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鎦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鎦liúto distill; lutetium; surnamex, 18 strokes, radical 釒
liú(liu2) T2
  1. 1to distill; lutetium; surname
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March 24, 2026

鎦liú(liu2)

The character 鎦 (liú) primarily means 'to distill', referring to the process of purifying liquids. It can also denote the chemical element lutetium, which is a rare earth metal, and is used as a surname in some Chinese families. This character is not commonly used in everyday conversation but appears in specialized contexts, particularly in chemistry and metallurgy.

Strokes18Radical釒
Cultural Note

The character 鎦 connects to China's advancements in chemical research and metallurgy, reflecting the country's historical contributions to science and technology. Distillation is also important in traditional Chinese medicine, where the purification of herbs is crucial.

Memory Tip

Imagine a distillery where a liquid is being distilled and transformed into a purer form. The character 鎦 has a metal radical (金) on the left, indicating it relates to something metallic or chemical. You can visualize the process of distillation, watching the liquid flow smoothly like the sound of 'liú' (流), which means to flow.

Meanings of 鎦

liú(liu2)
1to distill; lutetium; surname
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 鎦 means.

About 鎦

鎦Simplified
18Strokes
釒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鎦

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Podcast: 鎦

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AI Study Notes for 鎦

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 鎦 with similar characters, particularly those with the 'metal' radical. Since this term is more technical, it is used in formal contexts, especially in scientific discussions. Be cautious with the tone; it is pronounced with a rising tone, which may be confused with other characters.

HSK Study Tips

Although 鎦 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it relates to higher-level vocabulary in chemistry and material sciences. Students should focus on understanding the radicals and components of characters to better grasp the meanings of complex terms in these fields.

Common Mistakes

Learners might mistakenly use 鎦 in place of more common characters like 流 (liú), which means 'to flow'. An example of a wrong usage would be saying '鎦水' instead of '流水' to describe flowing water.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鎦

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Etymology of 鎦

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A metal 釒 still 留; 留 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 鎦?

Decomposition of 鎦

IDS Structure⿰釒留
鎦Full Character
=
釒jin1
left
留liu2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 鎦?

How to say to distill; lutetium; surname in Chinese

“to distill; lutetium; surname” in Chinese is鎦liú

The character 鎦 (liú) primarily means 'to distill', referring to the process of purifying liquids. It can also denote the chemical element lutetium, which is a rare earth metal, and is used as a surname in some Chinese families. This character is not commonly used in everyday conversation but appears in specialized contexts, particularly in chemistry and metallurgy.

When to use 鎦

Learners often confuse 鎦 with similar characters, particularly those with the 'metal' radical. Since this term is more technical, it is used in formal contexts, especially in scientific discussions. Be cautious with the tone; it is pronounced with a rising tone, which may be confused with other characters.

What learners get wrong

Learners might mistakenly use 鎦 in place of more common characters like 流 (liú), which means 'to flow'. An example of a wrong usage would be saying '鎦水' instead of '流水' to describe flowing water.

Write 鎦

鎦

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

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Word Family of 鎦

Words Containing This Character2
镏liúlutetium (chemistry) (Tw)鎦
镏子a (finger) ring鎦子
Exercise 1 of 2

Characters with 鎦

What does 镏 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鎦

No, 鎦 is not commonly used in daily conversation; it is more prevalent in scientific contexts.

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