How to Write 铄 (shuò) — Meaning “to melt / brilliant”

Think of a gold bar (钅) that is so shiny and brilliant it makes you want to play joyful music (乐). You can also link the pinyin 'shuò' to 'show' because the metal shows off its bright shine.

Write the left radical 钅 narrow with 5 strokes, then the right side 乐 with 5 strokes. Pay attention to the first stroke of 乐, which is a left-falling stroke, not a horizontal. A common mistake is writing the bottom part of 乐 incorrectly; it should end with a dot, not a horizontal line.

While all three use the metal radical 钅, 铄 has 乐 on the right and means 'to melt' or 'brilliant'. 钍 has 土 (earth) and means the element thorium. 钎 has 千 (thousand) and refers to a drill rod or brazing tool. Their meanings are unrelated, and the right-side components are visually distinct.

铄 appears in literary or formal phrases like 铄金 (to melt gold) and 闪铄 (to glisten). It is rarely used in everyday conversation, but the idiom 众口铄金 (public opinion melts gold) is a famous expression warning that widespread rumors can destroy truth. This shows the character's metaphorical use for overwhelming influence.

Common words containing 铄 include: 铄金 (shuò jīn) — to melt gold; 闪铄 (shǎn shuò) — To glisten / To flicker; 铄亮 (shuò liàng) — shiny and bright.