汞 (gǒng) - Mercury — the chemical element (Hg) & quicksilver

汞Tone 3

gǒng ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 水

枫惠

汞 · gǒng

Mercury — the chemical element (Hg);

quicksilver;

also used in traditional Chinese medicine and alchemy.

Mercury — the chemical element (Hg)quicksilveralso used in traditional Chinese medicine and alchemy.

Usage highlights

Mercury elementMercury poisoningMercury thermometerMercury compoundMercury vaporMercury lamp

Synonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Mercury is a liquid metal at room temperature (汞).
  • This thermometer contains mercury (汞).
  • Mercury is used in some traditional medicines (汞剂).
  • The alchemist worked with mercury (水银).

Collocations

  • Mercury element(汞元素)
  • Mercury poisoning(汞中毒)
  • Mercury thermometer(汞温度计)
  • Mercury compound(汞化合物)
  • Mercury vapor(汞蒸气)
  • Mercury lamp(汞灯)

Idioms

  • Red cinnabar and white mercury(丹砂汞白)
  • Lead and mercury alchemy(铅汞之术)
  • Mercury falling to the ground(汞泻地)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese alchemy, mercury represented yin and was paired with lead (yang) in the quest for immortality.
  • Mercury has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, though its toxicity is now well understood.
  • The character combines 'water' (水) with 'work' (工), reflecting mercury's liquid metal properties.

FAQ