钥 meaning and stroke order
Lock, key
How to write 钥, stroke by stroke
9 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 钥
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- key
- also pr. [yao4]
How 钥 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Metal.
钅 gives the meaning and 月 hints at the sound.
Radical: 钅 (gold), shared by 223 characters on this site.
How to remember 钥
钥 combines the metal radical 钅 with 月 (yuè), which gives the sound. Picture a metal key shaped like a crescent moon 月 that opens your door.
钥 almost never appears alone in everyday speech. It lives in words like 钥匙 (yàoshi, key) and the technical term 密钥 (mìyào, cryptographic key). Example: 我找不到钥匙了。(Wǒ zhǎo bú dào yàoshi le.) I can't find my keys.
Common mistake: Because the phonetic part is 月 (yuè), learners often read 钥匙 as yuèshi, but the everyday pronunciation is yào. Also, in 钥匙 the second syllable 匙 is neutral tone (shi), not chí or shǐ.
Common words with 钥
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 钥匙 | yàoshi | key | HSK 7-9 |
| 密钥 | mìyào | (cryptography) key |
钥 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 钥
How many strokes are in 钥?
钥 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 钥 mean?
钥 (yào) means lock, key. A common word with it is 钥匙 (yàoshi), meaning "key".
How do you pronounce 钥?
钥 is pronounced yào, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 钥?
The radical of 钥 is 钅, which carries the idea of "gold". Dictionaries list 钥 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 钥?
The traditional form of 钥 is 鑰. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 钥 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 钥 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 钥 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Is 钥 pronounced yào or yuè?
In modern spoken Mandarin it is yào, as in 钥匙 (yàoshi). The reading yuè also exists in dictionaries and appears in literary or formal words, but you will rarely need it in daily life.
How do you say lock in Chinese if 钥 means key?
The usual word for a lock is 锁 (suǒ), and to lock something is 锁上 (suǒ shang). 钥 itself refers to the key side, so you open a 锁 with a 钥匙.