How to Write 锟 (kūn) — Meaning “Fine steel”

Think of a famous sword called Kunwu (锟铻) — imagine a strong warrior named Kun using a fine steel blade. The left side 钅 looks like a metal bar, and 昆 sounds like "kung" as in kung fu, so picture a kung fu master forging fine steel.

Write the left radical 钅 first (3 strokes: a short horizontal, a hook, and a vertical line), then the right part 昆 (8 strokes: 日 then 比). Keep the left side narrow and the right side wider; a common mistake is making 钅 too wide or confusing its final stroke with the one in 金.

锟 has the component 昆 (kūn), while 铐 has 考 (kǎo) and 铑 has 老 (lǎo). Visually, 锟 ends with 比 (two parallel lines), 铐 ends with 丂 (a hook), and 铑 ends with 匕 (a short knife). Their meanings differ: 锟 means fine steel, 铐 means handcuffs, and 铑 is the element rhodium.

锟 is rare in everyday modern Chinese and appears mostly in classical or literary contexts, such as in the word 锟铻 (a legendary sword) or 锟钢 (fine steel). Culturally, it is linked to the famous Kunwu sword from ancient Chinese mythology, often associated with powerful warriors.

Common words containing 锟 include: 锟铻 (kūn wú) — Kunwu (a legendary sword); 锟钢 (kūn gāng) — Fine steel; 锟铻剑 (kūn wú jiàn) — Kunwu sword.