How to Write 镰 (lián) — Meaning “Sickle”

Imagine a metal sickle (钅) that is "lean" (像廉的发音) and sharp, used to cut grass. You can think of a farmer saying "I need a lean, sharp sickle" — where "lean" sounds like lián. The right side 廉 even contains 兼, which means "both" — picture a sickle that can cut both ways.

Write the left radical 钅 first (5 strokes: left-falling, horizontal, horizontal, vertical, horizontal). Then write the right side 廉 (13 strokes) with a balanced structure: the top 广 should cover the 兼 below, and the 兼 must have its two horizontal strokes evenly spaced. A common mistake is making the right side too wide or misplacing the dots inside 兼.

Look at the right side of each character: 镰 has 廉 (with a roof 广 and a complex middle), 镖 has 票 (like a ticket), and 镗 has 堂 (hall). Their meanings are different: 镰 is a farming sickle, 镖 is a dart or weapon for throwing, and 镗 is a machine tool for boring holes. The shapes and uses are very distinct once you notice the right component.

镰 appears mainly in the word 镰刀 (sickle), a traditional farming tool still used in rural areas. It is also famous in the symbol 镰锤 (hammer and sickle), representing communism and workers' unions. Although not in the HSK vocabulary, 镰 appears in historical texts, political contexts, and idioms about farming or revolution.

Common words containing 镰 include: 镰刀 (lián dāo) — Sickle; 镰锤 (lián chuí) — Hammer and sickle; 割镰 (gē lián) — sickle.