镣 meaning and stroke order
Fetters, leg-irons
How to write 镣, stroke by stroke
17 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 镣
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- fetters
- leg-irons
- shackles
How 镣 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Metal.
钅 gives the meaning and 尞 hints at the sound.
Radical: 钅 (gold), shared by 223 characters on this site.
How to remember 镣
The metal radical 钅 on the left tells you this is something made of metal. The right side 尞 (liáo) gives the sound, so think of a metal thing that sounds like liáo: iron chains locked around a prisoner's legs.
镣 (liào) is rarely used alone in modern Chinese. It usually appears in the compound 镣铐 (liàokào), meaning shackles and handcuffs, often in news, history, or figurative writing. Example: 犯人戴着镣铐。(Fànrén dàizhe liàokào.) The prisoner is wearing shackles.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 镣 with 撩 (liāo/liáo, to lift or tease) and 燎 (liáo, to burn), which share the same right side 尞. Check the left side: only the metal radical 钅 gives the meaning of fetters. Also note the fourth tone, liào, not liáo.
Common words with 镣
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 镣铐 | liàokào | manacles and leg-irons; fetters and handcuffs |
Questions about 镣
How many strokes are in 镣?
镣 is written with 17 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 镣 mean?
镣 (liào) means fetters, leg-irons. A common word with it is 镣铐 (liàokào), meaning "manacles and leg-irons; fetters and handcuffs".
How do you pronounce 镣?
镣 is pronounced liào, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 镣?
The radical of 镣 is 钅, which carries the idea of "gold". Dictionaries list 镣 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 镣?
The traditional form of 镣 is 鐐. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 镣 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 镣 and 铐?
镣 (liào) refers to leg-irons, the chains on the feet. 铐 (kào) refers to handcuffs on the wrists. Together, 镣铐 covers both and is often used for restraints in general.
Can 镣铐 be used figuratively?
Yes. 镣铐 can describe anything that restricts freedom, such as rules or traditions. For example, 思想的镣铐 (sīxiǎng de liàokào) means the shackles of the mind.