HanziGuru.鎖 · suǒ
鎖
suǒ[suo3]Tone 3

to lock; lock

HSK 5
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锁
Guru Deep Dive

English · to lock; lock

Cached lesson
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Topology:Left-right
Strokes:12
Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (钅) is narrower and compressed, leaving ample horizontal breathing room for the right phonetic component (琐 / previously 𤇾 simplified to 𨥙/贝 side).
Simplification Logic: The traditional form 鎖 uses 釒 on the left and ㊌ (suǒ) on the right. In simplified Chinese, the metal radical is standardized to 钅, and the right side is simplified to 贝 for modern writing ease.
1. Meaning

to lock or lock up securely

a mechanical lockto chain or shackleto lock onto a target or focus
Verb / NounNeutral#security#hardware#actions
Sample Usage
  • 请把门锁好。
    Qǐng bǎ mén suǒ hǎo.
    Please lock the door properly.
  • 我的自行车的锁坏了。
    Wǒ de zìxíngchē de suǒ huài le.
    My bicycle lock is broken.
2. Sound
/[su̯ɔ²¹⁴]/Tone: 214
鎖
suǒsuo3
++
ˇ(214)
=suǒ
Initial Consonant
s
Type: Dental Fricative
Sounds like: s sound like in 'sun'
Unaspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: Clear, steady sibilant hiss.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Tip of the tongue is brought very close to the back of the upper front teeth, creating a narrow gap for air to hiss through gently.
Final Rhyme
uo
Vowel Group: -o vowel group
Sounds like: rhymes with 'war' or 'or'
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'waw'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Abbreviated Rhyme Rule: The 'u' acts as a rounded labial glide leading into the main vowel 'o'.
Tone
T3 (214)
3rd Tone (Low-Dipping)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 3 dips low like asking 'Huh?' in disbelief before trailing off.
Sandhi: When followed by another 3rd tone syllable, suǒ changes to a 2nd tone (35) due to tone sandhi rules.
👂
Listening trap: Do not confuse the retroflex 'shuǒ' with the dental sibilant 'suǒ'. Ensure your tongue tip stays behind your lower front teeth.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: Start at a mid pitch, dip down smoothly to the lowest register in your throat, then sweep slightly upward to signify the dipping 214 contour.
3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 12 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (钅) is narrower and compressed, leaving ample horizontal breathing room for the right phonetic component (琐 / previously 𤇾 simplified to 𨥙/贝 side).

Simplification Logic: The traditional form 鎖 uses 釒 on the left and ㊌ (suǒ) on the right. In simplified Chinese, the metal radical is standardized to 钅, and the right side is simplified to 贝 for modern writing ease.

4. Components

Radical 钅 · Metal radical (Metal, minerals, hard objects)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 钅 (Indicates that the object is made of metal or relates to hardware.)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 贝 (original sound: suǒ / bèi (phonetic borrowing in simplified form))

A heavy metal (钅) device made to secure and protect valuables.

  • 钅 metal semantic element
  • 贝 simplified phonetic/structural element
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally formed with a metal radical indicating a metal bar or padlock device, paired with a sound component to represent the pronunciation suǒ.

Semantic Evolution: From ancient bronze and iron latch mechanisms used for doors and chests to modern digital and physical padlocks, retaining the core meaning of securing shut.

  • Ancient Chinese locks were often intricate wooden or bronze puzzle mechanisms before iron padlocks became common.
6. Sinosphere
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: サ (sa) / Kun: かぎ (kagi)
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
쇄
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

You take a piece of **metal** (钅) and snap a shell-like (**贝**) **lock** (suǒ) onto your treasure chest to keep it safe.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
锁
suǒlockStandard metal lock character.
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
所(suǒ)
所 uses the door radical (户) instead of metal (钅), meaning a place or office rather than a physical lock.
碎(suì)
碎 has the stone radical (石) on the left and means broken/fragmented, contrasting with the metal lock (钅).
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
出門的時候，彆忘了把門[___]好。
Clue: suǒ
Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing 'suǒ' (metal lock) with 'suǒ' in 'suǒyǒu' (所有 - all), where they sound identical in tone but serve completely different grammatical functions.

Memory Prompts
Recognition: What does 锁 mean and how is it pronounced with tones?
Production: How do you write the character for 'a lock' 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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