铅 (qiān) - Lead — a heavy, soft, malleable metal & graphite in pencils

铅Tone 1

qiān ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

器情

铅 · qiān

Lead — a heavy, soft, malleable metal;

graphite in pencils;

also used metaphorically for heaviness or burden.

Lead — a heavy, soft, malleable metalgraphite in pencilsalso used metaphorically for heaviness or burden.

Usage highlights

PencilLead metalLead poisoningLead weightLead typeLead bullet

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 轻— light (weight)
  • 羽— feather (lightness metaphor)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • This box is as heavy as lead (铅一样重).
  • I need to buy a pencil (铅笔).
  • Lead poisoning is dangerous (铅中毒).
  • The project has a leaden pace (铅一般缓慢的进度).

Collocations

  • Pencil(铅笔)
  • Lead metal(铅金属)
  • Lead poisoning(铅中毒)
  • Lead weight(铅锤)
  • Lead type(铅字)
  • Lead bullet(铅弹)

Idioms

  • Carrying a load of lead(负铅而行)
  • Heart heavy as lead(心如铅坠)
  • Lead the way and pave the path(铅路蓝缕)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Lead was one of the earliest metals used by humans in ancient China, primarily for making coins, weights, and pigments.
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, lead compounds were occasionally used externally, though toxicity was recognized.
  • The character appears in 'pencil' (铅笔) though modern pencils use graphite, not lead.

FAQ