How to Write 锒 (láng) — Meaning “Clanking sound (of chains)”

Imagine a prisoner wearing heavy metal chains that go "lang lang" as they walk. The left side 钅 looks like a metal shackle, and the right side 良 can be remembered as "long" — so think of long chains that make a clanking sound. This connects the shape to the meaning of 锒铛 (shackles).

The left radical 钅 (gold/metal) should be written narrow and tall, with the last horizontal stroke angling slightly upward. The right side 良 has six strokes: start with a dot, then a short horizontal, then a vertical down, followed by a horizontal fold, and finally two diagonal strokes. A common mistake is making the right side too wide — keep it balanced so the whole character is square.

锒 (láng) specifically describes the clanking sound of chains or shackles, while 钰 (yù) means treasure or fine jade, and 钱 (qián) means money or coin. Visually, 锒 has 良 on the right, 钰 has 玉 (jade), and 钱 has 戋 (small/gather). They share the metal radical but have completely different right-side components and meanings.

锒 is almost never used alone in modern speech; it appears only in fixed expressions like 锒铛入狱 (láng dāng rù yù), meaning "to be thrown into prison in chains." The word 锒铛 refers to the clanking of chains, and this phrase is a vivid way to describe someone being arrested and jailed. It carries a strong visual and auditory image of criminal punishment.

Common words containing 锒 include: 锒铛入狱 (láng dāng rù yù) — To be thrown into prison / to be put in chains; 锒铛 (láng dāng) — Shackles / clanking of chains; 锒锒 (láng láng) — Clanking sound.