Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
鋼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鋼gāngsteel; hard, strong, toughx, 16 strokes, radical 釒, rank #57307, Very Hard
gāng(gang1) T1
  1. 1steel; hard, strong, tough
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鋼gāng(gang1)

The character 鋼 (gāng) refers to 'steel,' a strong and durable material widely used in construction and manufacturing. It also conveys the idea of hardness or toughness, often used metaphorically to describe someone's character or resilience in various contexts.

Strokes16Radical釒Frequency#57307DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, steel (鋼) symbolizes strength and resilience, often associated with traditional values of hard work and determination. It is also a crucial material in modern industry, reflecting China's rapid economic development.

Memory Tip

Imagine a strong, shiny sword made of steel (鋼) slicing through the air. The character has a metal radical (金) on the left, indicating its connection to metals, and '刚' (gāng) on the right, which sounds like 'gāng' and means hard or tough.

Meanings of 鋼

gāng(gang1)
1steel; hard, strong, tough
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 鋼 means.

About 鋼

鋼Simplified
16Strokes
釒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鋼

JasonAmy

Podcast: 鋼

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 鋼

Quick Contrast

铁 (tiě) - use 鋼 (gāng) when referring to steel specifically, which is a refined form of iron, while 铁 (tiě) refers to iron in general.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 鋼 (gāng) with 鋼琴 (gāngqín), which means piano, as the context can easily lead to misunderstandings. It's generally used in both formal and informal settings, but is more common in technical discussions about materials.

HSK Study Tips

While 鋼 (gāng) is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects well with HSK Level 3 words such as 强 (qiáng, strong) and 硬 (yìng, hard). Students should focus on recognizing its uses in context and its relationship to other material-related terms.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鋼 (gāng) with the similar-sounding 刚 (gāng), which means 'just' or 'firm.' For example, saying '我需要刚材料' (wǒ xūyào gāng cáiliào) instead of '我需要钢材料' (wǒ xūyào gāng cáiliào) can lead to confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鋼

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 鋼 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Jason Explains 鋼 to You

Let me explain 鋼 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 鋼 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

Etymology of 鋼

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 冈 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鋼.

Memory Hint

metal

Semantic (meaning)釒
+
Phonetic (sound)岡
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

鋼 = 釒 + 岡. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 鋼

IDS Structure⿰釒岡
鋼Full Character
=
釒jin1
left
岡gang1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 鋼?

How to say steel; hard, strong, tough in Chinese

“steel; hard, strong, tough” in Chinese is鋼gāng

The character 鋼 (gāng) refers to 'steel,' a strong and durable material widely used in construction and manufacturing. It also conveys the idea of hardness or toughness, often used metaphorically to describe someone's character or resilience in various contexts.

When to use 鋼

Be careful not to confuse 鋼 (gāng) with 鋼琴 (gāngqín), which means piano, as the context can easily lead to misunderstandings. It's generally used in both formal and informal settings, but is more common in technical discussions about materials.

鋼 or something close to it

铁 (tiě) - use 鋼 (gāng) when referring to steel specifically, which is a refined form of iron, while 铁 (tiě) refers to iron in general.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鋼 (gāng) with the similar-sounding 刚 (gāng), which means 'just' or 'firm.' For example, saying '我需要刚材料' (wǒ xūyào gāng cáiliào) instead of '我需要钢材料' (wǒ xūyào gāng cáiliào) can lead to confusion.

Write 鋼

鋼

Practice writing 鋼 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 鋼?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

Word Family of 鋼

Words Containing This Character20
钢琴gāngqínpiano鋼琴
钢gāngsteel鋼
钢铁gāngtiěsteel鋼鐵
钢笔gāngbǐfountain pen鋼筆
钢材steel (as raw material)鋼材
不锈钢stainless steel不銹鋼
钢筋steel reinforcing bar鋼筋
钢板steel plate鋼板
钢管steel pipe鋼管
宝钢Baosteel, China's largest steel maker寶鋼
钢丝steel wire鋼絲
钢琴家pianist鋼琴家
钢琴师pianist鋼琴師
炼钢steelmaking煉鋼
走钢丝to walk a tightrope (literally or figuratively)走鋼絲
钢厂a steelworks鋼廠
钢盔metal helmet鋼盔
钢刀sword鋼刀
钢珠steel ball鋼珠
宝钢集团Baosteel, China's largest steel maker寶鋼集團
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 鋼

What does 钢琴 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鋼

鋼 (gāng) is steel, an alloy that is stronger than 铁 (tiě), which refers to iron. Steel has different applications due to its durability.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 鋼?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.