Definitions

mǎo to fasten with a rivet; to rivet; to hammer in a rivet; (coll.) to concentrate one's strength

Etymology phono-semantic

metal

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

is a phono-semantic compound character that denotes a rivet or the process of riveting. It is formed by the metal radical on the left, a simplified form of the traditional gold/metal radical that signals hardware or metalworking, and the phonetic component (mǎo) on the right. The traditional script writes it as . The phonetic not only gives the sound but historically suggests the mortise and tenon joint, a concept fittingly linked to the rivet's fastening role. In practice, the character describes the mechanical joining of metal plates by hammering down the plain end of a metal pin.