Definitions

antimony (chemistry)

Etymology phono-semantic

metal

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character (traditional ) is a phono-semantic compound devised for the periodic table. The radical / identifies it as a metal or metallic element, while the component (younger brother) acts solely as the phonetic, giving the pronunciation 'tī'. It was coined to represent the chemical element antimony, a brittle, silvery-white metalloid used in flame retardants and alloys. Entirely a modern scientific creation, it has no classical etymology or metaphorical meaning, operating as a translation of the Western chemical term into Chinese script.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern