic function, depicting sounds such as the crash of thunder or the fall of a heavy object, drawing from the substantive quality suggested by its semantic element. Over centuries, its application shifted from representing auditory phenomena to denoting measurable weight, specifically being borrowed to signify the unit "pound" through phonetic correspondence with foreign loanwords. This semantic expansion illustrates a functional adaptation while the character's structural integrity, comprising both its semantic and phonetic parts, has persisted without modification across time.
Example Sentences Hide
这个包裹重五磅。
这本书售价十英镑。
我用磅秤称体重。
他每天锻炼，减了十磅。
在超市，我买了三磅苹果和两磅香蕉。
这台机器的压力是每平方英寸一百磅。
由于健康原因，医生建议他每月减重不超过五磅。
根据最新汇率，一英镑可以兑换大约九元人民币。