锤 meaning and stroke order
Hammer
How to write 锤, stroke by stroke
13 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 锤
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- hammer
- to hammer into shape
- weight (e.g. of a steelyard or balance)
- to strike with a hammer
- variant of 錘|锤[chui2]
How 锤 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Metal.
钅 gives the meaning and 垂 hints at the sound.
Radical: 钅 (gold), shared by 223 characters on this site.
How to remember 锤
锤 combines 钅 (metal) with 垂 (chuí, to hang down), which gives the sound. Picture a heavy metal head hanging down at the end of a handle, ready to swing: a hammer.
In everyday speech people usually say 锤子 (chuízi) for a hammer. 锤 can also be a verb meaning to pound or hammer something. Example: 他用锤子把钉子钉进墙里。(Tā yòng chuízi bǎ dīngzi dìng jìn qiáng lǐ.) He used a hammer to drive the nail into the wall.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 锤 with 捶 (chuí), which has the hand radical 扌 and means to beat with the fist, as in 捶背 (chuí bèi, to pound someone's back). Use 锤 when a metal tool is involved and 捶 when it is done by hand.
Common words with 锤
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 锤子 | chuízi | hammer | HSK 7-9 |
锤 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 锤
How many strokes are in 锤?
锤 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 锤 mean?
锤 (chuí) means hammer. A common word with it is 锤子 (chuízi), meaning "hammer".
How do you pronounce 锤?
锤 is pronounced chuí, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 锤?
The radical of 锤 is 钅, which carries the idea of "gold". Dictionaries list 锤 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 锤?
The traditional form of 锤 is 錘 and 鎚. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 锤 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 锤 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 锤 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 锤 mean in a steelyard or scale?
On a traditional steelyard balance, 锤 refers to the sliding weight that you move along the arm to measure. It is also called 秤锤 (chèngchuí).
Is 锤 used in slang?
Yes. In casual online speech, 锤 can mean solid proof, as in 实锤 (shíchuí), meaning hard evidence that confirms a rumor. 锤 alone as a verb can also mean to expose someone with evidence.