Definitions

a poker; brass filings; to file

Etymology

About

is a phono-semantic compound character combining the metal radical (also called the gold radical) on the left with the phonetic component on the right. The radical places it in the semantic domain of metals, metalworking, and objects forged from metallic ores. The character itself denotes the action of filing down metals or scraping bronze, as well as the tiny metallic shavings and copper filings that result from such processes. This structural alignment makes part of the extensive lexicon of industrial and metallurgical terminology used to document ancient bronze and iron craftsmanship. As a highly specialized technical term, it survives primarily in classical engineering texts, historical descriptions of metallurgy, and comprehensive dictionaries of ancient manufacturing vocabulary.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern