锭 meaning and stroke order
Spindle, ingot; tablet, slab
How to write 锭, 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 锭
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (weaving) spindle
- ingot
- pressed cake of medicine etc
- classifier for: gold and silver ingots, ink sticks
How 锭 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Metal.
钅 gives the meaning and 定 hints at the sound.
Radical: 钅 (gold), shared by 223 characters on this site.
How to remember 锭
锭 is metal 钅 plus 定 (dìng, settled). Picture molten metal poured into a mold until it sets into a fixed, solid block: an ingot.
锭 appears mostly in words for metal blocks and pressed shapes, such as 金锭 (jīndìng, gold ingot), 银锭 (yíndìng, silver ingot), and 纱锭 (shādìng, spinning spindle). It also works as a classifier for ingots and ink sticks. Example: 一锭银子 (yí dìng yínzi), one ingot of silver.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 锭 with 定 (dìng) because they sound the same. Use 锭 only for physical metal blocks, spindles, or pressed cakes, and use 定 for meanings like decide or fixed. Also watch for 绽 (zhàn, to burst open), which has the silk radical and a different phonetic part.
Questions about 锭
How many strokes are in 锭?
锭 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 锭 mean?
锭 (dìng) means spindle, ingot; tablet, slab.
How do you pronounce 锭?
锭 is pronounced dìng, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 锭?
The radical of 锭 is 钅, which carries the idea of "gold". Dictionaries list 锭 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 锭?
The traditional form of 锭 is 錠. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 锭 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 锭 a common word in everyday Chinese?
Not very. You will mostly see it in history, novels, and martial arts stories where people pay with silver ingots, or in technical words about textiles and metal industry.
How do you say a tablet of medicine with 锭?
锭 can mean a pressed cake of medicine, as in 锭剂 (dìngjì, lozenge or pressed tablet form). In daily speech people usually say 片 (piàn) or 药片 (yàopiàn) for pills instead.