銘 meaning and stroke order
To engrave, to inscribe
How to write 銘, stroke by stroke
14 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 銘
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to engrave
- inscribed motto
How 銘 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To carve 釒 one's name 名; 名 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 釒 (gold), shared by 135 characters on this site.
How to remember 銘
On the left is 釒, the metal radical, and on the right is 名 (míng), name. Picture carving your name into a piece of metal so it lasts forever, and 名 also tells you the sound míng.
銘 is mostly used in written or formal Chinese, often about remembering something deeply or about a guiding motto. It appears in words like 銘記 (míngjì, to engrave in memory) and 座右銘 (zuòyòumíng, motto). Example: 我會永遠銘記您的幫助。(Wǒ huì yǒngyuǎn míngjì nín de bāngzhù.) I will always remember your help.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write the right side as 各 or 召 instead of 名, or swap the metal radical for 金 standing alone. Also keep the second tone: it is míng, the same as 名, not mìng like 命 (fate).
Common words with 銘
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
Questions about 銘
How many strokes are in 銘?
銘 is written with 14 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 銘 mean?
銘 (míng) means to engrave, to inscribe. A common word with it is 铭记 (míngjì), meaning "to engrave in one's memory".
How do you pronounce 銘?
銘 is pronounced míng, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 銘?
The radical of 銘 is 釒, which carries the idea of "gold". Dictionaries list 銘 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 銘?
銘 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 铭, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 銘 and 鉻?
Both have the metal radical on the left, but 銘 has 名 on the right and means to engrave. 鉻 (gè) has 各 on the right and is the chemical element chromium.
How do you use 刻骨銘心 in a sentence?
It describes an experience or feeling so strong you can never forget it. For example, 那是一段刻骨銘心的回憶。(Nà shì yí duàn kègǔmíngxīn de huíyì.) That is a memory etched deep in my heart.