砧 (zhēn) - Anvil & chopping block

砧Tone 1

zhēn ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

丈志

砧 · zhēn

Anvil;

chopping block;

flat stone or metal block used for pounding, hammering, or cutting.

Anvilchopping blockflat stone or metal block used for pounding,

Usage highlights

AnvilCutting boardMeat blockSound of pounding clothesAnvil chorusPounding block

Synonyms

  • 碪— Variant form of 砧, meaning anvil or block

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The blacksmith hammered the hot iron on the anvil (铁砧).
  • She chopped vegetables on the cutting board (砧板).
  • The butcher used a meat block (肉砧).
  • The sound of the hammer on the anvil (砧声) echoed in the workshop.

Collocations

  • Anvil(铁砧)
  • Cutting board(砧板)
  • Meat block(肉砧)
  • Sound of pounding clothes(砧声)
  • Anvil chorus(砧杵)
  • Pounding block(捣砧)

Idioms

  • Pounding clothes under the moonlight(月下捣砧)
  • The sound of washing mallets(砧杵声声)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Traditionally associated with the sound of women pounding clothes clean by riversides, a common autumn scene in classical poetry.
  • The 'anvil' is a fundamental tool in blacksmithing, representing craftsmanship and creation.
  • The character appears in poetic contexts to evoke feelings of loneliness or thoughts of distant loved ones, triggered by the sound of pounding laundry.

FAQ