鉦 (zhēng) - Zheng — an ancient bronze percussion instrument resembling & also refers to a small metal gong.

鉦Tone 1

zhēng ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

丈志

鉦 · zhēng

Zheng — an ancient bronze percussion instrument resembling a bell with a handle, used in military commands and ceremonial music;

also refers to a small metal gong.

Zheng — an ancient bronze percussion instrument resemblingalso refers to a small metal gong.

Usage highlights

Bronze zhengZheng and drumStrike the zhengMilitary zhengZheng soundZheng handle

Synonyms

  • 锣— gong (similar metal percussion instrument)
  • 钲— simplified form of the same character

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The commander beat the zheng to signal retreat (鸣鉦收兵).
  • Ancient Chinese armies used zheng and drum for commands (鉦鼓).
  • This bronze zheng dates from the Warring States period (战国鉦).
  • The ritual music featured zheng and bell ensembles (鉦钟合奏).

Collocations

  • Bronze zheng(铜鉦)
  • Zheng and drum(鉦鼓)
  • Strike the zheng(击鉦)
  • Military zheng(军鉦)
  • Zheng sound(鉦声)
  • Zheng handle(鉦柄)

Idioms

  • Advance by drum, retreat by zheng(鸣鼓而进，鸣金收兵)
  • Zheng and drum shaking the heavens(鉦鼓震天)
  • Golden zheng and iron horse(金鉦铁马)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Used in ancient Chinese warfare to signal troop movements, especially retreat.
  • Often paired with drums in military and ceremonial contexts.
  • Archaeological finds show zheng were important ritual bronzes from Shang to Han dynasties.
  • Later evolved into smaller metal gongs used in folk music and opera.

FAQ