How to Write 钎 (qiān) — Meaning “Drill / Chisel / Rod”

Imagine a thousand (千) metal (钅) tools like drills and chisels stacked together. This visual of "a thousand metal tools" helps link the sound and meaning to the character shape.

Write the left radical 钅 first (5 strokes: short horizontal, horizontal, vertical, horizontal, vertical hook), then the right side 千 (3 strokes: left-falling, horizontal, vertical). Keep the left part narrow and the right part slightly wider, and do not shorten the last vertical stroke of 千.

钎 means a drill or chisel, while 钆 and 钇 are chemical elements (gadolinium and yttrium). Visually, 钎 has 千 on the right, 钆 has 乚 (a hook-like shape), and 钇 has 乙 (a bent stroke). All share the metal radical but differ completely in meaning.

钎 appears in technical terms like 钎子 (drill rod or chisel), 钢钎 (steel chisel), and 焊钎 (welding rod or soldering iron). It is common in construction, mining, and metalworking contexts, but not in daily conversation, so learners mainly encounter it in specialized vocabulary.

Common words containing 钎 include: 钎子 (qiān zi) — Drill rod / Chisel; 钢钎 (gāng qiān) — Steel chisel; 焊钎 (hàn qiān) — welding rod / soldering iron.