煆 (xiā) - To smelt, refine (metals) & to calcine (minerals)

煆Tone 1

xiā ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

煆 · xiā

To smelt, refine (metals);

to calcine (minerals);

to forge;

to temper;

to process with fire.

To smelt, refine (metals)to calcine (minerals)to forge

Usage highlights

To forge metalTo calcine mineralsTo refine elixirsTo temper steelTo process with fireForging furnace

Synonyms

  • 炼— to smelt, refine
  • 锻— to forge, hammer
  • 熔— to melt, fuse

Antonyms

  • 冷— cold (opposite of heating process)
  • 凝— to congeal, solidify (opposite of melting)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The blacksmith forged the sword (煆剑).
  • They calcined limestone to make lime (煆石灰).
  • Ancient alchemists sought to refine elixirs (煆丹药).
  • The metal was tempered for strength (煆炼金属).

Collocations

  • To forge metal(煆金)
  • To calcine minerals(煆矿)
  • To refine elixirs(煆丹)
  • To temper steel(煆钢)
  • To process with fire(煆炼)
  • Forging furnace(煆炉)

Idioms

  • To temper and refine(千锤百煆)
  • Forged in fire(真金不怕火煆)
  • Alchemical refinement(九转金丹煆)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically associated with metallurgy, blacksmithing, and alchemical practices.
  • In traditional Chinese alchemy, 煆 referred to the process of refining substances through controlled heating.
  • The character embodies the transformative power of fire in material processing.

FAQ