About
The character 銎 is a phono-semantic compound composed of two elements: the metal radical 金, placed at the bottom, which indicates that the character belongs to the semantic field of metal objects, tools, and metallurgy; and the upper component 巩, which serves as the phonetic. The character was coined to denote the socket, hole, or eyelet that is forged into the metal head of an axe, spear, or hammer, into which a wooden handle or shaft is fitted and secured. Because of its specific meaning, the word is a technical term used exclusively in archaeology, metallurgy, and the study of ancient weaponry, never entering everyday speech or metaphorical language.
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