钳 meaning and stroke order
Pincers, pliers, tongs; to compress
How to write 钳, stroke by stroke
10 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 钳
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- pincers
- pliers
- tongs
- claw (of animal)
- to grasp with pincers
- to pinch
How 钳 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Metal.
钅 gives the meaning and 甘 hints at the sound.
Radical: 钅 (gold), shared by 223 characters on this site.
How to remember 钳
钳 combines the metal radical 钅 with 甘 (gān), which hints at the sound. Think of a metal tool that grips things tightly: pliers made of metal.
钳 most often appears in the word 钳子 (qiánzi), meaning pliers or pincers. It can also mean an animal's claw, such as a crab's, or the action of gripping with pincers. Example: 请把钳子递给我。(Qǐng bǎ qiánzi dì gěi wǒ.) Please pass me the pliers.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes read 钳 as gān because of the phonetic part 甘, but the correct pronunciation is qián with a rising second tone. Also be careful not to confuse it with 钱 (qián, money), which sounds the same but has 戋 on the right.
Common words with 钳
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 钳子 | qiánzi | pliers; pincers | HSK 7-9 |
钳 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 钳
How many strokes are in 钳?
钳 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 钳 mean?
钳 (qián) means pincers, pliers, tongs; to compress. A common word with it is 钳子 (qiánzi), meaning "pliers; pincers".
How do you pronounce 钳?
钳 is pronounced qián, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 钳?
The radical of 钳 is 钅, which carries the idea of "gold". Dictionaries list 钳 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 钳?
The traditional form of 钳 is 鉗. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 钳 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 钳 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 钳 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
How do you say crab claw in Chinese using 钳?
A crab's claw is often called 蟹钳 (xièqián). Here 钳 means the pincer-like claw of an animal.
Can 钳 be used as a verb?
Yes. It can mean to grip or pinch with pincers, and it also appears in 钳制 (qiánzhì), meaning to clamp down on or restrain. In everyday speech, though, people mostly use it in the noun 钳子.