HanziGuru.鉛 · qiān
鉛
qiān[qian1]Tone 1

lead

HSK 6
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铅
Multiple Readings (多音字):
Guru Deep Dive

English · lead

Cached lesson
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Topology:Left-right
Strokes:10
Writing Balance Rule: The left metal radical (钅) should be compressed slightly to make room for the right phonetic component (攴/公 variant structure), keeping the overall character compact and balanced.
Simplification Logic: The traditional radical 金 was simplified to 钅 (its standard left-side cursive shorthand form).
1. Meaning

lead (the chemical element Pb)

lead weightplummet
NounNeutral#chemistry#materials#metals
Sample Usage
  • 铅笔
    qiānbǐ
    pencil
  • 铅中毒
    qiān zhòngdú
    lead poisoning
2. Sound
/[t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵]/Tone: 55
鉛
qiānqian1
++
¯(55)
=qiān
Initial Consonant
q
Type: Aspirated Alveolo-Palatal
Sounds like: ch sound made with the tongue flat near the roof of the mouth
Aspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: Extremely strong burst of breath! Tissue held before mouth MUST fly.
Tongue & Mouth Position: The blade of the tongue approaches the hard palate while the tip rests behind the lower front teeth, releasing a sharp burst of air.
Final Rhyme
ian
Vowel Group: -a vowel group
Sounds like: ee-an combined into a single smooth rhyme
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'yen'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T1 (55)
1st Tone (High-Flat)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 1 is a high, steady pitch comparable to a sustained musical note at the top of your speaking range.
👂
Listening trap: Do not confuse the aspirated palatal 'q-' with the unaspirated 'j-'. 'qiān' has a strong burst of air, whereas 'jiān' does not.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: Tone 1 is a high, level pitch like singing a steady high note on 'ah'. Keep your hand flat and steady at eye level.
3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 10 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left metal radical (钅) should be compressed slightly to make room for the right phonetic component (攴/公 variant structure), keeping the overall character compact and balanced.

Simplification Logic: The traditional radical 金 was simplified to 钅 (its standard left-side cursive shorthand form).

4. Components

Radical 钅 · Metal radical (metal, mineral, gold)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 钅 (Indicates that the substance is a metal.)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 戋 (original sound: jiān / qiān)

The metal radical (钅) is combined with the phonetic component (戋) which provides the 'qiān' sound, showing that it is a heavy metal.

  • 钅 metal element
  • 戋 phonetic clue providing the sound qiān
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Combined from the metal radical (钅) representing ores and heavy materials, and (戋) providing the phonetic pronunciation. Historically associated with heavy metals used for coinage, weights, and writing tools.

Semantic Evolution: Originally referred to metal ores in general, it gradually specialized to denote lead (the heavy, soft metal used in plumbing, bullets, and pencils).

  • Ancient Chinese used lead slips for writing before paper became widespread, which contributed to terms like lead pencil.
6. Sinosphere
🇻🇳
Sino-Vietnamese
diên
The Chinese high level tone corresponds to a high level or flat nuance in related loan forms.
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: エン (en) / Kun: なまり (namari)
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
연
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

Imagine a heavy METALLIC (钅) block that is so HEAVY it feels like a sharp cutting blade (戋), used to make the tip of your PENCIL (qiān).

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
浅
qiǎnshallowWater radical (氵) + 戋 = shallow water.
钱
qiánmoneyMetal radical (钅) + 戋 = metal coins / money.
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
钱(qián)
Both share the metal radical (钅), but 'qiān' (lead) uses 戋 on the right, whereas 'qián' (money) has a slightly different component balance or stroke variation in standard computer fonts.
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
請給我削一下這支[___]筆。
Clue: qiān bǐ
Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the tone or pronouncing 'qiān' with an unaspirated 'j' sound instead of the sharp aspirated 'q'.

Memory Prompts
Recognition: What chemical element does 铅 represent, and how is it pronounced?
Production: How do you write the character for lead (qiān) using the metal radical?
Real-World Video Context

Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.

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