Meaning
锻 means to forge or hammer metal, especially through heating and shaping. It originally referred to the metalworking process of repeatedly heating and hammering metal to strengthen it. The character is commonly used in modern Chinese as part of compound words related to physical training and metal forging.
Usage
This character rarely appears alone in modern Mandarin. It's almost always part of compound words, most commonly 锻炼 (duànliàn - to exercise/train). When used independently in classical or technical contexts, it specifically refers to the metalworking process of forging.
Examples
- 01这把剑是用传统方法锻造的。.This sword was forged using traditional methods.
- 02铁匠正在锻打铁器。.The blacksmith is forging iron tools.
Common collocations
- 锻炼身体to exercise one's body
- 锻造技术forging technique
Origin
The traditional form 鍛 contains the metal radical 金 (jīn) on the left, indicating its connection to metalworking, and 段 (duàn) on the right providing the phonetic component. The character's original meaning of forging metal through repeated heating and hammering later extended metaphorically to mean tempering or training.