铅
Character Story & Explanation
铅 has long been used in China — historically in printing (‘lead type’), batteries, and radiation shielding. Though now restricted due to toxicity, it remains in phrases like 铅笔 (qiānbǐ, 'pencil', literally 'lead brush'), a term dating to when graphite was mistaken for lead ore. You’ll also see it in environmental reports: 铅污染 (qiān wūrǎn, 'lead pollution') is a common public health topic in Chinese media.
The character evolved from seal script; its modern form combines the metal radical 钅 (indicating material) and 㕣 (a phonetic component). While 㕣 no longer reflects current pronunciation precisely, this structure follows standard phono-semantic compound logic seen in ~80% of Chinese characters.
Hi students! Today we’re learning 铅 (qiān), a Level 2 HSK character meaning 'lead' — the heavy, soft, bluish-gray metal. It’s not pronounced like English 'lead' (as in 'to lead'), but like 'chien' with a high, flat first tone. Though rare in daily conversation, it appears in science terms, environmental discussions, and older expressions — so recognizing it helps you read textbooks, news, or safety labels.
This character has 10 strokes and belongs to the ‘metal’ radical 钅 (jīn zì páng), which appears on the left side of many characters related to metals: like 铁 (tiě, iron), 铜 (tóng, copper), and 银 (yín, silver). That radical tells us right away this is a metal — a great clue for guessing meaning!
Don’t confuse 铅 with similar-looking characters like 沿 (yán, 'along') or 链 (liàn, 'chain'). Focus on the left-side metal radical + the right-side component 㕣 (yǎn), which here serves mainly as a phonetic hint (though pronunciation has shifted over time). Practice writing it stroke by stroke — start with the metal radical, then add the right part carefully.
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
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